Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-03
snatched even one. bundle?" asked
Avery incredulously.

SldlCueu even OlS' puhuiS' oohSN
Avery incredulously.
No"
We'll, you better get me out OF
here. I'm going to have lockjaw ir
both hands in a minute" He reached
for his hat and stick.
mo, you're not" put in Valentine
Come on, Red" he said, walking tc
the vault room door. I'm going tC
prove to Bill that he's honest. He's
going to watch that money till we
come back"
Avery cried out in protest, but Red
followed his superior, and the time
i! worn thief who had confessed to his
friends the weakness that he well
knew yet lurked within him, was left
alone in the banking office before q
tray containing $4,000 in cash. With
in reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which 1t was
but a few seconds dash to the busy
street, where a man would immediate
ly be lost to view in the passing
throng.
"It's a dirty trick" muttered the old
man, starting after the others. A shaft
of yellow light reflected from one of
the golden coins caught his eye, drove
into his very brain, into the thin red
blood that coursed through his hard
ening veins. He stopped. He turned
full around and slowly, with hands
eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to
the table bearing the precious burden
His brows narrowed down over his
pale gray eyes, his fingers. long talons
in their curved fixedness, began 10
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away of a sudden. He straight
ened himself up and started toward the
vault room door to summon Valentine.
But even as he did so his glance roved
back to the alluring tray. He was
drawn to It as the nerveless rabbit
that succumbs to the insidious charm
of the oscillating head Of the hungry
python.
two packages of hundred dollar bills,
thrust them into his pockets, then
clutched two more. The fever had
him. His eyes shone with the fire OF
gone days and gone nights. His pol
soned blood sang through his veins
Then he stopped once more. He raised
his head.
And have the coppers after me
again." he murmured thoughtfully. He
laid down a package. And double
cross a pal that put me straight. Not
me, not mel" He replaced the re-
mainder of the money. And coin that
comes crooked never was any good"
Avery stood before the tray of mon
ey. Now he looked at the tempting
fortune with the sure knowledge that
he had conquered-that he had faced
his greatest test and had not been
found wanting,
The thought Of how narrowly ne
had escaped committing the meanest
crime of his career came over him.
and he realized that he had been on
the verge of plunging himself into the
death dealing life from which -Yalen-
tine had rescued him. Ungovernable
rage possessed him at his insane lapse
into the self that he had cast from
him. He swung his fist at the neatly
stacked piles of gold pieces.
Curse you, curse you!" he cried IN
frenzy. The tray and Its contents
crashed to the floor and the money
scattered in all directions.
Valentine and Red hearing the noise
came rushing in from the vault room
They saw the floor Uttered with bank
notes and coins. And crouching for-
lornly in a chair was the figure OF old
Bill Avery. His hands were pressed
over his eyes, and he sobbed In the
agony that gripped the soul which mad
been restored to him.
ITO Be ContinuedO