The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-05-09

daring and ingenious bank-robberies
known in the pages of metropolitan
crime. There was Mrs. Chedsoye, in
trusively handsome as ever; there
was her rascally cardsharper brother,
that migrate who called himself Ry.
anne, and three unknown men. The
impudence Of 1t; the damnable inso-
lence Of it! And there they were,
toasting their success in a brace Of
his own vintage.champagne! But the
Wine was, after all, inconsequential. 1t
was what he saw upon the floor that
caught him by the throat. His knees
weakened, but he held on grimly to |
|. his perch.
White bags Of gold, soiled bags of
gold, and neat packs of green and yell
low notes. riches! Twenty bags and !
as many packets of currency; mil.
lion, not penny under that! George
; was seized with a horrible desire to
yell with laughter. He felt the each
; innations bubble In his throat. He
swallowed violently and gnawed his
! lips. They had got into his house IN
der false pretenses and had tunneled
back into the MISUNDERSTANDING
! Bank, of which Horace's brother was
president and in which he. George P.
A. Jones, always carried large pri-
vate balance! It was the joke of
! the century.
As quietly as he possibly could, he
stepped down from his uncertain
perch. In the fine fury that followed
his amazement, his one thought was
! to summon the police at once, to con.
front the wretches in their villainy;
but once outside In the street, he
cooled. Instantly he saw the trial In
court. Fortune as witness against her
own mother. That was horrible and
not to be thought Of. But what could
he do? He was shaken to his soul.
The stupendous audacity Of such a
i plan! To have worked out every de-
tail, down to the altering Of the key
hole to prevent surprise! He saw
y the automobiles. They were leaving
that night. If he acted at all, it must
i be within an hour; in less than that
4 time they would be loading the cars.
a His mind began to rid itself of Its
|. confusion. Without the aid Of the
Il police; and presently he saw the way
n to do it.
II He was off at a dog-trot, upon the
|, balls of his feet, silently. Within five
= minutes he was mounting the steps
/ to the Mortimer home, and in another
! minute was inside. The others saw d.
rectly that something serious had hap
/ pened.
81 whats the trouble, George? House
i. vanished?" asked Mortimer.
RI Have you got a brace Of revolv
r ers?" said George quietly.
1.-TWO automatics. But
9 Give them to me-" less evenly ir
J, tone. "Will you call up Arthur Wads
v worth, president Of the Merchandise
Q chanic Bank?"
e "The bank?"
k Eyes, the bank. You know, it II
: just in the rear Of my house"
IL Here Fortune came forward. AL
g the bright color was gone from he
A cheeks; the old mask Of despair hat
e reformed. She needed no further en-
y lightenment.
Z. Are you going back there" sh'
e asked.
G. Eyes, dear; / must. Mr.. Mortime
d will go with me-"
"And II"
mo, heart O. mine; you've got t
stay here"
If, you do not take me with vol
you will not find me here when you n
turn"
le my child" began Mortimer SCOTT
le ingly, you must not talk like tina
e There will be danger"
1T "Then notify the police, and let tn
sr danger rest upon their shoulders" sh
le said, her jaws set squarely.
" 81 can't call In the police" reptile
'e George, miserable.
ut "Shall tell you why?"
lg Dearest, can't you understand thu
I'd 1t Is you l am thinking off,"
Is II am determined. II do not G
te with you. you shall never see n
IN again. My mother is there!"
II. Tragedy. Mrs Mortimer street.-the
Is out hand, but the girl did not 81
ne lit. Her mother; her own flesh an
Of blood! Oh, the poor child!
e! Come, then" said George, in d
IS. spair. But you are hurting me, Fo
1T tune"
ne Forgive me, but must go vii
ly you. l must!"
w Get me the revolvers, Mr.. Nor
'ly mer. Well wait for Wadswort
of Will you please telephone him? I
at afraid l couldn't talk steadily enoug
tn Explain nothing save that 1t concerl
lct his bank"
George sat down. Not during tho
ne early days of the journey across t
ID desert had he felt so pitiably WEI
ast and inefficient.
we Fortune paced the room, her arr
Id. folded tightly across her brea
ng Strange, there was neither fear n
I'D pain in her heart. only a wild wra'