The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-24
A IIMID
GIRL
BY JOHN B. OVERAkER


Nellie was her name, though IL she
had been born in New England when
man virtues they would have called
her Modesty. Timidity would have
also described her, for she appeared TO
be afraid of her shadow. She was a
| typewriter in my private bank out in
the western town Of b. My institu-
ton was a small one. and / required
but a small force. There was one
teller, who paid and received also a
bookkeeper, boy and my typewriter.
One day party Of robbers rode into
an adjoining town, pulled up at the
| bank, shot the cashier dead, emptied
the loose currency into bags and gal.
Hoped away, all within seven minutes.
Their leader was known to be a des
perate youngster called Kid Malone,
scarcely twenty two years old.
When Kid Malone few days later
rode into another town and robbed an.
other bank with only one man to as
sist him and In less time than before,
Ii occurred to me that had better be
taking measures to prepare for an at
tack on my own institution. | called
my little force together for consulta-
ton. The cashier proposed that re-
volver be so fixed in the door of my
private office that could fire it imme-
diately on the appearance Of robber
and another be similarly fixed to his |
window The bookkeeper should also |
be armed. Bob, the boy, said he In |
tended TO arm himself with hand |
grenades. When ii came Nellie's turn |
TO make suggestions she said she |
couldn't think OF anything. In case a
robber came she would duck under her
typewriter table. But after number
of propositions, none of which seemed
to be practical, she gathered her wits
and surprised us all by very sensible
proposition.
These preparations to fight desperate
men Brighten me. 1t seems to me that
they should rather be met by artifice.
Until this scare is over how would it
do to conceal the cash In something
that could be easily removed? know
you'll think it ridiculous, Gut | have
an idea that think could work my
self IL could only keep enough cour-
age. How would 1t do 10 have a baby
carriage standing near the back door |
with lot of little pillows and blan-
kets and quilts in II. just as though
there was baby asleep, and under
the covering to keep the cash during
banking hours? Then IL this Kid Ma {
lone comes to rob the bank l can
shrek, run to the baby carriage and
wheel 1t away"
That's an idea worth considering,
said /.
The more I thought about Nellie's
plan the more approved Of II. A
baby carriage was procured, and as
soon as the bank opened in the morn
ng the bulk of the funds was put in
[ and kept there till after o'clock, Il
when we closed the doors. The car
'iage stood in hallway. the opening u
o which was screened so as to conceal II
he bank officials when they went to II
o put in or take out cash. Nellies
Machine was within few feet of the
passage, and in case of trouble II
would be the most natural thing in
he world for her to take to fight II
through the exit All feared was that
{ we were attacked the girl would
,e so frightened that she wouldn't stop
n her flight to wheel away the treas
ire.
We kept up our precaution for three
avs. and since it was quite incon-
enient In doing business | was about
D abandon ii. but Nellie said she had
reamed that Kid Malone had appear
d and somehow had got away with
II OF money. / am ashamed TO con-
ass that | was Influenced by this
ream. which decided me TO keep up
ur precaution for another day
About IL O'Clock the next morning
clatter OF horses hoofs was heard
1ming down the street. Nellie heard
and turned pale She didn't wait for
,bbers TO reach the bank. She ran for
le baby carriage. and both she and IL
sappeared. / heard the riding party
op before the bank and sat still, In
nding to submit to a robbery of what
w bills there were on the counters.
be teller crouched down below his
indow, the boOkkeeper ducked under
$ desk. and. as for Bob. be followed
Ellie out through the back door.
waited every minute expecting 20
e armed men come in through the
ont door. but nobody came. Then
ard the horses without trot away.
as wondering what II all meant when
10 came in and cried:
'SmngT' II
he had heen running and was out y