The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-09-30
AS PRECIOUS AS GOLD
BY FRANK n. MELOoN,

AS we scanned the yellow sheet,
only that moment torn from the grimy
envelope, Chase Precott groaned
aloud. Although he was not man
given TO despairing, he could see plain
~ that the words spelled probable
ruin. AS acting president of the Wyo-
ming Banking company, with branches
in Fremont and Casper, the RESPONSE
bility Of the twin institutions lay on
the shoulders Of the one-time cashier;
from the president, whose recovery
from dangerous fever seemed i'm
+ probable, he could expect neither aid
nor advice. The telegram read:
Fremont, Wyo., Sept. 23.-Chase
Prescott, The Muddy River House,
Casper: Run on bank certain tomor-
row. Twenty-Five thousand necessary
| by noon. Come at once yourself. ar
| ranging for special train to follow
| Dick Noses"
That's a pleasant message to re-
| ceive on the eve of ones marriage!"
| he exclaimed. Il wonder what Ina
would say to that. Lucky We ar
ranged to be married at her home in
| Fremont"
| Chase Prescott glanced at his
watch, noting that the hour was eight
o'clock. He stepped quickly to the
telephone booth, giving his orders
| clearly and briefly to his associates
! of the Casper National, closing by tell
| ing them that he was about to leave
! for Fremont on the 9:15 p. m. train.
Have the money on board the spe-
| cial as early as you can tomorrow
! morning" he admonished. I'VE must
/ take no chanes. If it wasn't for that
| COMPOUNDED new time lock, I'd open
| the safe tonight, get the coin to Ere
mont, and have it in the bank there
| by the time we open for business to-
morrow morning"
| Once in Fremont, Chase Prescott
| fastened to meet Dick Moses, pay
| ing teller of the Fremont National, and
brother of the girl who was to be-
, come his wife on the morrow. The
| substance Of the information conveyed
| by Dick Moses was that diSgruntled
| depositor had started in circulation
story that the Fremont National was
On its last legs; the news had spread
| anu UuL lOI Tie ldCI tudl Lle
bank closed its doors daily at three
o'clock, would have meant ruin that
| day. On the morrow the bank doors
| would swing back on their heavy
| hinges at $50 o'clock. The amount
| of currency and bills in the bank was
| good, possibly, for three hours run;
| anyway, not for more than that.
Everything depended, therefore, on
the timely arrival of the special from
! Casper.
The officials went to the bank in a
body the next morning. crowd was
| already gathered about the building
| For an hour there was a steady out
| flow of carefully counted money
| through the little wicker over which
was the sign deposits and With
drawals." Chase Prescott stood by
the big plate glass window, watching
the crowd outside.
A messenger boy from the nearby
| telegraph office came running into
| the bank, all out of breath. Has
| tily Chase Prescott tore open the en-
velope. 1t read:
Casper, Wyo, Sept. 24-Chase
! Prescott, the Fremont National, Ere
mont: Special has left here with
| twenty-five thousand in currency,
Should be in Fremont, barring acct
dents, by 11:30-William.
| The face of Dick Moses paled as
the pile of currency at his right hand
| dwindled
Again the messenger boy from the
| fo1oOranh 0fflnQ running
| through the crowd. elbowing his way
| vigorously. This time the scrap of
| yellow paper was crushed in Chase
| Prescotts hand. It told of a washout
II miles away. There had been dam
| burst, it said; the money was being
brought on by wagon, and would be
at the door of the Fremont National
with in hour
In an hour!' groaned the acting
| president In an hour! Great Scott
| the bank will be busted inside of 20
minutes! No, it shan't be. l say it
| shan't be-" AS he uttered the words,
| half aloud, he ran out into the street,
hailing passing express wagon. Ev-
cry cent the bank had in it's Golfers had
! been placed in full view for effect;
and now 1t was nearly gone. Ihere
was not sufficient to last another five
minutes.
The rumble of the express wagon
was again heard, and the crowd in
the street was forced to scatter to let
| it through. 1t was piled high with
bags of precious coin-rough meal
| sacks, seized on hastily, the most of
them were, but the money inside had
the rattle and jingle of gold Without
! a word, bag after bag was carried in
side the big doors. At last the crowd
comprehended, cheers split the air,
| and the line of walters broke up
| shamefaced, but satisfied the bank was
| safe.
/ Thirty minutes later the wagon
| from the washout arrived, the driver