The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-22
AS PRECIOUS AS GOLD
BY FRANK H. MElooN.

envelope. Chase Precott groaned
aloud. Although he was not man
given to despairing, he could see plain.
ly that the words spelled probable
ruin. AS acting president of the Wyo.
ming Banking company, with branches
In Fremont and Casper, the responsi.
bility Of the twin institutions lay on
the shoulders of the one.time cashier;
from the president, whose recovery
from a 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 q pleasant message to re.
ceive on the eve Of ones marriage"
! he exclaimed. II 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
confounded 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
a 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 a
story that the Fremont National was
on its last legs; the news had spread
quickly, and but for the fact that the
bank closed it's 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 $3.50 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 q
body the next morning. A 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. thread:
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 a.
the pile of currency at his right hand
dwindled
Again the messenger boy from the |
telegraph Office was seen running |
through the crowd, elbowing his way |
vigorously. This time the scrap of
yellow paper was crushed in Chase |
Presoott's hand. It told Of q washout |
IL 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 BEL" As he uttered the words.
half aloud. he ran out into the street,
hailing passing express wagon. Ev.
cry cent the bank had in its Golfers had
been placed In full view for effect;
and now 1t was nearly gone. There
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
1t 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
frOvya fhn cho,,k I-.-t