The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-12-09
"A Fool
COuntryman
BY EUNICE BLAKE

there. YOU'D DeCter make an armeu
fortress Of yourself. for I'm positive
there is some one connected with this
bank who is giving information to
criminals whenever any sum Of money
leaves the bank. Hemstreet was rob-
bed of $500 a week ago when he left
without q possibility Of any one out
eide the bank knowing that he had any
money with him."
/ assented to what Mr.. Whitcomb
said, but made up my mind to try to
pull through In my own way. i knew
that a trap had been laid for Hem
street and he had fallen into it. If
there was any trap laying in my case
proposed to have a hand In 1t myself.
I slung a short bulldog" up my right
sleeve by an elastic strap in case Of an
emergency. but did not expect to use
1t. l got myself up as "hayseed." not
that expected to fool those who might
be laying for me, but because l might
wish to fool some one else. In my
hand carried an old fashioned carpet
bag made of real carpet
I carried the money home with me
and the next day took a train that
passed through the town at o'clock
In the morning. Glancing through a
window while dressing, / saw the face
of a man at window on the opposite
side of the street. His face was very
white In contrast with very black
beard. He was looking straight at my
window, and as soon as he saw me
looking at him he disappeared.
On my way to the station l neither
saw nor heard any one In the street,
the stiffness being marked, but once l
heard faint footballs behind me- l
turned, but saw no one. However.
while walking back and forth In the
station who should come in but the
pale faced man with the black beard.
He went to the ticket office and from
there to the train. On taking my seat
did not look to see If he was In the
car with me, but l presumed he was.
After the train had started l went to
the cooler to get drink Of water, TAX
ing my bag with me. and then l saw
my watcher. as l supposed him to be,
sitting not far distant from the seat
was using.
Returning to it, began to talk to
man sitting beside me. l asked him
how far 1t was to San Miguel and what
hour the banks closed there. He asked
me il was going there, and told him
was. | asked him If he was going
there, too, and he admitted that he was,
whereupon | whispered to him that
had large sum Of money in my bag
and offered him $25 If he would go
with me from the station to the bank.
He said that he would go with me
cheerfully, but didn't care to take any
pay for doing So
became quite chummy with my new
found friend. who seemed to be gen
tleman and was evidently bit amused
at my country simplicity Indeed. he
told me that should not have divulged
to him my secret. If l trusted him
was likely to trust others and to lose
my money. pretended to be regretfu
of my indiscretion, but declared tha
since 1 had trusted him at all woul'
trust him throughout. He seemed
grateful at my confidence and agreed
to do anything In his power to aid me
For this I pretended heartfelt graft
tude.
When we were approaching the mex
station to San Miguel proposed plal
by which my new acquaintance Nigh
get the funds safely through for me
He carried no baggage. having trunk
which was checked. / asked him II
would get Off the train with my carpe
bag at the station we were approach
ing and proceed by other conveyance
San Miguel and deliver the bag to m
at the bank as soon as he should arriv
he asked me If the amount l carrie
was very large, and I told him 1t we
over $500. which was no lie.
He now piled me with questions
test my sincerity. to all Of which gay
replies that seemed to satisfy him. E
also asked me If thought any one WI
on my track to rob me. told him thu
suspected a man sitting back Of I
with a white face and black bear
My neighbor finally consented to carr
my bag for me when we left the ira
at San Miguel. This was the best
could do with him.
AS we approached the station l g
up, leaving my bag with my frien
and went again to the cooler, Will
was at the forward end Of the c,
The train was slowing up at the tin
and passengers were rising from thu
seats. Before the train stopped jun
ed of and disappeared.
Well, / saw no more of my frie
until shortly after l had reached {
bank. Then he came In putting.
cravat awry, his hat caved in. / n
him at the door.
"Great Scott, man, what did J
leave me for with your bag just as
train pulled up to the station? They
got your money"
"Don't you worry, my friend" /
piled; there was no money in &
bag. 1t was distributed over my p
son. 1t is now in bank. I'm no grang
I'm cashier of the First National ba
of Ascola. Please make out your