Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-06-20
CHAPTER iI-continued.

Good judges on the working door Of
the Lawrenceville Athletic club had
said of the well-muscled young bank
cashier that he did not know his own
strength. II was the sight of the pistol
that maddened him and put the driving
force behind the smashing blow that
landed upon the big mans chest. The
lifted pistol dropped from Mr.. WatrOus
Dunham's grasp and he wilted. settling
back into his chair, and then slipping
to the floor
In flash Smith knew what he had
done. Once, one evening when he had
been induced to put on the gloves with
the Athletic clubs trainer, he had con-
trived to plant a body blow which had
sent the wiry little Irishman TO the
mat, gasping and fighting for the
breath of life. IF ever yezTl be giyin'
a man that heart-punch wild tn bare
-fisht, Misther Montague. tbs you FIR tn
fasht train widout shtOppin' to buy
amy ticket-it1l be murther in the
first degree" the trainer had said,
when he had breath to compass the
saying.
With the unheeded warning resur-
gent and clamoring In his ears, Smith
knelt horror-stricken beside the fallen
man. On the presidents heavy face
and in the staring eyes there was a
foolish smile, as of one mildly aston
ished. Smith loosened the collar around
the thick neck and laid his ear upon
the spot where the blow had fallen.
The big mans heart had stopped like
a smashed clock.
Smith got upon his feet, turned off
the electric light and, from mere force
of habit, closed and snap-locked the
presidents desk. The Waterman had
not yet returned. Smith saw the empty
chair beside the vault door as he
passed 1t on his way to the street. The
cashiers only thought was to go at
once to police headquarters and give
himself up. Then he remembered how
carefully the trap had been set. and
how impossible it would he for him to
make any reasonable defense.
With one glance over his shoulder at
the darkened front windows of the
bank, Smith began to run. not toward
the police station, but in the opposite
direction-toward the railroad station.
For ]. Montague Smith, slipping from
shadow to shadow down the scantily
lighted cross street and listening mo-
mentarily for the footballs of pursuit,
a new hour had struck. 1t was all
prodigiously incredible. The crowding
sensations were terrifying, but they
were also precious. in their way. Long
forgotten bits of brutality and tyranny
on Watrous Dunham's part came up TO
be remembered and. In this retributive
aftermath. to be triumphantly crossed
Off as items in an account finally set
tied. On the Smith side the bank cash
ier's forebears had been plodding farm
ers, but old John Montague had been
the village blacksmith and a soldier
a shrewd smlter in both trades. Blood
Wtll tell Parental implantings may
have much to say 10 the fruit Of the
womb, but atavism has more. Smiths
jaw came up with snap. He was no
longer an indistinguishable unit in the
ranks OF the reSpecthDie hhu the wen
behaved he was a man fleeing for his
life What was done was done, and
the next thing TO do wGs TO avert the
consequences.
At the railroad station a few early
Corners for the west-bound passenger
train due at ten o'clock were already
gathering and at the bidding of GER
tain new and militant craftineSs Smith
avoided the lighted waiting rooms as