The Tomahawk., 1917-11-08
-~HORTAGE, SIR" reported our
~ chief clerk, and the president
of the Atlas National bank

Of the Atlas NauOnal Dahk
4 looked up annoyed, while I,
his confidential secretary, suspended
my pencil in the process of taking
notes of his instructions regarding the
new Chinese loan.
SLOW much?" challenged the big
man of the institution.
give thousand dollars"
"Something to consider" mumbled
our official head and censor. "Where
does it occur?"
1 'Paying tell A. to G.-window s.
Agnew."
Hint" scowled the president.
''Thats bad. Overpayment, and that
stands for little chance Of a return"
The chief clerk suppressed slight
smile Of incredulity. I read his
thought and shared his deductions.
BARLEY Agnew was the "crack' teller
of the Atlas, expert authority on
good money, and the swiftest counter
and oldest payer in the service.
"Send Agnew here" was all the
president said, and sat aimless play
ing with a letter opener, irritability
and impatience manifested in his face
brook delay or mistakes.
Within five minutes the chief clerk
returned, discreetly knocked at the
door, ushcred in Agnew and reluc-
family withdrew. The latter wore his
usual pen costume-well-worn, shin
ing, black alpaca coat, shallow skull
cap, close-fitting silk sleeves and
breast-high apron. He came forward,
leaned one hand on the top of one of
the high easy chairs, and nodded re-
spectfully but briefly to the president.
! tried to give Agnew reassuring
look. There was nothing of the cul-
prit in him, yet he was unnaturally
pale. His hand shook visibly. The
aspect was that of a mystitied and
frightened man. He swept aside all
imputation Of suspicion or rebuke with
a singular outburst:
my record, sir!" and mingled pride
and humiliation brought the actual
tears to his eyes.
He could not have appealed to our
president ut a more sensitive spot.
If the Atlas was proud of anything,
it was its system and the persons 1t
had in service-picked men, the last
one of them, and representing fifty per
cent of the Gibraltar integrity Of the
institution.
Don't get nervous, Agnew," he said
the mistake
II can't!" cried the perturbed teller
in hard, collapsing gasp "Thats
the misery of it. One error might be
traced down, but two-three r"
He bowed his head and sat motion
less. His helplessness was pltiable.
I knew what was passing in the mans
mlnd-the keen torture of the profess
sional expert, brokenson the wheel of
some hideous combination Of circum-
stances that cast him into the junk
heap or "the down and out"
"You must be coherent, Agnew,"
spoke the president, trifle sharply
this time. my time is valuable and
some explanation is due" y
every we'll, sir" replied the unfor-
tunate teller, with powerful effort ut
bracing up; "there is all have to pre-
sent.'
He had taken three slips Of paper
from his pocket and placed them
consecutively upon the glass slab that
covered the presidents desk. My
curious glance swept them rapidly
three Of the ordinary checks of the
bank.
BLANK" spoke the president, turn
ing them over, inspecting them and
then tossing them carelessly aside as
If the presentation was too paltry to
consider. =
CAS- you see. Them" replied the
teller. II have thought it adj out, sir,
and I feel that you will deride me,
but those three checks represent the
shortage Of $4,000" y
,Slre president did not speak, 1t
was so clearly a riddle that only the
individual who presented it could give
an calculation, and he waited for it.
ITO be as brief and clear as can."
proceeded Agnew. "Day before yes
terday when I gathered up the odd
CllCChS L AuO SpAAAICSI "u AA6
the day, I found about the middle OF
the heap one of those blank checks.
1 wondered what mishap had placed it
there, where it had come from. l
tossed 1t aside. When I came to
count up my cash was $1,000 short.
! was summing up the checks again to
snd the error when the vault cart
came along, and had to turn in my
trays. I have often run across q false
first tally, so I went home intending
to check off again in the morning. But
yesterday, as you know, was the first
day of the month and pay roll day.
1t was not until late in the afternoon
that I had chance to go over my
affairs. Again the blank check-two
of them, and there are the three. /
was fairly sick, sir, when I found that
was short $2,7O0 additional, in all
5000. went home, but not to sleep.
I've lain awake NIL night long. figuring.
probing, thinking. I've reasoned it
out" .r@