Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-10-05

ces of the United Bankers Pro
tectiye association that Resiliu:
Marvel was studying out new "case.'
He nodded to me in an distracted way
On the glass-slabbed table before hin
were a dozen or more little rolled-uI
wads of paper. / knew they repre-
scented puppets he had been moving
about, shaking up, almost talking TO-
almost making them talk to him
separating, combining, Analysing, in
fact winnowing facts with sieve OF
probability.
Il think I've got it." he said, sweep
ing his mines from the table with an
air of precision and finality. You
have come in at the finish, probably.
You were in at the start, 80 you will
have a glimmering idea Of what it is
all about when l speak one word
Ransome."
THAT is suggestive" l told Resilius
Marvel, but scarcely enlightening. l
fancied that Alison Ransome was q
closed chapter in the suppressed SEN
sations of local banking circles"
What with one hundred thousand
dollars unaccounted for, and the gag
placed with all hands around?" de-
rided the great one. Hardly"
Ransome had been anybody's friend
and eyerybody's favorite. He had
broken into banking about year pre-
vious in the eager. rollicking fash
ion of a college lad full of financial
theories and expecting some day to
gain presidency In jump. His I'M
Gle was the big man in the Unity
National bank, and Alison skipped
over messenger service, 1.-The books
and the currency pen in very brief
period, and had charge of the ponder
GUS and opulent money vaults with
three men to help him fill an easy job.
Then one day a big sensation was
born at the Unity National. Ransome
and a bank policeman who had left
the institution two hours previous,
the former handcuffed to a treasure
satchel, returned, both of them white
faced and scared looking. They bore
the satchel casually enough now, for
one side of it showed a circular cash
with half the surface Tapping loose,
and emptiness where there had been
fifty thousand dollars in neatly packed
and labeled national bank notes.
In a word, this happened: A bank
at Riverton, suburb twenty miles
out. had made a special deposit of
the money noted, subject to call and
personal delivery when required. 1t
was a special fund and larger sum
in ready cash than the suburban bank
cared to risk carrying. Besides that
the transaction was trusted by the
Unity National. The call of that
morning had been anticipated for sew
eral days. Ransome was deputized to
deliver the money and bring back a
receipt.
He never qualified for the receipt
and he and his guard never got as
far as the suburban bank. Once
aboard the train and occupying one
seat together, in order to rest COM
fortably the handcuff was unlocked |
and the satchel was set on the car |
floor. The guard retained hold of the |
end of the chain, and Ransome set his |
feet firmly on the satchel so it could |
not be budged without his knowing it.
10 and behold in spite of all their |
precision, as they neared the end OF
their brief journey and lifted the
satchel TO rehandcuff it to the wrist
Of Ransome, it was discovered empty.
That is, some one occupying the seat
directly behind them had reached
under the fitting footrack, had insert
ed a keen shoe blade within the leath-
sr receptacle and had quietly lifted
,ut its contents. The train had stop
bed at all local stations, so the clever
.hief might have left the train at any
,ne of six stops.
Not a soul recalled even noticing
he missing passenger. The shoe
Snife was found on the car floor. Also
| cane, light and somewhat peculiar
IS TO its end ftting-of which more
mon. 1t was now in the possession
II the man who had reawakened in
ny mind the little history 1 am trying
o epitomize in my struggling. faulty
say.
-N6lluCA u4OuCf LII NAACA N1c AOGAa- I
20 possible blame could attach to
oung Ransome. II marked him, how
yer, as an unlucky wight with big
oss to his record. Then followed a
that placed him in the
hoodoo" class. 1t was in connection
With the bank cash reserve, the real
trength and sinew of the institution,
ept sacred and apart within the holy !
I holes of the Unity National. When
oreign capitalists visited the bank, :
r it was policy and business to i'm
ress a client, or ruralite correspond I
hts were in evidence. it was the prac- {
ce to show them over the institution, |
-inding up with view OF the treas
res of the great inner vault where
cal money was really kept.
As in all large banks the Unity Ma S
onai maintained its actual cash re- |
srve in permanent form. Thus there !
ere packages representing $4,000, $
so 600 even 100000. In these the