, 1917-10-18

though set on springs. Such
things do not transpire in a well regu-
lated bank save for some potent rea-
son, and the quick mind of the head
of the United Bankers Protective as
ISOLATION seemed to analyZe the
situation in q flash. l believe be-
fore he had crossed the threshold
of the private Office of the presi-
dent of our institution, a peculiarly
heavy crash had told him that n of
the immense plate glass windows
back of the currency pen had suf-
fered; that the cry was that of a man
in one of the cages; that the commo-
ton was the mingled shutting of the
feet of the house officers drawn to an
irresistible focus by some extraordi-
nary occurrence.
/ was in the wake of Marvel
almost instantly, impelled by curl
osity and wonder. The president
of the bank had been going over
the list of average balances, weed
ing out some clients whose bust
ness affairs showing symptoms
of dry rot, was planning to have
them rot somewhere else. and
preparing a package to hand to some
unwary brother banker. So far as Of
fetal ethics would permit, he peered
through the open doorway at the gath
ering crowd about the currency pen.
Marvel had parted the ranks in his
swift, effective way. l vas close at
his heels. A picturesque spectacle
greeted us.
Behind the railing a clerk was
dancing up and down in a frenzy of
uncomfortable excitement, one hand
Indicating a man crowded close to the
outer counter slab of marble. the 9TH
OF waving towards a wrecked window,
while he kept shouting wildly:
stared, ~undisguisedly puzzled, at
the man upon whom the gathering
throng were massing. He was thin to
the point of attenuation, his eyes
twitched from nervousness or weak
ness, and his face was very pale. How
ever. his colorless lips framed a
smile-a smile a~pologetic, gentle,
submissive, slightly cynical and tri-
umphant. 1t was the smile OF a man
down and out morally, physically and
financially, but that also of a person
making a desperate cast of fate, and
awaiting what might hinge upon the
hazard of the die. He challenged the
crowd pressing about him, not upper
turbed, but with no alarm visible in
his features. And then he made a
slight forward movement Is Marvel
reached him. 1t was a gesture recog-
niZing power and protection.
"a fair ending" he said, looking my
friend squarely in the eyes.
Marvel placed a hand on the mans
arm, but scarcely with force. The
poor wretch, beside the husky officers
grouping about him, appeared like
some scarecrow bird in the net of the
fowlers. Even then he was taken
with a violent fit of coughing that
racked his frame so that he was
forced to hold swaying to the brass
railing. He pressed a handkerchief
to his lips. AS he lowered it 1 no.
ticed that it was streaked with blood.
Quick! What was it?" spoke Mar
vel authoritatively to the clerk behind
the railing.
He threw red pepper!" spluttered
the teller. 81 lodged. See-where 1t
hit the slab. A little went in my eyes.
Before l could get my revolver he
pushed an arm over to the window
guard"
What did he get?"
Special package-$80,000."
Where is it,"
THE window-the street," rambled
on the clerk. He must have weight
ed it, for it went through hat window
like q cannon ball, and"
In a flash Marvel, both feet on the
a.
sprang to the ledge of the window and
was scanning the street. All that he
saw was a gathering, gaping crowd
and two policemen pointing to a
mounted officer down the roadway.
Automobile, l suppose" comment
ed my friend. and was back at the
side of the culprit by the route he
had left him. Get us out of this
crowd" he directed me, and l made
a path for him through the mob to the
nearest office.
TIL prisoner needed no urging to
follow the pressure of Marvel's urging
hand. Our cashier had come up, and
the door closed on the four of us.
What did you expect to make out
OF this foolish break, DAM" inquired
my friend, not unkindly.
mot ten years" responded the fell
low. with a ghostly shadow of a smile.
There will be no trial, for the doctor
has given me just ten days. I'm doped
with strychnine, or l couldn't hold up
now. Get me where / can lie down,
or you'll have to carry me-"
The man looked all he Indicated
a poor wretch in the last stages of
-A--,,,.-a4-- IL -
lapsed, and lay rather thar sat in the
biP arm chair All tho timp bnu-