Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1917-09-06

teTloiftiie boss, only his wife iius IouEd
out about him and likely to turn up
any day, So--hal hat Go and ask
father, the young maiden said, but she
knew that he knew her father was
dead and he knew that she knew the
comfortable lot of the shekels before
he skips. Come on, there's the police
man. We don't want to be seen hang
ing around here"
All the way home the mind Of Willis.
dwelt on the mysterious illusions of
the two strangers. He had just mere
glimmering Of the truth. but his sus
picions were deeply aroused. There
could be only one conception of the
dark hint impaired that Stark was not
what he seemed to be and was In col
fusion with men who had some secret,
forcing climax in his affairs.
1t was not only sinister, but alarm
ing. Yet Willis was undecided as to
what course he should pursue. He had
no positive evidence that Stark medi-
We're theoretically love and business
rivals, and If he went to Mr.. Murdoch
with his'story the latter would natural
ly attribute the action to jealousy or
malice.
Something's wrong, feel sure"
ruminated Willis, "but 1 can do only
one thing-watch."
Twice during the week Stark secret
ly disappeared from town. Willis be-
lieved he had gone to the town where
he had seen the two men. He did not
follow him, for he was not sure of his
premises. Then the crisis In the en-
terprse was forced by the progress of
routine results. On the last day OF
each month the bank delivered bulk
remittance covering clearings to its
principal correspondent bank at Wick
ton. At the present time the balance
represented large sum in favor of
the Wickton institution. Two days be-
fore the delivery Willis knew that Mr..
Murdoch and Stark intended making
the trip in an automobile. He also
knew that the strong box containing
the money held something over thirty
thousand dollars.
BY sheer accident the morning of
the 30th, Willis passed the desk of
Stark just as the latter was called to
the window by client depositor.
CHANGING at a half-fnished telegram
blank upon which Stark had been en-
gagged when interrupted, he read the
words: "Nine-thirty, sharp, one mile
east on the Thurston side road"
IL guess it ~ sollloquized Willis, as
he studied over the words he had read.
THE wire is for the two men | over
heard. One mile east of the main road,
time, nine-thirty. I'll be there"
1t was q clear moonlight night when
Mr.. Murdoch and Stark left the bank.
the strong box between them on the
front seat OF the automobile, which
Stark drove. The latter kept up
brisk conversation. When he turned
from the main thoroughfare, Mr.. Muir
dock exclaimed:
Hold on! Where are you going2"
"Short cut, and the running is just
as good"
A mile progressed, the machine came
60 a halt. The palmst had predicted
that those hands of the willy Stark
''would do something in the world
They did 1T now. They seized the
banker suddenly by the throat. They
beat him back as their owner Kissed
out:
Rumble for the key to that box,
or I'll choke you!" and then two men
darted from the near shrubbery, the
accomplices Of the rascally senior bank
clerk.
The robbery had seemed so easy that
the scoundrels had not thought weap-
ons necessary. Willis, fearless, an hour
or two previous, posted so near to the
two lurkers that he could catch the
echo Of their conversation. He pro-
ceeded at once into doughty action.
''Biff! bang thud Those strong
hands of his shot out like the instru-
ments Of power that they were. The
two men went Keeling and then pros
trate, Stark, just about to receive the
key to the strong box from the banker,
was seized and hurled out of the ma
chine, senseless. Then grind-zipt
Sprnging to the wheel, Willis drove
banker and box In q whirl of duse
down the lonely country road.
When John Murdoch recovered from
the shock of it al, he grasped the hons
est, Sinewy hand of Willis ThorDe With
fervor He shuddered at the memory
Of the fine Italian hand of the van,
ished Stark. 1t was an opportune
moment for Willis to solicit the hand
of the lovely Myra. and it all resulted
from his being ION hand" at the criti-,
cal moment.