Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-04
CHAPTER XIII
In Tho Dead Of Night.

scudding clouds heavily laden with
sleety snow. The bowling storm snuff-
ed out the moonlight as II II had been
a tallow dip and fought and screamed
around the peaks. whirli1Y down the
gulches with the fury OF blizzard.
From dark till dawn the roar OF the
wind filled the night. Before morning
heavy drifts had wiped out the roads
and sheeted the town in virgin white
unbroken by trails or furrows.
With the coming Of daylight the
tempest abated Kusiak got into its
working clothes and dug itself out
from the heavy blanket Of white that
had tucked 1t in. BY noon the busi-
ness Of the town was under way
again. That which would have de-
moralized the activities OF a southern
city made little difference to these
Arctic Circle dwellers. Roads were
cleared, paths shoveled. stores opened.
Children In parkas and fur coats
trooped to school and studied through
the short afternoon by the aid OF
electric light.
Dusk fell early and with 1t came
scatter of more snow. Mrs. Selfridge
gave q dinner-dance at the club that
night and her guests came in furs or
great variety and much value. The
hostess outdid herself to make the
AFFAIR the most elaborate Of the sea-
son. Wally had brought the favors In
lao hn o.
body in Kusak Of any social import
arice was omitted from the list OF in
vited except Gordon Elliot. Even the
grumpy old cashier Of Macdonald's
bank-an old bachelor who lived by
himself in rooms behind those in which
the banking was done-was persuad-
ed to break his custom and appear In
ii rusty old dress suit OF the vintage
Of 's5.
The grizzled cashier-his name was
Robert Milton-left the clubhouse
early for his rooms 1t was showing.
but the wind had died down. Contrary
to his custom. he had taken two or
three glasses Of wine. His brain was
excited so that he knew he could not
sleep. He decided to read Don QuiX-
ote" by the stove for an hour or
two. The heat and the reading to-
lzethepSwould make him drowsy
Arrived Of the: 5aek be ,ct himself sell
kts6 fis rooms, and locked the door.
He stopped to open the draft OF the
stove when sound stopped him half
way. The cashier stood rigid. still
crouched. waiting for repetition or
the noise. 1t came once more-the
low, dull rasping Of file.
Shlvers ran down the spine Of Mil
ton and up the back Of his head to the
roots Of his hair. Somebody was IN
the bank-at two o'clock in the morn
ing-with tools for burglary. He was
a scholarly old fellow, brought up In
New England and cast out to the
uttermost frontier by the maiign
tragedy OF poverty. Adventure offered
no appeal to him. His soul quaked
as he waited with slack, feeble mus
cles upon the discovery that only
locked door stood between him and
violent ruffians
But though his knees trembled be-
meath him and the sickness OF fear was
gripping his heart. Robert Milton had
in him the dynamic spark that makes
a man. He tiptoed to his desk and
with shaking fingers grippcd the re-
volver that lay in drawer.
The cashier stood there for n mo-
ment, moistening his dry lips with his
tongue and trying to swallow the
lump that rose to his throat ana
threatened to stop his breathing. He
braced himself for the plunge. then
slowly trod across the room to the
inner. locked door. The palsied fingers
of his left hand could scarce turn the
key.
II seemed to him that the night was
alive with the noise he made IN turn
ing the lock and opening the door.
The hinges grated and the floor
soueaked beneath the fall Of his foot
ms he stood at the threshold.
Two men were in front OF the wire
grating which protected the big safe
that filed the alcove to the right.
One held a file and the other candle.
Their blank, masked faces were turn
ed toward Milton. and each OF them
covered him with weapon.
are you doing hereF
ouavered the cashier.
DROP that gum" came the low,
sharp command from one Of them.
Under the menace Of their revolvers
the heart Of Milton pumped water in
stead OF blood. The strength oozed
ont of him. His body swayed and he
sbut his eyes. A hand CROPPED for the
easement OF the door to steady him.
Drop it-quick."
Some old ancestral instinct in the
hank cashier rose out Of his panic to
destroy him. He wanted to lie down
Quietly in a faint. But his mind as
serted its mastery over the weakling
body. In spite Of his terror. OF his
/; fnccid will. he had to keep the faith.
He\was guardian Of the bank funds.
AT kll costs he must protect them.
Hls forearm came up with jerk.
rvt shots rang out almost together
The cashier sagged back against the
wall and slowly slid to the floor.
The guests Of Mrs. Selfridse danced
well into the small hours. The Call
fornia champagne that Wally had
brought in stimulated q gayety that
was balm to his wife's soul She
wanted her dinner dance to be smart.
TO have the atmosphere she had found
In the New York caberets. II every
body talked at once. she felt they were
having a good time. II nobody listen
ed to anybody else, It proved that the
,affair was q screaming success.
Mrs. waify was satisfied az she bade
her guests goodbye and saw them
pass into the heavy snow that was
again falling. They all assured hef