The Washington herald., 1920-11-11

-ll
bass and perch. he announced his
intention OF making a two or three
days visit to the lakes. He was
going down, he said. to Reedy Lake
with Judge Archinard. an old friend.
Now. Uncle Bushrod was treasurer
OF the Sons and Daughters Of the
Burning Bush. Every association
he belonged to made him treasurer
without hesitation. Hei stood AAl
In colored circles. He was under
stood among them to be Mr.. Bush
rod Weymouth of the weymouth
Bank.
The night following the day on
which Mr.. Robert mentioned his In.
tended fishing trip the old man wok.
up and rose from his bed at II
o'clock, declaring he must 20 down
to the bank and fetch the pass-boo,e
OF the Sons and Daughters, which
ne had forgotten to bring home. The
bookkceper had balanced II for hin,
that day. put the Cancelled check.
IN II, and snapped two elastic band.
around 1t. He put but one h.na
around the other pass-books
Aunt Malindy objected Tn III.
mission at so late an hour 6eno,na
ing II as foolish and unnecessars
but Uncle Bushrod was NOT to =.
detected from duty. W
done told Sister Alkaline Hon
kins, he said. ito come by here ~,
DAT book tomorrow mawnin' al sehia
O'Clock. for to kyar' It to de meetin'
OF de bod of 'rangements, ana da,
oook gwine to be here when she
SO Uncle Bushrod put on his old
brown suit. got his thick hIckorv
STICK and meandered through The
almost deserted streets of weys
mouthvine. He entered the bank
uhiockins the side door. and found
me passnook where he had left Il.
IN the little back room used for
private consultations, where he sJ.
ways hung his coat. LOOKING ahont
casually. he saw that everything
was as he had left 1t, and was about
10 start for home when he was
brought to standstill by the sud
den rattle OF a key in the front
uoor' some one came quickly In.
closed the door softly, and entered
the counting room through the door
in the iron railing.
That division of the banks space
was connected with the back roo,o
by a narrow passageway,, now in
| deep darkness.
Urcle Bushrod, firmly gripping
bis hickory stick. tiptoed gently nm
this passage until he could see the
midnight intruder into the sacred
precincts of the Weymouth bank,
one dim gas jet burned there, but
even in its nebulous light he per
ceived at once that the prowIer was
the banks president.
wondering, fearful, undecided
what to do. the Old colored man
stood motionless in the gloomy
strip of hallway, and waited de-
velopments.
The vault, with its big iron door.
was opposite him. Inside that was
the safe. holding the papers Of
value. the gold and currency Of the
bank. On the floor of the vault
was. perhaps, $4,000 in silver.
The president took his key from
I, his pocket opened the vault and
went inside. nearly closing the door
/ behind him. Uncle Bushrod saw.
| through the narrow aperture, the
Kicker of candle. In a minute or
two - 1t seemed an hour to the
watcher - Mr.. Robert came out,
bringing with him a large hand
satchcl, handling IL in a careful but
hurried manner. as IL fearful that
he might be observed. With one
p, hand he closed and locked the vault
door. :
With a reluctant theory forming
! itself beneath his wool, Uncle Bush
rod waited and watched, shaking in
his concealing shadow.
Mr.. Robert set the satchel softly
upon desk and turned his coat
collar up about his neck and ears.
He was dressed in a rought suit of
\ gray as IL for travelling. He
glanced with frowning intentness
at the big office clock above the
burning gas jet, and then looked
lingeringly about the bank-linger-
ingly and fondly, Uncle Bushrod
| thought, es one who bids farewell
to dear and familiar scenes.
Now he caught up his burden
again and moved promptly and
softly out of the bank by the way
: he had come. locking the front door
DcHlHu MIN.
For a minute or longer Uncle
Bushrod was as stone in his tracks.
Had that midnight rifier of safes
and vaults been any other on earth
than the man he was. the old re-
! tainer would have rushed upon him
| and struck to save the Weymouth
property. But now the watchers
soul was tortured by the poignant
dread of something worse than
mere robbery. He was seized by
an accusing terror that said the
Weymouth name and the Weymouth
honor were about to be lost. Marse
Robert robbing the bank! What
else could 1t mean? The hour of
the night, the stealthy visit to the
vault. the satchel brought forth full
and with expedition and silence, the
prowler's rough dress. his solicit
tous reading of the clock, and
noiseless departure-what else could
Ii mean?
tTe BE Continued Tomorrpw)