The Washington herald., 1920-08-16
"Embezzle for him $4,000
worth of securities.

pardner. why. you might be shy
one when you needed him. But
Bob was a man who was willing
to go further than that. He never
played a limit.
Twenty years ago I was sheriff
Of this county, and I made Bob my
chief deputy. That was before
the boom in cattle when we both
made our stake. was sheriff
and collector, and it was a big
thing for me then. was mar
ried, and we had a boy and a girl
"a and a 6-year- old. There
was comfortable house next to
the courthouse, furnished by the
county, rent free, and I was saw
ing some money. Bob did most
Of the Office work.
Both OF us had seen rough
times and plenty of rustling and
danger, and 1 tell you it was
great to hear the rain and the
sieet dashing against the win
dows of nights. and be warm and
safe and comfortable, and know
you could get up in the morning
and be shaved and have folks call
YOU mister And then. l had the
finest wife and kids that eve,
struck the range. and my old
friend with me enjoying the first
fruits OF prosperity and white
shirts, and ! guess I was happy.
Yes. I was happy about that
time"
The major sighed and glanced
I'D
bank examiner changed his posi-
tion and leaned his chin upon his
other hand.
One winter" continued the
major. the money for the coun-
ty taxes came pouring in so fast
that / didn't have time to take
the stuff to the bank for a week.
I just showed the checks into a
cigar box and the money into Il
sack, and locked them in the big
safe that belonged in the sheriff's
office.
Il had been overworked that
week, and was about sick. any
way My nerves were out of or
der, and my sleep at night didn't
seem to rest me. The doctor had
some scientific name for it. ano
! was taking medicine. And so,
added to the rest, l went to bed
at night with that money on my
mind. Not that there was much
need Of being worried. for the
safe was a good one, and nobody
but Bob and I knew the combi-
nation. On Friday night there
was about $500 in cash in the
bag. On Saturday morning
went to the office as usual. The
safe was locked. and Bob was
writing at his desk. I opened the
safe and the money was gone.
called Bob and reused everybody
in the courthouse to announce
the robbery. 1t struck me that
Bob took it pretty quiet. consid-
ering how much it reflected upon
both him and me.
Two days went by and we
never got a clew. 1t couldn't have
been burglars, for the safe had
been opened by the combination
in the proper way. People must
have begun to talk, for one after
noon in comes Alice-that's my
wife-and the boy and girl. and
Alice stamps her foot, and her
eyes flash, and she cries out, The
lying wretches-Tom, Toni and I
catch her in a faint, and bring
her round little by little, and she
lays her head down and cries and
cries for the first time since she
took Tom Kingman's name and
fortunes. And Jack and Zilla-
the ngsters-they were always
wild as tiger cubs to rush at Bob
and climb all over him whenever
they were allowed to come to the
court stood and kick
ed their little shoes, and herded
together like scared partridges.
They were having their first trip
down into the shadows of life.
was working at his desk, and he
got up and went out without a
word. The grand jury was in ses-
sion then, and the next morning
Bob was working at his desk, and
fessed that he stole the money.
He said he lost il in a poker game.
In fifteen minutes they had found
a true bill and sent me the war
rant to arrest the man with whom
I'D been closer than a thousand
brothers for many year