The Washington herald., 1920-08-16

punctually. Your past-due paper
is moderate in amount, and prom
ises only a small loss. would
recommend the calling in of your
large loans, and the making Of
only sixty and ninety-day or call
loans until general business re-
wives. And now, there is one
thing more, and I will have finish
ed with the bank. Here are six
notes aggregatfng something like
$4,000. They are secured, ac-
cording to their faces, by various
stocks. bonds. shares. etc. to the
value of $4,000. Those securities
are missing from the notes to
which they should be attached.
suppose you have them in the
safe or vault. You will permit
me to examine them
Maj. Toms light-blue eyes
turned unflinchingly toward the
examiner.
NO. sir" he said. in a low but
steady tone; those securities
are neither in the safe nor the
vault. have taken them. You
may hold me personally RESPONSE
Bile for their absence"
Nettlewick felt a slight thrill.
He had not expected this He had
struck a momentous trail when
the hunt was drawing to a close.
All" said the examiner. He
waited a moment. and then con-
tinusd: May l ask you to explain
more definitely"
The securities were taken hv
me- repeated the major "It was
not for my own use. but to save
an old friend in trouble. Come in
mere sir. and we'll talk it over"
He led the examiner into the
banks private office at the rear.
and closed the door There was a
desk, and a table. and half-a-
dozen leather-covered chairs. on
the wall was the mounted head Of
Texas steer with horns five feet
from tip to tip. Opposite hung
the majors old cavalry saber that
he had carried at Shiloh and PORT
Pillow.
Placing 9. chair for SettIewick
the major seated himself by the
window, from which he could see
the postoffice and the carved lime
stone front of the Stockman's
National. He did rot speak at
once, and Nettlewick felt. per
haps. that the ice should he bro-
ken by something so near its own
temperature as the voice of Off
cial warning.
Your statement" he began.
since you have failed to modify
II, amounts, as you must know.
TO very serious thing. You are
aware, also, of what nv duty
must compel me to do. / shall
have to go before the United
States Commissioner and make"
Il know, l know" said Mai
Tom, with a wave of his hand.
You don't suppose I'd run a bank
without being posted on national
banking laws and the revised
statutes! Do your duty. I'm not
asking any favors. But. 1 spoke
of my friend. / did want YOU to
hear me tell you about Bob"
Nettlewick settled himself in
mis- chair. There would be no
leaving San Rosario for him that
DAY. He would have to telegraph
to the Comptroller of the Cur
IeHCy' ne would have to swear
out a warrant before the United
States Commissioner for the ar
rest of Maj. Kingman; perhaps he
would be ordered to close the
bank on account of the loss of the
securities. 1t was not the first
crime the examiner had unearthed
Once or twice the terrible up-
heaval of human emotions that
his Investigations had lOosed had
almost caused a ripple in his Of
hcial calm. He had seen bank
men kneel and plead and cry like
women for a chance-an hours
time-the overlooking of a single
error. One cashier had shot him
self at his desk before him.
None of them had taken Il with
the dignity and coolness of this
stern old Westerner. Nettlewfck
felt that he owed il to him AT
least to listen IL he wished to talk.
With his elbow on the arm of his
chair, and his square chin resting
upon the fingers of his right hand,
the bank examiner waited to hear
the confession of the president of