Abbeville progress., 1920-11-27
CHAPTER V-Continued,
g.

His busy day, y'know," drawled
BENIN, signaling Clinton to come with
him through the door behind the rail.
Cashier runs the bargain counter of
a bank. Quite a bore, l take 1t. Give
me the vice presidency. Stately lei
sure-all that. y'knOw."
Clinton stopped short, his fingers
thrust into the fold of his wallet. "It
must have dropped out" he muttered.
whats thatT" inquired BENIN.
"The check for the suitcase. l must
have dropped it,"
"You did-last evening"" replied
BENIN mo doubt it fell out with
your baggage checks. / must have
been still a bit confused from that
knockout blow when picked them up.
This morning l found the brass check
in my pocket"
YES" said Clinton, holding out his
hand.
BENIN smiled suavely. you'll par
don the liberty, I'm sure. l happened
TO be down mt the depot, and thought
/ Abu ullSlll llhc W nave NOul SullCdSts
up ut the house"
Thanks. Doctor Kirkland will hear
( today with regard to Mr.. Lowrie, 50
l may be leaving tonight. But it was
thoughtful of you"
You think of leaving tonight?" pro-
/ tested BENIN.
"The moment my identity is estab-
| Hshed | fancy neither Miss Kirkland
/ nor Miss LOwrie will urge me TO stay.
I'D be glad to put you up in my
diggings until you've got in touch with
people here" offered BENIN.
Clinton met the cordia1 invitation
with frank smile and an equally
frank refusal. That's good of you
But with the town determined to be.
lieve I'm ''r. I.owrie, and the young
ladies annoyed at finding I'm not, il
will be q bit tCD uncomfortable"
"An, yes" nurmured BENIN. nd he
knocked softly at door. Here is the
office of the ice president"
A bland. elderly gentleman opened
the door. BENIN introduced Clinton t.
him, and declined the vice president s
invitation to enter, with the excuse
that he wished to chat with one ol
the assistant cashiers. Clinton sai
down with the vice president, who re
marked casually on his strong resem
blance to Will LOwrie. and starteu q
witty conversation.
BENIN. meantime. had gone through
the inclos;ure of the first assistant
president. small. cold-eyed, correct
banker. T:emm slipped into chair
at the finaucier'S elbow and murmuret
concisely: NO trace of the key in tn,
suitcase. sir. saw his baggage check,
and noted the numbers. His trunk.
went on to the coast. Wired 'FriscC
for them To be watched and held, il
necessary. The probability is that T,
has the key on his person. He ha'
changed suits To one he wore las
summer, to which, no doubt, he ha:
shifted the key"
Get it," said the president.
AT the first opportunity, sir. | dc
not think it best to show our hant
until we have our proOfs-or he at
tempts to leave town."
\ cipher telegram was handed in L
the president. He unlocked his secre
code book. translated the telegram
and stated laconically TO BENIN:
Richard Clinton, forty thousand
First National, Chicago. Main depos
its: draft on First National, Boston
for twenty-five thousand, in May, ant
check of International Security Bond
company for fifteen thousand, tiv'
days ago"
BENIN smiled eXultantly. ''Tha
clinches Ii. He took some or all o
the bonds out of the safe deposit bo,
when he went east; sold some. ant
deposited the proceeds in the Bostoi
bank. To cover up he transferred hi