Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-30

Nettlewick settled himself in his chair
There would he no leaving San Rosario
for him that day. He would have to tele-
crap to the comptroller Of the currency
he would have TO swear out q warrant
before the United States commissioner for
the arrest Of Major kingman; perhaps
he would be ordered to close the bank
on account OF the loss of the securities.
1t was not the drSt crime the examiner
had uuearthed. once or twice the ter
rible upheaval Of human emotions that
his Investigations had lOose1 had al
most caused a ripple in his official calm.
He had seen bank men kneel and plead
and cry like women for q chance
hours time the overlooking Of a single
error. One cashier had shot himself az
his desk before him. None Of them had
taken it with the dignity and GOODNESS Of
This stern old Westerner NettleWtCk felt
that he owed 10 TO him AZ least 70 listen
If h, wished TO talk. With his elbow
on the arm OF his chair. and his square
chin resting upon the fingers Of his right
band, the bank examiner waited to hear
the confession or the president Of the
First- National Bank Of San Rosario.
When a mans Your friend" began
Majo Tom, somewhat didacticallv. for
forty years, and tried by water. FIRE.
earth. and cyclones. when YOU can do
him little favor You feel like doing IT,.
tEm hczZle for him $40 1000 worth OF
securities" thought the eKaminer)
We were cowboys together, Bob and
T." continued the Major. speaking slowly,
and deliberately. and musiuCly. as If his
thoughts were rather with the past than
the critical present, "aud we prospeCted
together for gold and silver over Ari-
zona. New Mexico. and q good part Of
California. We were both In the war
Of 81 but I'm different mmands. We've
fought Indians and horse thieves side
by side, We've starved for weeks I'm n
cabin in the Arizona mountains. buried
twenty feet deep in snow; were ridden
herd together when the wind blew so
hard the lightning couldn't strike-well.
Bob and have been through some rough
spells since the first time We met in the
branding camp Of the old Anchor Bar
ranch And during that time we've
found 70 necessary more than once TO
help each other out Of tight places. In
those days IL was expected Of a man TO
stick to his friend. and he didn't ask
any credit for II. Probably next day
would need him to get az your back and
q tourniQuet on your leg above a rat
tleSuake bite and ride for whisky. SO,
after all. IL was give and take. and II
Won didn't stand square with your pard-
ner. why. you might he shy one when you
needed him. But Bob was a man who
was willing To go further than that. He
never played limit.
Twenty years ago I was sheriff OF
this county. and ] made Bob my chief
deputy. That w0s before the boom in
cattle when we both made our stake |
WAS sheriff and collector, and IL was a
big thing for me then. ! was married
and we had a boy and a gtrl-a 4 and a
6-year-old. There was comfortable
house next TO the courthouse. furnished
by the county rent free, and I was say
ing some money. Bob did most Of the
office work Both Of us had seen rough
times and plent vof rustluG and danger.
and | tell you IL was great 10 henr the
rain and the sleet dashiuc against the
windows Of nights and be warm and safe
and comfortable and know you could get
up In the morning and be shaved and