The Little River news., 1923-05-30
Bread on the Waters

By MORRIS SCHULTZ
co. 1923, Western Newspaper Union.)

 President Dixon of the Handley bank was only forty. He was the sort of man you find in that position in small town-had a nice home a nice wife. nice car, and nice reputa- tion. There was also another woman. He was thinking cynically as he sat at his desk: Here am l. leading citizen, and nobody, not even my wife, really cares anything about me. But Mary cares-in her way" The bank had not been doing well. There had been unwise speculations then Dixon had been speculating on his own account. And ..
 "All right, you can go, Sims. shall be here till ten o'clock" Yes, there was one person who seemed to care for him. Ten years be- fore Dixon had said to the detective who came to warn him that Sims was an ex-convict:
 II know it, and I mean him to have his chance just the same" An absurd, quixotic attitude; but DAAOA "do O lAuCh yOuASCl Aildh thCLs He would not have been guilty of such folly now. And he remembered clap ping Sims on the back and saying to him:
 Flight 1t out, Sims. Never let your- self go down and under!" He remembered Sims grateful look as he said that. Since then Sims had remained in the bank, and Dixon al- ways had a pleasant word and nod for him.
 Sims cares . little," Dixon reflect. ed. But I guess it's only surface deep. We'll, what does 1t matter?" And he resumed his calculations. There was forty thousand dollars in bills in the vault, besides securities. It would be easy to get far enough with Mary that night to escape cap ture. And nobody would suspect him.
 He was going to take her South then they would take ship for South America, travel bit till every sleuth confessed his failure, and then start orange ranching on the Pacific slope.
 As for his wife and child-well, her father was rich; let him help them.
 He rose and went down to the vault, unlocking the door and switching on the electric light. As he stood before the safe he hesitated for moment, weighing conditions.
 He was acting under no impulse. He had definitely figured out the ad vantages and disadvantages. If he remained, it would need the exercise of all his skill and courage to put the bank on its feet again. Already there were rumors there might be run on the funds any day. He was sick and tired of the struggle. And his wife here his smile grew cynical-had never cared. She had as good as ad- mitted that she had married him for his position. It would be a fine re- venge to hurl her into contempt and pity.
 On the other hand he hesitated as the man who has never done dishon- est thing hesitates before making the plunge. And, standing there, even while his fingers were on the safe handle, almost automatically handling the combination, all fhis passed in re- view through his mind.
 It was done. He had decided. He turned the knob, swung the safe open. He pulled open the drawer in which the bills lay. He began counting them.
 Suddenly the sound of a footstep bebind him made him swing around. Hardly realizing that he was betray- ing himself by the act. he pulled an automatic from his pocket, and he had leveled 1t at the intruder before he recognized Sims.
 The watchman was as pale IS death; he stood confronting the bank er, speechless.
 Well, Sims, so you've come here to have your little share, have your" jeered Dixon. "Well-since you've caught me-here!"
 He picked a fifty from a pile and tossed it carelessly toward him. Sorry that's all can do for you, Sims" he laughed.
 MT. Dixon, IT don't want It."
 "Ehy' There was incredulity upon the bankers face. Think you'll strike me for more? Say, who's pull ing this gamer"
 "Mr. Dixon, IT was afraid you might be planning something like this And I-I came to beg you to con- sider."
 "What, you old fooiY'
 You remember once you said to me. sir. Fight it out Never let your. self go down and under! Mir. Dixon it's my turn. Yes, it's my turn, sir. T want you to take your own medicine the best in the world. sir It's kept me up these ten years past"
 "Sims, I believe you're right" said Dixon slowly.
 And, replacing the money In the safe. he swung the door to.