Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-08-07
An Episode of
Silver Bow
Ry WALTER NJ. APPEL
tcopyright)

THE light was burning lstt III Inc
I Bank Of Silver Bow. At his desk
sat the bOokkeeper. marshaling the col
uinns Of figures that danced before his
eyes In an lnterminable procession.
With the new Month came the usual
burden Of discounted time checks from
the men who worked in the big mines
above the camp. Mel Allen repressed
a yawn as he glanced YEARLY at the
clock IN front Of him. Ten O'Clock,
and not half done" he muttered.
AS he bent once more to his books,
the noise Of key in the latch inter
rupted his labor. In the dim light he
made out the features Of Dick Barker,
the junior member Of the firm Of Smith
& Barker, his employers. the proprie-
tors Of the bank. "Hullo--still at itf'
was the greeting Of the newcomer.
Yes. there's a lot Of them" quietly
answered the younger. 1T VIII take
TIL midnight at least"
He resumed his work while Barker
slipped into a chair and watched him.
Tie older man was restless and IN
easy, and at intervals cleared his
throat as though about TO speak.
Say. Mel" he finally CALCULATED A
grunt from the bookkeeper showed
that he was listening. 1--WE got my
luck with me tonight" Barker re-
sumsl. Il could make big winning
If had the money"
you let the wheel alone" muttered
the man at the desk. you'll lose ike
the rest Of them"
"No, but I'm lucky tonight" persist
ed tire elder. Then he went on: Nov
look here. Mel Tomorrow is the first,
and know that you've got plenty Of
money in the safe I'm going to take
a couple Of thousand, double 1t be
tween now and midnight, and have It
back here long before you quit work
Now don't tell me what Bob Smith
would say. OF course he'd object. But
I'm going TO do 1t, and Bob will never
be the wiser, unless you tell him
which Of course you won't I'll have
1t back by midnight sure, 80 you
needn't bother about IT." The other
watched him sleepily. BE sure you
shut the front door," he said as he
bent over his books again
The interruption had disturbed his
thoughts. The figures would not stand
still before his eyes. Il wonder II he
closed the door," be thought, as he
peered out into the semi-darkness Of
the outer Office. In the shadows his
thoughts ran riot He wondered what
they were doing at home-his father
and mother and "the Kid" as he affec-
tionately termed his younger brother.
And Lube hadn't heard from her for
a week. Was she trying to forget him,
to break of their engagement He
pictured that last evening when he had
said good-by and she had promised 10
wait for him. Mel's head dropped
lower and lower till II rested on his
book. The neglected lamp sputtered
feebly and went out, but Mel never
stirred.
rustling noise awoke the sleeper
He realized in an instant that he had
been asleep on duty, and cold breeze
warned him that the door was open.
He was fully awake now and every
nerve was strained to catch some
lnkling Of a possible intruder's where
abouts. Not daring to make a sound,
he reached for his revolver, always
handy on the desk before him. In the
darkness he missed 1t, but as he drew
his hand away, he felt the weapon.
| Quickly turning his wrist to grasp II,
he knocked 1t farther away from him
| and it slipped through his fingers over
the edge Of the desk. At the same mo-
ment came the bark Of a pistol shot,
and Mel pitched forward to the floor
with a low, choking moan.
The Silver Bow Evening Times of
| to the affair:
unable TO face the punishment that
awaited him for embezzllng two thou
sand dollars OF his employers funds,
Melrose X. Allen, the bookkeeper of
the Silver Bow bank, shot and in
stantly killed himself last night while
working in the office of the bank
When found this morning Allen was
lying on the floor behind his desk with
bullet wound behind the right ear
Beside him lay his revolver, with one
chamber empty. The body was fast
becoming rigid and life had evidently
been extinct for some hours. An ex.
animation of the dead mans books re.
veals a shortage of about two thou.
sand dollars and It was undoubtedly
the unavoidable discovery Of his crime
that led the young man to his rash act
He was twenty-four years Of age and
unmarried.
''Mr Dick Barker OF the firm OF
Smith X Barker, by whom Allen was
employed, speaks in the highest terms
Of the dead man. His honesty has beer
hitherto unquestioned and ii is due tC
this fact that he has had entire con.
troll over the funds in the banks
vaults Mr.. Barker telegraphed par
ticulars Of the sons death to the aged
father in Massachusetts, asking fol
instructions as to the disposition OF
the remains. The father, evidently
overcome by the disgrace to his fam
lily, in reply merely directed Mr. Bar
ker to bury the body in the potter:
field at Silver Bow. Mr. Barker, how
ever, who is well known for his man,
acts of public charity, will at his owl
expense have the remains decently in
tered. The funeral win probably b,
held tomorrow"