New Britain herald., 1925-01-17
BEGIN HERE TODAY

rider of the old plains, helps Clos ter to escape. After eluding posse, Gloster retraces his steps to Joan's cabin and Is confronted by her guardian Buck Daniels; they final ly call a truco, however. Joan. seek ing Harry Gloster. falls in with bandit gang fin the mountains. Joe Macarthur, a quick he-trigger scoundrel, is made chieftain Of the gang when he appears with scheme to rob the Wickson Bank. Samuel Carney, cashier of the bank. has given him the combination to the safe. Now Carney is talking with Oscar Fern, president of the bank.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 Carney you have to get her out of town, saw here while l was ! going home for lunch, She smiled at me from your door. She looked like the very devil, Carney. I - her face has been haunting mel" And mel" groaned Carney.
 "Ah, lad!" murmured Oscar Fern, and laid his fat hand on the shoulder of his cashier. And never a word from you about her. That's what's been eating your heart out? But l no talk; no complaining.
 Sammy, there's going to be change a great big change! In the first place, you get bonus of 1 five thousand in hard cash payable in ten minutes to yourself. In the second place, you get a raise. You could use another fifteen hundred year,
 My girl tells me that your Clare has always wanted to go away to study music, l dunno why. Seems ! to me that she plays real pretty on the piano the way it is. But If she's got her heart set on it - why, she ought to go. And go she shall, Sammy.
 And there's another thing - when l seen you this morning look ing so damned thin and black around the eyes, 1t hurt me, Sammy. | My God, am l a slave driver? Are my dollars just drops of blood? No, sir, I'd throw the damned money into the river frst' I'd give it back to the place 1t came from. And one of the places is from you.
 Sammy, you pack up tonight and hop a train tomorrow. You're going to take Agnes to New York, You're going 10 get her cured and you're going to take in the sights for yourself-"
 "Wait--" gasped Carney.
 "Well?"
 "Oscar Oscar --"
 His face had convulsed. A shud- dering weakness entered him. He hid his face with his gnarled fin- gers and the sobs swelled in him. He fought them back, and they choked him.
 Good God. Good God" whis- pered Oscar Fern.
 He stole tiptoe to the door. He locked it, and as If it were not Se- curity enough. he put his thick shoulders against it. and turning. stared at his cashier, sweating. Was this Bulldog Carney? Was this the man of iron?
 He went back and put his arms around the thin, or-stooped shoulders.
 Sammy" he whispered. Don't do it. Sammy! It makes me sick It makes a fool out of me. Don't do 1t, sammy"
 Tears began to roll down his fat rosy face.
 "I ain't through, old friend" he gasped. T never thought of 1t be- fore. I never thought about what you might be needing. But just ask me what you want, don't care what. I'll give 1t. The whole damn bank ain't worth a thing like this"
 A choked, groaning voice from Samuel Carney answered: T am a dog, Oscar. I'm a low hound. I'm worse than that. I'm lower than a snake-"
 "You?"
 'Iisten to me. I got to tell you. 1 Oscar. I'll tell you the truth and then get out"
 And tell the truth he did, halt ingly, without excuses, the whole horrible tale of how Macarthur had approached him, of how he had been talked into plot, of how he had given the continuation of the safe, of the fifteen thousand dollars he was to get.
 He told it all with his face still in his hands, his head bowed low, and after he had ended, for some time, he heard the thick, hurried panting of oscar Fern. Then that familiar, fat hand reached his and took the screen away from his face.
 Dear old Sammy" he heard Oscar saying.
 He looked up, mortally ashamed of his tears, but he was comforted by the gray face and the trembling lips of Oscar, And there was some- thing so childish in the fat Sans staring round eyes of horror and grief, that he almost wanted 10 laugh.
 Man, man" gasped Oscar Fern T dunno how you could of been tempted like that and not fallen Thank God. you were strong enough 10 tell me - out of your own free will"
 Don't say that" groaned Carney You forced it out of me with that great kind heart of yours, and"
 Hush up, Shut up, damn it! Why. Sammy, feel like this here thing has made us brothers. That , skunk - that snake Macarthur - we'll be ready when he comes" , Not that, Oscar. I'd be a mur- lerer if let him walk into trap , t'N-ben was this Yo ba1n4p 9't