The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-01-30

down by the landing mad been MACK.
X find your village and post office
quite interesting. Anything can
bring you. Aggy?"
She shook her head. BE careful
of yourself. laddie. Mind thon awful
turning at the bridge and uou't be
reckless"
Roberta laughed.
Sir George regarded her graveiy.
whats the joke?" He was always
careful of Lady Sandison's dignity and
feelings.
Roberta realized this and. despite
her prejudice. liked it. She turned
quickly to her aunt now: Il wasn't
laughing at you, Aunt Aggy. but mere
ly at the thought of any chance to be
reckless in this place. What danger
could Turk between this island and the
post officer"
"Yeu would be surprised" Sir
George said levelly, with glance at
his stepmother. "how full of adventure
a countryside can be. shall be home
late today" he observed casually as
he rose. 81 have several matters to
look after for Mr.. Macbeth. | may
even be too late for dinner, Aggy."
Aggy looked at him as he went
toward the door and her expression
was such as to cause her stepson to
wonder if Robert Macbeth had not,
after all, confided something to his
shrewd little sister.
keep yourself out of mischief If
it's a possible thing, laddie," was all
that she said, however AS for
Roberta, she allowed slender eye
brow to raise itself ever so slightly.
He was irked by that eyebrow, how
ever, as he went down the steps TO the
car Everything that he was about TO
do seemed somehow silly and melo-
dramatic. in view or that lifted eye
brow. What danger signal the girl
was anyway. There was no keeping
her out of mischief.
Sir George went down the river road
toward the bank, going over and over
in his mind his carefully laid plans,
which, despite his sober thoughtful
ness, still seemed somehow theatrical
and a bit unreal in this setting. How
Roger would laugh If he ever knew.
He parked his car near the bank.
1t was early and there were few cars
about. After careful look about
him, Sir George went into the bank.
He had seen nothing unusual when he
entered. Two cars only were parked
in front of the bank. When he went
inside, business was going on as usual.
He went directly to the bank man.
ayers room. 1t was divided off from
the front and the rest of the bank
offices by a partition Of wood and
glass. The upper part of this parti-
ton did not reach all the way up to
the old-fashioned ceiling. 1t was only
about eight feet high.
The bank manager was ready for
Sir George when he entered. The
payroll money was ON the desk, al
though the ordinary observer would
not have known it, as it was in a fiat
oilskin package. Sir George roughly
counted over the money. and then pro-
ceeded to put it in a safety belt about
his waist, securing the package by
safety pins. The putting of the money
in the belt was accomplished, without
fear of observation, by the simple eX-
pedient of going behind the desk and
pulling open the door of an old-fash-
toned cupboard so that it formed a
screen between him, the windows, and
the door to the private office. At the
other side of this screen was a heavy
steel filing case. Sir George finished
slowing the money away and was just
about to step out of his retreat, when
he heard a curious sound from the
manager and Immediately afterward
the words: Hands up!'
He could scarcely believe. at first,
that he had heard the long-dreaded
words. He thought his imagination
had tricked him. Screened as he was,
he stood motionless and peered out
of the crack of the door. He saw the
manager deadly pale, his hands in the
air. Slowly approaching him was a
man with a pistol in one hand.
There was a most uncommon and a
deadly silence in the main office.
Instantly and noiselessly Sir George
lowered himself. He had remembered
he was six feet-three. He gradually
let himself down on the floor, still
hidden by the desk. He slowly
stretched himself out. The paralyzed
h.nL p,oparar woe ofapdip. motion
less while the intruder gathered in
what small amount Of money lay upon
the desk. Sir George crawled noise
lessly and slowly behind the desk. Re
joicing for once in his height, he
stretched out long arm and caught
the thief, whose back was turned to
him, by his ankles.