The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-06-02
Nothing to
Chance
By J. W. taft
@. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
WNU Service

OOltOu, udu just muIuSEcu ASoOCAs
Knowels, president OF the First Ma
tional bank Of Cotton. Rankin looked
down at the crumpled body and ST.
lently he gloated. He'd removed the
last obstacle to his success. Tomorrow
when the death Of Knowels would be
learned, he, Charles Rankin, would
be elected to take the place OF the
dead president. And no one would
ever guess that his rise from cashier
to president In but few years had not
been the workings of a lucky fate.
Only he knew that everything had
been accomplished by cold, deliberate
planning.
When George Curtis. former vice
president of the bank, had been dis
covered In hotel room in COM
promising situation which had re-
suited In his disgrace and finally In
his forced resignation, 1t had not been
an accident. Not at all. He, Rankin,
then cashier, had seen to that. And
when I'm elected president. tomor-
row." he visioned, mo one will ever
learn that everything didn't happen
through the mere whimsy of chance"
And now with success In his grasp he
was not going to slip.
He glanced at the clock on the man.
tel. Knowels' servant would be back
In thirty minutes. He must work quick
ly. He knelt beside the dead body and
rifled the pockets. Money and papers
were taken from the dead mans pock-
cts and dropped In the fire Pickering
In the fireplace. Then he dropped the
iron cudgel into the flames. Blackened
and charred 1t would tell nothing. FL
nally, satisfied that his plan for max
ing robbery seem the motive Of the
crime was completed, he left the fire.
He began to walk to each piece of
furniture In the room. Anything which
he might have touched by accident
was scrutinized carefully and closely.
The most perfect crimes have been
spoiled by fingerprlnts and he was
taking no chances. He walked to the
table Ia the center of the room at
AAOWCi5 hAu OCCh 6AtlAh6 WbSh
he came In. He peered at 1t closely.
Not mark was on 1t. At last, salts
fed that on nothing In the room had
he left any evidence which might i'm
plicate him, Rankin began to search
himself. Too many murderers have
been caught by the accidental drop
ping of some memento at the scene
of their crime and he was playing 1t
safe. He searched himself carefully.
When his fingers went into the right
side pocket of his overcoat and pulled
out but one glove, he felt chill start
over him. He steadied himself and
turned the pocket inside out. No glove.
A premonition Of danger, momentary
loss Of confidence swept over him.
As he stood there, sound stabbed
him. Like statue Of stone, set and
cold, he stood, listening intently. Then
he remembered and looked at the
clock. 1t had struck the quarter hour.
He started. Only fifteen minutes left.
His breath was coming In quick, short
gasps THE glove" he muttered, "the
glove" He must find It, Or he'd be
ruined. He retraced his steps, very
thoroughly. 1t was useless. He could
not find the glove. His eyes turned on
the clock. Twelve minutes left. II
throbbed in his mind. Twelve min.
utes i. twelve minutes ;" For q
moment a wild terror swept him. He
shook 1t off. He must keep cool. He
must The glove was In the room. He
was certain of 1t. He'd find It. OF
course he'd find 1t. He must find 1t. He
threw straining, searching glance
around the room. He saw the body on
the floor. 1t was the only place he
had not looked. In desperation he went
to the dead body and turned 1t over
The glove was lying there. he grabbed
1t. Shivering from the contact with
the murdered man, he stood up. A
long sigh of body relieved came from
him. He was beginning to feel better
His confidence In himself was return.
ing. Hurriedly he turned the glove
over in his hand. Good No blood on
it. He showed 1t in his pocket From
the relaxed tension a nervous sweat
drenched him.
How dry his mouth was. How weak
his body felt. He snatched the wine
glass from the table and In one quick
gulp, he drained It, All, that was bet.
ter. He hurled the glass into the fire.
place and heard the tinkle as 1t broke
No glass with finger prints on it was
going to be found.
He looked at the clock. Eight min.
utes left. One final moment he let his
glance rove and loiter on everything
in the room, and then sure of his
safety he started to leave.
Suddenly great vice-like pain
seemed to be cracking his heart. His
feet buckled under him. He staggered
He tottered to the table and braced
himself. In his struggle for breath
he shook the table and the book on
II fell Off. He saw there q sheet OF
paper and 1t had writing on 1t. II
seemed to be mocking him. With g
great effort he Strengthened up and
regained bit Of control over himself
He picked up the paper. With fast
dimming eyes he read:
To the First National Bank Of Cotton
Gentlemen:
This Is my resignation. For the last
year I have been gambling in the stock
market and losing. I have lost not
only my money but also the banks
In few days the auditors will find II
out. Rather than bear the disgrace,
am drinking poison in my wine tonight.
! would suggest as prcsidenl Of the
bank the election OF Mr.. Charles Ran