Year: 1878

|
how came to be in the Baysville bank
in the "wee sma' hours one dreary
December night, some three years ago.


My name was then Olive Hueson, and
| was seventeen years old that same
December night, and SO small that Mrs
knights Dolly, who WAS not twelve
years old, was half head taller than
myself.


We were rich folks once, but father
died and left US very poor. Mother
struggled along in weary hand to hand
fight with poverty till | was sixteen and
then died. She had rented two rooms
of Mrs. Knight, widow, also, with two
stalwart sons, an aged father, and two
daughters. After mother died ! was
adopted by the Knights, and, although
l was earning a support as music teacher
in the Baysvile Academy | was like
one of the family when was in my good
landlady's home.


They were all in good positions, but
by no means an aristocratic family.
John, the eldest son, was in New York
in n wholesale sugar house; Tom was
the night watchman of the Baysville
Bank building, and grandpa-we all
call him grandpa-was telegrah ope.
rator OF the town, while Mary was a
millincr, and Dolly stayed at the office,
reading and receiving messages.
Baysville Bank building was large
granite structure, containing the post
office and the bank on the first floor,
the telegraph Office and a number of
private law offices on the second floor,
and other private olllceson the third
floor. In the basement were post office
rooms for sorting the mail, and also the
large bank vault.


knew the building well, for was
fond of telegraphing, and spent half my
leisure time perched up beside grandpa,
while he slept peacefully or read the
newspapers.


And that was the begning Of my
amusement at Dryden, the next station.
The operator at Dryden was wit, and
flashed nonsense at our office when busi
ness was dull 1t fell fiat when grandpa
was in the Office, but it was there
sent back jest for jest, and sometimes an
hour slipped by like minute as we
talked over the wires of every topic un-
der the sun. He called himself Lion"
and |, for nonsense, signed myself
elephant" laughing as ! did so at the
rejection of my tiny fingers in the office
mirror.


Bey ond Drydon, and only five miles
from Baysvile, was c., large com
mercia town, the nearest railway station
and where on office wac always open for
the accommodation of travellers
AS have said, Tom Knight was the
night watchman of Baysville Bank
building, and a lonely time he had of it
The last mail came by stage at four o
clock in the afternoon, and the post
Office was vacated at six. The bank
closed at three, and by six o'clock every
office was deserted for the night.
At seven Tom was on duty and grand
pa who was restless at night, was in the
habit of taking down some coffee and
luncheon, as the building was only Il
stones throw from the house.


On one December night have already
mentioned, it had stormed heavily all
day, and | had taken a new class at the
Academy, coming home later in the day
than usual, and excited over my increase
in salary.


Everybody else had gone to bed, and
l was lingering over the kitchen fire with
Mrs. Knight, dreadng the plunge into
my cold room where | had allowed the
fire to 60 out


The clock struck twelve, and Mrs.
knight, lifting her face from over the
| fire said:


"Do call grandpa, Olive; he's asleep
on the sofa in the sitting groom. I'll
have Toms basket ready by the time
grandpa has his hat and coat on hate
to call him. for he was complaining of
rheumatism all day, and the ground is
very wet, although the storm is over


"Let him sleep" | said "I'll run
over with the basket. 1t is but a
step


but it is SO dark; are you not
afraid p


"Not bit; Iii slip on my waterproof
and rubbers, and draw the hood of my
cloak over my head.


"Well, if you will, though am
afraid Tom will scold at my letting you
60"


~ Il put down the basket and run, and
he will never know who lett it,"


'Go in at the rear basement door; he
leaves that open for grandpa"


81 know"


grasped the handle of the basket,
and hurled across the space between
the building and the house, and stole
softly in at the basement door, in pur-
suance of my plan to drop the basket
and run.


In my rubber shoes my steps were
noisless, and had scarcely passed the
threshold when | stood rooted to the
floor in terrible amazement.


Somebody was talking.


crept forward and listened. There
was man in the vault, and light shone
under the door.


While listened, some one said:


"There is a confounded draft here;
did you shut the door Smith p


"Yes, but the wind might have blown
it open


| had Just time to dart under the stair
case ard crouch down, when the door Of
the vault opened and man came out


lie crossed the entry, drew two heavy,
noisy bolts, fastened the door by which