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Show FAGINGA CRISIS How Bank Was Saved in Face of Frantic Mob of Depositors. De-positors. By GEORGE ELMER COBB. Randal Webster, the young and handsome president of the Bank of Greenville, opened the door of hiB private ofllco. He glanced into the counting room, and beyond it at the jostling crowds in the street outside. Then with a groan he sank to a chair, the picture of despairing misery. "It has come," he told himself in a harsh, racking whisper "the worst, the end! " There came a tap at the door. The young financier sprang to his feet. A brief, vague hope gave him momentary momen-tary energy. Then his soul seemed to die within him, as his cashier entered enter-ed the room with a face blanched and fear-crossed as his own. "Any word?" projected Webster, hoarsely. "None. Mr. Webster, we must face the crisis, the worst of rumors as to the solvency of the Institution have got abroad. A mob of depositors from the mills is in front of the bank. They are wrought up and' dangerous. They threaten to smash every window and blow up the bank with dynamite, If their money Is not paid them promptly prompt-ly at ten o'clock." "Impossible!" gasped Webster. "No one knows that better than myself," my-self," responded the cashier In a hollow hol-low tone. "There Is no promise whatever what-ever that your messenger to the city will arrive before night. Then It Is too late. The train Is just In, and neither man nor money has appeared." ap-peared." "How much Is there In the bank In ready cash?" "Less than $10,000." "Pay It out to the laBt dollar as slowly as you can. If we can tide over for a few hours the expected help may come." "And if it does not and when the money gives out?" questioned the cashier, fearsomely. "Put up a sign and close the bank." Left to himself, the young banker reviewed the situation. Energetic, im- 1 psiii With a Groan He Sank to a Chair. petuous, ambitious, he had gone beyond be-yond his depth in an Investment sure to turn out profitable In the end. A temporary complication, however, had tied It up. He could not realize In ready cash under a week. A heavy draft came upon the surplus funds, depleting de-pleting the bank reserve to a dangerously danger-ously low figure. Somehow a public rumor of all this got out. The report was current that the bank was going to fail. Result: The frantic, desperate mob of frightened depositors now clamoring at the great locked doors. Webster had sent a trusted employe of the bank to a rich relative in the city. He carried an urgent appeal for succor. The messenger had not reported. re-ported. A graver shade of feeling covered, the features of the young financier as he thought of the one dearest to him In all the world Ethel Morris. They were to have been wedded in a month, but if the bank broke then Webster well knew her proud, exclusive family fam-ily would scarcely favor a discredited bankrupt. It was a forlorn fight for business preservation and love. Webster hurried Into the counting room as a great outcry arose. He hoped it was his messenger arrived; he feared it was new riot. It lacked just five minutes of ten. A remarkable scene greeted his sight. A whiskered, farmer-looking man was talking to the excited crowd. He was waving a great bundle of bank notes In one hand. There was a cheer. In his other hand the stranger carried an old battered satchel. With t he now pounded on the door. "Let me In. I must get In!" the astonished as-tonished Webster heard him Bhout out, and then to the people: "Don't get scared. Randal Webster Is an honest man, and the Bank of Greenville Is solid as a rock!" Something In the determined manner man-ner of the visitor caused the watchman watch-man to open the door for him. The stranger helped him reclose It against the eager, crushing crowd. "Where is Mr. Webster?" he demanded. de-manded. "Ah, there he Is," and he approached the counter and nodded to the wondering banker. "Remember me, Mr. Webster?" "Why, I can't say that I do," was the hesitating reply. "Never mind. I've changed. Had to, wanted to," rattled on the stranger. "See here," and he began to bring from his pockets bundle after bundle of bank notes. "There's $20,000. Use It." "But, my dear sir " began the bewildered be-wildered cashier. "Use it, I said, didn't I?" interrupted interrupt-ed the stranger, unceremoniously. "But we have no right; the condition condi-tion the bank Is in to receive deposits," depos-its," stammered the cashier. "Call It a loan, then," said the stranger. stran-ger. "I know all about your worry here. It won't last. Keep the crowd goodnatured. Pay them off smiling. I'll guarantee the run will soon stop." Then he lifted the satchel. As It opened, the startled cashier, used as he was to the sight of money, uttered a great cry. The man piled up bundle after bundle of crisp green bank notes. "Shove them up against the glass where they will show," ordered the stranger. "Only, don't pay out any of this heap. You won't need to. That pile, the real cash paid out right along, will soon tame that unruly mob." "Ten o'clock," announced the dumbfounded dumb-founded cashier. "Open up." The stranger drew to one side, as If enjoying the scene. The astounded Webster was soon too busy to notice him. The eager crowd filed In; everybody was paid promptly. The sight of the great bundles of bills began be-gan to have an effect. Some, shamed, redeposited their money. Others, catching the Infection of reatored confidence, con-fidence, did not ask for their money at all. Within an hour the news went all over town that the bank was safe. With a great sigh of relief Randal Webster beckoned the stranger Into his private room. "Now, then," he said, "what does this all mean?" The stranger laughed. Then" he seized the banker's hand in a friendly grip. "You don't know me, eh?" he said. "Well, I'm bringing you back some of the bread you cast upon the waters five years ago." "I don't understand you," murmured the puzzled banker. "You was a lawyer then, and you defended de-fended In the city a member of a gang of counterfeiters. Now do you remember?" re-member?" "Why, yes," answered Webster. "My name was Dallas not now; I've changed It. You got me free, you gavejne a great lecture. It was my fife chance, and I Improved It. I went to my folks fifty miles from here. A relative left me a fortune. I have kept track of you. I heard of your trouble." "And you have saved the bank!" cried the grateful Webster. "The gang believed a large amount of their counterfeits destroyed. I saved the satchel containing them," went on the man. "I buried it. That show money I took from the satchel la counterfeit. The real money I drew from my bank early today to loan to you. We will burn the counterfeits, now they have served their purpose." An hour later the bank messenger came rushing up in an automobile, with plenty of money to safely tide the bank over. Webster paid back his grateful friend in need. He did not tell even Ethel the story. Down deep In his heart, however, he fervently cherished cherish-ed the gratitude of the reformed criminal crim-inal who had saved the bank at a critical juncture. (Copyright. 1S13, by W. Q. Chapman.) |