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Show I THE CON MAN CONNED B BY ELLIOTT FLOWER In New York Telegraph. H Tom 6fott Uad mndo the t'rlp from an H1 outlying: bank to its downtown corrc- H spondont ovory day, Sundays and noil- H, days oxcoplcd, for more than a year, and H nothing- ovor had happonod to disturb tho H routine. So Tom Grott became cerelcss. H The satchel that he oarrlod always con- H talned a considerable Sum In cash and H much "moro in chocks, hut tho fact that H he was custodian of so much money had H ceased to worry him. Tho fact had lost H, its significance. H' There came Into the car ono day, when H ho was, making- his regular trip to tho H downfo'Wn hank, another man with an- H other satchol, and the other man depos- H ited r the? other satchol beside Grett's. H Thqy w'oTo va'ry sltnlldr- In appearance H th&'satchols, "not the inon and Grott, ir H he -had not been entirely oblivious, could H hardly have railed to notice that the H stranger partly displaced the other. H But .Grott was deep in an account of the H latest sqandal or war scare, and ho rc- M matnod tfma, absorbed until his station H was7' reached, when ho hastily picked up H tho stranger's satchel and loft the car. B Tho stranger was busy with the "Help H Wantod" advcrtlseh10ril''6r his own pa- H I por and (ld not oven lqok up when Grctt H lett; but, at the next station, he shoved H the paporinto his coat pockot, grabbed H the remaining satchol, and hurried out. H Grotty wont directly to tho Third Na- H tlonal Dank, nodded to tho toller, aopos- H ltod tho satchol on the window shoir for H conVonlonco In opening, and gave an ex H clamatlon of surprlso and alarm. The H satchol, -while a duplicate or his in other H respects, was newor and cleanor. Ho H ; op'qngd It with trombllng hands, dlsclos- H lng a. seersucker coat and a cigarbox con- H talntng ponholdcrs and ponclls and a H nuiribor or nowspapor clippings. H "My God!" ho cried. Tvo been H robbed?" H "How?" asked tho toller. H i "This Isn't my satchel," ho said in bo- H wlldermont. H Ills faco was white, his oyos almost H popping out of his head, and ho seemed B ' to havo lost tho power or connectod H i thought; ho Blared at the satchol, as If H j expecting tho contents to change under H his gazo to bank notes and checks. H Tho cashier, seeing that something was Hi wrong, hurried up, and Grott was taken Wtl behind tho railing. Sonsations aro not B popular In banking cirelosj tho emotional M public misunderstands and exaggerates 9 them, so It Is advlsablo to koop thorn rrom d tho public. f "A caso or dolIUorato substitution," do- H ' clarod tho cashier, when Grott had told his M' story. "Tolophono your bank. Thoy will H' want to put tho pollco on it at once." H Grott seemed alrnoBt at tho point or H collapse, hut the sharp vigorous tone fl and mannor of the cashier had a Bracing H oITOct, and ho recovered his nervo in H sotno measuro. Unquestionably tho bank m should bo notified immodlatcly, in order D that everything possible might bo done H to rocovor tho satchel. m Tho NQrth Trust and Savings Dank was H not a largo Institution, and tho loss or H slxtoon thousand dolors in currency could M not 1)0 accqptod philosophically by Us 11 officers. It followod, therefore, that Pres- H ldftnt Atidrow rarwell waa oxclted and HI dlstrossod by tho message that came to Hj him oyer tho telephone. Nevertheless, Hr being -ft man of quick decision, he planned H and odtaa promptly. H AIL the usual precautions were taken H thd ppiioQ wero not Mod., and an advortlae- H mont wltton, "?5QQ reward Tor tho re- H turn of the sutchol and Its contents," and H sent to the evening papers H There was somo debate over the ad- H ertlsement, Cashier- Aiken holding that Hi it was unwise let rcatkfr tJie,loss thus pub- H lie,. but JeejdenV Fary1 "maintained that H theyBfiouW overlook--nothing that gave H the least promise of lessening the loss H The railroad ieported that no such satchel had been turned in to tho lost and found department, and tho guard, when questioned, declared that ho had seen none. ''That proves It to bo a premeditated thoft," asserted Alkon. "An honest finder would have turnod It in." "And wo havo about ono ohanco In a thousand of recovering tho money," ho nddad- "Just about that," agreed Farwoll rue-rully. rue-rully. "A vagrant fortune oon a small ono hasn't much chance in this city. Wo'ro probably out $16,000 In cash, .and wo can't toll how much on tho checks." They faced It for two hours In ovcr-dcoponlng ovcr-dcoponlng gloom. Tho satchel had been lost a little after ten In tho morning, and it was nearly ono when a shabby stranger entored tho bank. Tho shabby stranger carried tho missing satchel. Offlcers and employes seemed to rise as ono man, when they saw It, but the shabby stranger ambled along wearily and unconcernedly. Tho stranger paused and looked about him doubtrully; the orrico Torco waited breathlessly, hoping it was not a dream. It soemed Impossible that so shabby a man should be in posslsslon of tho mislaid mis-laid fortune. Tho stranger broke tho spell by advancing advanc-ing to tho cashier's desk. "Lose anything?" any-thing?" ho asked. Alkon drew a long breath. "Sixteen thousand dollars and some ' checks," he said. "Whew!" exclaimed the stranger, "I'm glad I didn't know I had so much." Ho handed tho satchel over to Aiken. " I guess It's all there." It was. Aiken and rarwell went over tho cash together, and there was not a banknote missing. Tho checks they took on faith. "Whore did you find It?" askod rarwell. "In my hand," was tho roply. "Tho first I know I was carrying tho wrong grip, and tho papors showod it belonged to you." "How long ago was that?" "Two hours, I guess. I was tired and f walkod slow." "Walkod!" oxclalmod rarwoll. "Why didn't you ride?" "Spent my last nlckol going downtown for a Job. Had ono hair promised, but this looked more important." "You had ? 10,000, and you walkod!" Farwoll round this incomprohonslblo. "Sure. It wasn't mine. Anyhow, 1 didn't know how much thore was." "Didn't you count it?" "No." "Why not?" "I was arrald." "Arrald or what?" "Or mysoir. Thoy say ovory man has his price, and I was arrald I might find; mine." "I guess old Dlogonos was looking for you," remarked rarwoll with a smllo. "Who's he?" askod tho strangor. "He's tho follow who was looking for a man who could do what you havo Just dono. It takes a man to bo honest when ho's so dosporatoly hard up." "That's all," ioturnod tho strangor simply; "just d man." "I suppose you want tho roward," said Farwoll. "Wall," admitted (ho strangor, "thought thoro might bo somo roward, and I don't see how I could back away from it." "Tho roward," sold Farwell, "Is ?G00, and we shall further mako it a point to soo that you got a satisfactory position. I rather think wo know onougli about your honesty to vouch for it. Don't we, .lr. Alkon?" "I'd go on Mr. " "Hawkins," said the stranger; "Robert Hawkins." "I'd go on Mr. Hawkins's bond unhesitatingly," un-hesitatingly," declared Aiken. "Thank you," returned Hawkins grate-rully, grate-rully, "but I think 1 lavo a Job. It was hair promised, and I was on my way to report when this liapponbU ir I could get my own satchol-rj ", v ,i j- "Grett, our messenger has It?' "0-' plained Farwoll.' "we ordered hlhr'to r"e port to tho police and give thori atf tho-u Information ho could borolo coming back.' Porlfaps," thoughtrully, "wo might glvo.ydu , hlsb." ' ' "Oh, no," protostcd Hawkins; "I wouldn't want to take another man's JplJ ' that Way, Ho was a bit careless, but-tho but-tho fellow who has been caught -onco Is . the sarcst urtorward. I don't want any body discharged Tor me. Dcsldcs, I'm a bookkeeper." "That's all right," said rarwoll. "We'll mako a place ror you." -, Hawkins hesitated. "No," he said resolutely, reso-lutely, "I promised to show up at tho other place to-day, and my word is sacred. I must report thoro anyhow; thoy may 'bo waiting ror me." "Mr. Hawkins," said rarwell earnestly, "I think you carry your conception or ralth a little too rar, but It Is a com mondable and unusual railing, ir you do ' not got a satlsractory position thore, como back." Hawkins, tho honest, seemed to bo ro lleved and encouraged. Ho thanked' them, told a llttlo moro or his pathetic struggle ror work, arranged to havo hid satchel sent to him, and then Ion. But once outsldo he heaved a deep sign or rellor, artor which ho laughed so heartily as to attract tho attention or other pedestrians. 'I thought they'd sure nail me to a Job bororc I could break away," said Hawkins. Then, being out or sight or the bank, ho entered a saloon and urged tho bartender to make all haste In putting out a "man's size" drink or whiskey. And, strangely enough, ho paid ror this drink without breaking any or tho bills that had been given him at the bank. Arter that, with a good cigar in his mouth, he bparded the smoking car or an "L" train and proceeded comrortably to his boarding house. Ho thoro discarded his shabby clothes and donned the ralnment or a warm sport, artor which he Journoyed to a billiard hall Tor relaxation, in tho course or this relaxation re-laxation ho was tho victim or occasional uncontrollable and lnoxpllcablo bursts or mirth. Later at 7 o'clock that ovonlng, to bo exact ho sought a table In an obscuro corner or an obscuro restaurant. One soat at this tablo was already occupiod by Tom Grott, bank mossongor, but Hawkins Hawk-ins soomed not at all disturbed by this. In Tact, ho gave Grott a wink and a Jovial smile, took a soat beside him, and called Tor a drink. "How about It?" Inquired Hawkins. "All right," answered Grott. "The old man road tho riot act and shirtcd mo to an insldo Job said I was too careless Tor a mosscnger but ho didn't flro me. I know ho wouldn't." "Thank me," laughed Hawkins. "He tried to glvo me your Job, and I wouldn't take It. Sayl Ho had mo up a tree for a row mlnutosl Whon I backod away rrom that ho wanted to turn mo loose on tho books. Honest, ho had mo worried; I thought ho was going to put mo on a stool by main rorco. I had that satchel or mino rlggod up right Tor tho part, didn't I?" "Great!" "How do I stand with the rrosted bunch?" "Great!" exclaimed Grott enthusiastically. enthusiastical-ly. "They'll back you ror a dime museum exhibit or tho original hpnost man any day you want to pqsq ror lti thoy'd turn you looso In the vault with the light put; they've got you down as, thg good young man who neoda to bo oncpuragod and holp-cd; holp-cd; ihoy'ro going to look you up." "Oh, I'm not so poor," said Hawkins, swelling up with tho prldo or aohleve-ment. aohleve-ment. "I might mako a row dollars or? tho vaudeville circuit ir I liart tho hpart to work steady. Say! My tonguo was Jiang-lng Jiang-lng out or my mouth when I was waiting ror it to bo time to go in and "So. tin) Qla billy goat Ob, I guess I'm ." "You're hot the wholo show, retorted Grett, with sudden Jealousy. "Look at tho llttlo ploy 1 put on whon I discovered i .,-;; v J. I'd boon robhod! I guess I'd qualify. )forj'S tho 'emotional drama all right." r -,d u f- ",Dut there; -ought to havre been ntoro4' money in it," complained Hawkins, 'passing quickly nom a ploasure to business, t.) "I haven't seen any yot," hinted qrotwj j ,, i . , ;.,,; Thus reminded, Hawkins counted ,ouVrj 82G0 and -passed it to his companion..' ( "Dut thore ought to havo toeonrmorq,M ho , .Insisted, "J thought ho'd come up bqttorri Tor .tho bunch I gave back to him." . l "Pretty ralr Tor a Job that's saVo," argued Grett. ' "Oh, It's a good enough scheme," .conceded .con-ceded Hawkins, "but we can't work It but ( once, and it's got tho art In It that ought" to pay high. As an actor I think I'm, worth moro money; no dub could havo played that scene at tho bank tho way I did." "They paid 3500 to see tho show," Bald Grott. Isn't that enough Tor any show?" "Not Tor a special porrormance," answered Hawkins. "This was an awrul "" good show." "Well," said Grctt, when tho merrl- ment had subsided, "we've got tho money to Invest; now how about the good things?'"- "Framed up for Saturday Highboy at 10 to 1," replied Hawkins. ' "Sure, Is It?" persisted Grctt. r-"' "A cinch," asserted Hawkins. "I'm go-' lng to .plunge on it Tor all I'Ve got andean and-ean borrow." "You slipped up on tho last one," sug- gestcd Grott. "That was a chance, but this Is sure," explained Hawkins. "I'm next to tho rl at people. Tho only way Highboy can lose that race Is to He down and die on tho track." "Ten to ono," mused Grctt. "Twenty-five "Twenty-five hundred is worth having." Ho handed his 8250 back to Hawkins. "Put mo on," he Instructed. "I'll" mall you tho ticket," said Hawkins. Haw-kins. Saturday arternoon Grett slipped out and sought tho nearest ticker. "A fclow can do something with twenty-live twenty-live hundred," ho reflected. The ticker Informed him that Highboy "also ran." Ho thought is must bo a mistake, but the telephone confirmed tho news. "Well," ho decided with rogrotrul philosophy, phil-osophy, "It isn't llko losing real money, ror this was 'velvet. " Nevertheless ho was not in high spirits when ho presonted himsoir at tho llttlo window through which tho salaries wero passed out. "Nothing for yoy," said the man bohlnd tho grating. "What!" cried Grott. "Nothing for you," repeated tho man. "Dut I'm not discharged," expostulated Grott. "No," was tho roply, "but there's $500 charged up against you tho cost or your carelessness, you know. You'll bo able to work It out in Tour or five months." |