Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MR. STOKES’ ACCOUNT. about. You are short five thousand dollars’ worth of bonds—the collateral on Judson Vaughn’s note. I’ve had you checked up, and I know. That’s all we’ve found so far; but it’s bad enough. What I’m puzzling my head over now is how to keep you out of the penitentiary!” She spoke with an almost masculine, al- most brutal directness that brought a cry of frightened protest from the note teller. “My God, Beth! Don’t—don’t say that!” ‘See here, Win Sayles, how much have you taken so far? Come, this is no time for dodging, because you can’t dodge. If this thing goes to the board of directors—” “ Beth, the Vaughn collateral is all; I swear it is. Five thousand in bonds—and I'll get ’em back—some way—yes, I prom- i ed “Get ’em back? How? Have you got the money? Where are they, anyhow? Over at Stekes’s? A fine mess you’ve got into— and to have it happen when my father’s away, and I’m responsible—”’ She stopped—thought a moment—opened a drawer and pulled out a check book, in which she scribbled hurriedly. “How much did you put them up for?” she asked. “ Thirty-nine hundred—and let’s see, there’ll be interest—” Win figured a minute on a bit of scrap. “ Forty-seven twenty-eight,” he said. Beth finished the check. “‘ Here’s my personal check for four thou- sand dollars,” she said. ‘‘ Go out to the window and get the money; then get the bonds and bring them back and put them where they belong. After that I’ll see what is to be done. I honestly can’t tell you, Win, what I shall do; but you realize you are in a very delicate position. Will you please notify Mr. Garvin that your place as note teller is vacant, so that he can see that your work is taken care of. You can’t expect me to trust you with the bank’s or our customers’ property for another minute. Hurry now; I hope there won’t be any slip.” Win Sayles departed, leaving Beth in a brown study. Her usually smooth forehead showed the shadow of a frown. She sudden- ly felt old. She had undertaken her work 507 in the bank with an enthusiasm that amounted to jubilation, with a head full of fine theories about banking—theories sound enough, to be sure, or her father would never have given them his approval. There was a zest in the working out of her plans, in seeing her efforts fruitful of new business and increased prestige for the bank. But she hadn’t foreseen some of the rough spots. This revelation concerning Win Sayles—a nice boy, from a good family in town—brought home to Beth the conviction that a banker’s life isn’t all plain sailing. She remembered her interview with the broker, Stokes, the hunch she had obeyed in declining to accept his account. She had felt quite righteous about it. She had kept her skirts clean, and those of the bank. As Stokes had flourished and his activities had grown, she had been increasingly glad she wasn’t furnishing any of the facilities to help him conduct his business. Now she wondered if her responsibility and that of the bank hadn’t extended further. She might have done something to keep Stokes out of Templeton; but she hadn’t, and now the bucketshop had stretched forth a ten- tacle into her own house and enmeshed one of her own people. It was a bad mess, put- | ting the bank in a weak position, she thought. With Stokes so firmly established, the job of ousting him might prove far more ~ difficult than it would have been to keep him out at the beginning; and Beth would always have the feeling that it wasn’t on the public’s account that she undertook a cam- paign against the broker, but because she was now forced by selfish consideration to do so. Well, she was going to do something just the same. Win Sayles returned and laid a package on Beth’s desk. She checked the bonds over rapidly. “Go and put these in the vault and then come back here, please.” When Win reappeared, Beth said: ‘““T suppose you thought you were going to get rich on some one else’s capital.” “{ thought the investment was—was all right. I still think so.” “What was it?” ‘* Alhambra Leasing and Drilling. Stokes COMME KOOKS ,(EO Inn) oat, = ne Pe