Argosy, Volume XXIII — Index Page, 1897 — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

Ray THE BUNKEL MYSTERY. 72g ‘“Now I think of it, y'-- did not come for the keys this morning, Mr. Roblock,’’ said the magnate, as soon as he saw the cashier. ‘‘Am I to un- derstand that the bank is not open at half past nine in the forenoon ?’’ And, a heavy frown brooded on his brow. “ Topened the bank at the usual time, sir, using the duplicate keys in my possession, for I intended to hand them over to you,’’ replied the cashier, with more decision in his tones than he had ever assumed before to the mighty president. ‘What duplicate keys?’ demanded the latter. ‘The duplicate keys you gave me with the others when the bank was organized. I locked them up in my desk, and had forgotten all about them till a circumstance last night reminded me of them. You gave them to me, sir, at the time,’’ said Mr. Roblock. “And while you have been bringing the keys to me every night for the last year, you have had another set in your possession ?’’ exclaimed Mr. Singerlay, with a magnificent sneer. ‘‘I have, sir, and you gave them to me.”’ 7 ‘Then you have been subjecting’ me to this child’s play for a twelve- month !”’ ‘‘ IT have obeyed your orders, Mr. Singerlay.’’ ‘““ Why didn’t you tell me there was another set of keys?”’ “Since you gave me the keys, both sets of them, you were as well aware of the fact of their existence as I was, sir.’’ “I told you to bring the keys to my house every night ; I did not mean half of them, but the whole of them !’ replied the president, beginning to boil over with anger, as the cashier got the better of him in the argument. ‘I have been doing it for a year, and you never mentioned the other keys or told me you wanted them. But it makes no difference now.”’ ‘ Doesn’t it, indeed! It seems, too, that you have closed the bank, and come up here !’’ foamed the magnate. ‘“There is nothing left there to steal,’’ answered Mr. Roblock, desper- ately, and perhaps consoled with the idea that the president would now have something to rave over. ‘What do you mean?’’? demanded Mr. Singerlay, impressed by the manner of the cashier more than by his independent speeches. “I mean that the bank was robbed last night of every dollar in the vault,’’ said Mr. Roblock. ‘“ Robbed !’’ ‘“ Not a dollar left in the tills.” ‘‘ Impossible !’’ exclaimed the magnate, as he settled down into an arm chair ; and for once in his life, at least, he was completely overcome. ‘That is what I should have said if I had not seen for myself,’’ added Mr. Roblock, who was surprised to find that he had plenty of self possession, for the first time in his life, in the presence of the president. Mr. Singerlay was completely upset. All his ready money was in the Montoban Bank, and at least nine tenths of the amount stolen belonged to him. ‘Though it was only a fraction of his property, he could not even pay Eomichbooks =) (E(0)