roads of destiny-第28部分

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oward　his　old　friends；　the　bank　had　prospered；　for　Major　Tom　Kingman　knew　men　as　well　as　he　knew　cattle。　Of　late　years　the　cattle　business　had　known　a　depression；　and　the　major's　bank　was　one　of　the　few　whose　losses　had　not　been　great。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　examiner；　briskly；　pulling　out　his　watch；　〃the　last　thing　is　the　loans。　We　will　take　them　up　now；　if　you　please。〃

He　had　gone　through　the　First　National　at　almost　record…breaking　speed　but　thoroughly；　as　he　did　everything。　The　running　order　of　the　bank　was　smooth　and　clean；　and　that　had　facilitated　his　work。　There　was　but　one　other　bank　in　the　town。　He　received　from　the　Government　a　fee　of　twenty…five　dollars　for　each　bank　that　he　examined。　He　should　be　able　to　go　over　those　loans　and　discounts　in　half　an　hour。　If　so；　he　could　examine　the　other　bank　immediately　afterward；　and　catch　the　11。45；　the　only　other　train　that　day　in　the　direction　he　was　working。　Otherwise；　he　would　have　to　spend　the　night　and　Sunday　in　this　uninteresting　Western　town。　That　was　why　Mr。　Nettlewick　was　rushing　matters。

〃Come　with　me；　sir；〃　said　Major　Kingman；　in　his　deep　voice；　that　united　the　Southern　drawl　with　the　rhythmic　twang　of　the　West；　〃We　will　go　over　them　together。　Nobody　in　the　bank　knows　those　notes　as　I　do。　Some　of　'em　are　a　little　wobbly　on　their　legs；　and　some　are　mavericks　without　extra　many　brands　on　their　backs；　but　they'll　most　all　pay　out　at　the　round…up。〃

The　two　sat　down　at　the　president's　desk。　First；　the　examiner　went　through　the　notes　at　lightning　speed；　and　added　up　their　total；　finding　it　to　agree　with　the　amount　of　loans　carried　on　the　book　of　daily　balances。　Next；　he　took　up　the　larger　loans；　inquiring　scrupulously　into　the　condition　of　their　endorsers　or　securities。　The　new　examiner's　mind　seemed　to　course　and　turn　and　make　unexpected　dashes　hither　and　thither　like　a　bloodhound　seeking　a　trail。　Finally　he　pushed　aside　all　the　notes　except　a　few；　which　he　arranged　in　a　neat　pile　before　him；　and　began　a　dry；　formal　little　speech。

〃I　find；　sir；　the　condition　of　your　bank　to　be　very　good；　considering　the　poor　crops　and　the　depression　in　the　cattle　interests　of　your　state。　The　clerical　work　seems　to　be　done　accurately　and　punctually。　Your　past…due　paper　is　moderate　in　amount；　and　promises　only　a　small　loss。　I　would　recommend　the　calling　in　of　your　large　loans；　and　the　making　of　only　sixty　and　ninety　day　or　call　loans　until　general　business　revives。　And　now；　there　is　one　thing　more；　and　I　will　have　finished　with　the　bank。　Here　are　six　notes　aggregating　something　like　40；000。　They　are　secured；　according　to　their　faces；　by　various　stocks；　bonds；　shares；　etc。　to　the　value　of　70；000。　Those　securities　are　missing　from　the　notes　to　which　they　should　be　attached。　I　suppose　you　have　them　in　the　safe　or　vault。　You　will　permit　me　to　examine　them。〃

Major　Tom's　light…blue　eyes　turned　unflinchingly　toward　the　examiner。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　but　steady　tone；　〃those　securities　are　neither　in　the　safe　nor　in　the　vault。　I　have　taken　them。　You　may　hold　me　personally　responsible　for　their　absence。〃

Nettlewick　felt　a　slight　thrill。　He　had　not　expected　this。　He　had　struck　a　momentous　trail　when　the　hunt　was　drawing　to　a　close。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　examiner。　He　waited　a　moment；　and　then　continued：　〃May　I　ask　you　to　explain　more　definitely？〃

〃The　securities　were　taken　by　me；〃　repeated　the　major。　〃It　was　not　for　my　own　use；　but　to　save　an　old　friend　in　trouble。　Come　in　here；　sir；　and　we'll　talk　it　over。〃

He　led　the　examiner　into　the　bank's　private　office　at　the　rear；　and　closed　the　door。　There　was　a　desk；　and　a　table；　and　half…a…dozen　leather…covered　chairs。　On　the　wall　was　the　mounted　head　of　a　Texas　steer　with　horns　five　feet　from　tip　to　tip。　Opposite　hung　the　major's　old　cavalry　saber　that　he　had　carried　at　Shiloh　and　Fort　Pillow。

Placing　a　chair　for　Nettlewick；　the　major　seated　himself　by　the　window；　from　which　he　could　see　the　post…office　and　the　carved　limestone　front　of　the　Stockmen's　National。　He　did　not　speak　at　once；　and　Nettlewick　felt；　perhaps；　that　the　ice　could　be　broken　by　something　so　near　its　own　temperature　as　the　voice　of　official　warning。

〃Your　statement；〃　he　began；　〃since　you　have　failed　to　modify　it；　amounts；　as　you　must　know；　to　a　very　serious　thing。　You　are　aware；　also；　of　what　my　duty　must　compel　me　to　do。　I　shall　have　to　go　before　the　United　States　Commissioner　and　make〃

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　said　Major　Tom；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃You　don't　suppose　I'd　run　a　bank　without　being　posted　on　national　banking　laws　and　the　revised　statutes！　Do　your　duty。　I'm　not　asking　any　favours。　But；　I　spoke　of　my　friend。　I　did　want　you　to　hear　me　tell　you　about　Bob。〃

Nettlewick　settled　himself　in　his　chair。　There　would　be　no　leaving　San　Rosario　for　him　that　day。　He　would　have　to　telegraph　to　the　Comptroller　of　the　Currency；　he　would　have　to　swear　out　a　warrant　before　the　United　States　Commissioner　for　the　arrest　of　Major　Kingman；　perhaps　he　would　be　ordered　to　close　the　bank　on　account　of　the　loss　of　the　securities。　It　was　not　the　first　crime　the　examiner　had　unearthed。　Once　or　twice　the　terrible　upheaval　of　human　emotions　that　his　investigations　had　loosed　had　almost　caused　a　ripple　in　his　official　calm。　He　had　seen　bank　men　kneel　and　plead　and　cry　like　women　for　a　chancean　hour's　timethe　overlooking　of　a　single　error。　One　cashier　had　shot　himself　at　his　desk　before　him。　None　of　them　had　taken　it　with　the　dignity　and　coolness　of　this　stern　old　Westerner。　Nettlewick　felt　that　he　owed　it　to　him　at　least　to　listen　if　he　wished　to　talk。　With　his　elbow　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　and　his　square　chin　resting　upon　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand；　the　bank　examiner　waited　to　hear　the　confession　of　the　president　of　the　First　National　Bank　of　San　Rosario。

〃When　a　man's　your　friend；〃　began　Major　Tom；　somewhat　didactically；　〃for　forty　years；　and　tried　by　water；　fire；　earth；　and　cyclones；　when　you　can　do　him　a　little　favour　you　feel　like　doing　it。〃

（〃Embezzle　for　him　70；000　worth　of　securities；〃　thought　the　examiner。）

〃We　were　cowboys　together；　Bob　and　I；〃　continued　the　major；　speaking　slowly；　and　deliberately；　and　musingly；　as　if　his　thoughts　were　rather　with　the　past　than　the　critical　present；　〃and　we　prospected　together　for　gold　and　silver　over　Arizona；　New　Mexico；　and　a　good　part　of　California。　We　were　both　in　the　war　of　'sixty…one；　but　in　different　commands。　We've　fought　Indians　and　horse…thieves　side　by　side；　we've　starved　for　weeks　in　a　cabin　in　the　Arizona　mountains；　buried　twenty　feet　deep　in　snow；　we've　ridden　herd　together　when　the　wind　blew　so　hard　the　lightning　couldn't　strikewell；　Bob　and　I　have　been　through　some　rough　spells　since　the　first　time　we　met　in　the　branding　camp　of　the　old　Anchor…Bar　ranch。　And　during　that　time　we've　found　it　necessary　more　than　once　to　help　each　other　out　of　tight　places。　In　those　days　it　was　expected　of　a　man　to　stick　to　his　friend；　and　he　didn't　ask　any　credit　for　it。　Probably　next　day　you'd　need　him　to　get　at　your　back　and　help　stand　off　a　band　of　Apaches；　or　put　a　tourniquet　on　your　leg　above　a　rattlesnake　bite　and　ride　for　whisky。　So；　after　all；　it　was　give　and　take；　and　if　you　didn't　stand　square　with　your　pardner；　why；　you　might　be　shy　one　when　you　needed　him。　But　Bob　was　a　man　who　was　willing　to　go　further　than　that。　He　never　played　a　limit。

〃Twenty　years　ago　I　was　sheriff　of　this　country；　and　I　made　Bob　my　chief　deputy。　That　was　before　the　boom　in　cattle　when　we　both　made　our　stake。　I　was　sheriff　and　collector；　and　it　was　a　big　thing　for　me　then。　I　was　married；　and　we　had　a　boy　and　a　girla　four　and　a　six　year　old。　There　was　a　comfortable　house　next　to　the　courthouse；　furnished　by　the　county；　rent　free；　and　I　was　saving　some　money。　Bob　did　most　of　the　office　work。　Both　of　us　had　seen　rough　times　and　plenty　of　rustling　and　danger；　and　I　tell　you　it　was　great　to　hear　the　rain　and　the　sleet　dashing　against　the　windows　of　nights；　and　be　warm　and　safe　and　comfortable；　and　know　you　could　get　up　in　the　morning　and　be　shaved　and　have　folks　call　you　'mister。'　And　then；　I　had　the　finest　wife　and　kids　that　ever　struck　the　range；　and　my　old　friend　with　me　enjoying　the　first　fruits　of　prosperity　and　white　shirts；　and　I　guess　I　was　happy。　Yes；　I　was　happy　about　that　time。〃

The　major　sighed　and　glanced　casually　out　of　the　window。　The　bank　examiner　changed　his　position；　and　leaned　his　chin　upon　his　other　hand。

〃One　winter；〃　continued　the　major；　〃the　money　for　the　county　taxes　came　pouring　in　so　fast　that　I　didn't　have　time　to　take　the　stuff　to　the　bank　for　a　week。　I　just　shoved　the　checks　into　a　cigar　box　and　the　money　into　a　sack；　and　locked　them　in　the　big　safe　that　belonged　to　the　sheriff's　office。

〃I　had　been　overworked　that　week；　and　was　about　sick；　anyway。　My　nerves　were　out　of　order；　and　my　sleep　at　night　didn't　seem　to　rest　me。　The　doctor　had　some　scientific　name　for　it；　and　I　was　taking　medicine。　And　so；　added　to　the　rest；　I　went　to　bed　at　night　with　that　money　on　my　mind。　Not　that　there　was　much　need　of　being　worried；　for　the　safe　was　a　good　one；　and　nobody　but　Bob　and　I　knew　the　combination。　On　Friday　night　there　was　about　6；500　in　cash　in　the　bag。　On　Saturday　morning　I　went　to　the　office　as　usual。　The　safe　was　locked；　and　Bob　was　writing　at　his　desk。　I　opened　the　safe；　and　the　money　was　gone。　I　called　Bob；　and　roused　everybody　in　the　court…house　to　announce　the　robbery。　It　struck　me　that　Bob　took　it　pretty　quiet；　considering　how　much　it　reflected　upon　both　him　and　me。

〃Two　days　went　by　and　we　never　got　a　clew。　It　couldn't　have　been　burglars；　for　the　safe　had　been　opened　by　the　combination　in　the　proper　way。　People　must　have　begun　to　talk；　for　one　afternoon　in　comes　Alicethat's　my　wifeand　the　boy　and　girl；　and　Alice　stamps　her　foot；　and　her　eyes　flash；　and　she　cries　out；　'The　lying　wretchesTom；　Tom！'　and　I　catch　her　in　a　faint；　and　bring　her　'round　little　by　little；　and　she　lays　her　head　down　and　cries　and　cries　for　the　first　time　since　she　took　Tom　Kingman's　name　and　fortunes。　And　Jack　and　Zillathe　youngstersthey　were　always　wild　as　tiger　cubs　to　rush　over　Bob　and　climb　all　over　him　whenever　they　were　allowed　to　come　to　the　court…housethey　stood　and　kicked　their　little　shoes；　and　herded　together　like　scared　pa