A Canadian Bankclerk 9781442632752

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Toronto Reprint Library of Canadian Prose and Poetry Douglas Lochhead, General Editor This series is intended to provide for libraries a varied selection of titles of Canadian prose and poetry which have been long out-of-print. Each work is a reprint of a reliable edition, is in a contemporary library binding, and is appropriate for public circula­ tion. The Toronto Reprint Library makes available lesser known works of popular writers and, in some cases, the only works of little known poets and prose writers. All form part of Canada's literary history; all help to provide a better knowledge of our cultural and social past. The Toronto Reprint Library is pro­ duced in short-run editions made possible by special techniques, some of which have been developed for the series by the University of Toronto Press. This series should not be confused with Literature of Canada: Poetry and Prose in Reprint, also under the general editorship of Douglas Lochhead.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS

Toronto Reprint Library of Canadian Prose and Poetry © University of Toronto Press 1973 Toronto and Buffalo Printed in Canada ISBN 0-8020-7519-3 No other edition.

A CANADIAN BANKCLERK

BY

J. P.

BUSCHLEN

TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS 1913

Copyright, Canada, 1913, by J . P. B U S C H L E N

Dedicated TO THE

(Unmtxttxtmm ©l*rk

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DUST. My box is full of others' cash. My pocket full of air, My head is crammed with cleric trash, Layer upon layer. I gaze upon the business mob That throngs before my cage, And v:alch their human pulses throb In greed, fear, rage. Yet through the vapor and the must I often catch a smile— As though someone had lost the lust, And, for a while, Regarded me, the shoveller, As greater than the gold, Which, after all, belongs to her— Old Mother Mould.

7

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PREFACE T H E story herein told is true to l i f e ; true, the greater part of it, to m y own life. Also, I am con­ vinced that m y experience i n a Canadian B a n k was but m i l d l y exciting as compared w i t h that of many others. M y object i n publishing " E v a n N e l s o n ' s " history is to enlighten the public concerning life behind the wicket and thus pave the way for the legitimate organization of bankclerks into a fraternal associa­ tion, for their financial and social ( i n c l u d i n g moral) betterment. B a n k officials, I trust, w i l l see to i t that m y mis­ representations are exposed. T o mothers of bankclerks who attach overmuch importance to the gentility of their B o y ' s avocation; to fathers who think that because the bank is r i c h its employes must necessarily become so i n t i m e ; to friends who criticize the bankclerks of their acquaintance for not settling down—this story is addressed. T o the men of our banks who are dissatisfied w i t h the business they have chosen, or someone else has chosen for them; to O l d Country clerks who come out to Canada under the impression that F i v e Dollars is as good as One P o u n d ; to bank employes

9

10

PEEFAOE

i n the U n i t e d States, and to office men everywhere— I am telling m y tale. F i n a l l y , I appeal to " the girls we have known." B e sure y o n study the subject thoroughly before accusing that inscrutable, proud and procrastinating clerk of yours of inconstancy. THE

AUTTIOH.

CONTENTS CHAPTER.

PAGE.

PREFACE I. II.

OUR

SWIPE A

IV.

BEING

VI.

-

-

-

A

MOVED

SPORT

XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX.

43 58

-

SPORT G O N E TO S E E D

-

-

-

-

91

HOLIDAY

SEED

107 128

MULTIPLIES

TROUBLE

COMES

JOYS

BANKING

OF

28

74

T H E VILLAGE MAIDEN

THE

-

-

A

XIII.

7

-

VIII.

XII.

-

-

OF T H E W O R L D

BANK

X.

-

DAYS

MAN

A

XI.

-

13

VII.

IX.

-

BANKER

III.

V.

-

141 156 174

SOME WHEEL-COGS C O M E TOGETHER

-

-

-

191

T H E MACHINERY

-

-

-

209

POKER

AND

GRINDS

-

-

PREACHING

227

FIRED

242

BLACKBALLED

259

A IN

BANKER'S

GIRL

-

-

-

-

-

-

277

-

-

-

294

-

-

-

312

-

-

-

328

OF C A N A D A

-

345

T H E COUNTRY OF O U R COUSINS

FAR-AWAY HIGH

GREEN

FINANCE

FIELDS

AND

-

PROMOTING

.XXI.

THE

ASSOCIATED

BANKCLERKS

XXII.

SHE

WAITS

US

FOR

.

-

362

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A CANADIAN

BANKCLERK

CHAPTER OUR

I.

BANKER.

T H E Ontario village of Hometon rested. I t had been doing for so many years. There, i n days gone by, pioneers with bushy beards—now long out-ofdate, but threatening to sprout again—had fearlessly faced the wolf-haunted forests, relying, no doubt, upon the ferocity of their own appearance to frighten off the devourer. A few old elm trees still remained i n the village, to protect i t from, the summer s u n ; and s t i l l lived also an occasional pioneer, gnarled and rugged l i k e the old elms, to sigh and shake his head at the new civilization, and shelter whom he might from the power of its stroke. One of these ancient fathers meandered across the m a i n street and into a grocery store. H e plucked a semi-petrified prune from its sticky environment and drew a stool up to the counter. " W e l l , D a d , " greeted the grocer, " what's new i n the old town ?" The old gentleman worried the stolen morsel into one cheek and r e p l i e d : 13

14

A

CANADIAN

BANKCLEKK

" O u r boys keep a-leavin' on us, J o h n ; keep a-goin\" W h i l e the grocer stood wondering w hether the " keep a-goin' " referred to himself or " our boys," a customer entered. " H o w d'you do, M r s . Aiding;," he smiled, leaving the old man to his quid-like mouthful. But, i n the case of a lady shopper, where business interferes with the telling of a story—or anything— postpone business. " A h yes, Grandpa N e w m a n , " she sighed, " the town w i l l soon be deserted." The grey-haired man looked at her as much as to ask: " P r a y , how d i d y o u manage to overhear what I was saying?" W h a t he d i d ask was: " H o w does his mother feel, M r s . A r l i n g ? " " I ' m just on m y way there now," replied the ladyshopper ; " give me a can of pork-and-beans, w i l l you, J o h n ? " The grocer, whom almost everyone i n town called by his first name, climbed n i m b l y up the side of his store and fished out the desired article. Meanwhile M r s . A r l i n g winked at the old m a n and whispered: " H e looks like a boy, Grandpa, the way he scales that shelf; but he's past f o r t y ! " " A y e , so he is, M a r y ; but you both seem like chits to me." Grandpa N e w m a n smiled when " M a r y " had gone, then shook his head and sighed. The grocer proceeded to wheedle more news out of the village information bureau. r

OUR

BACKER

15

Who's leaving us now, D a d ?" he asked. " Y o u n g k e l s o n ; he's goin' away out here to M t . A l b a n to j ' i n one of them banks." " Y o u don't say!" u

" Y e s , " drawled the grandsire, " i t beats the O l d Scratch how these youngsters have got new-fangled idears into their heads. N o w , when T was a b o y — " Bui: the observation M r s . A r l i n g was, a few minutes later, making to M r s . Nelson, is more to the point: " M y dear Caroline, T just dropped i n to tell you how sorry and how glad I am." M r s . A r l i n g was fair, round and vivacious. The woman to whom she talked was dark and slender, but also vivacious. The latter smiled. " I t is lonesome, M a r y ; but you know we can't keep them borne forever." " N o , indeed," agreed M r s . A r l i n g , " that's what I tell m y silly old man when he gets to w o r r y i n g about our boy, who's only twelve, L e t them go— they'll be glad to come back." " It's a l l very well for you to sit there and act brave," laughed M r s . Nelson, " but wait t i l l the day arrives." The force of the argument told on M r s . A r l i n g . " M a y b e you're right, C a r o l i n e , " she admitted. " B u t it must be a great consolation to see E v a n enter such a splendid business." " That is what consoles me, M a r y . B a n k i n g is such a respectable, genteel occupation!"

10

A

CANADIAN

BANKCLEKK

The dark woman's eyes were bright; she spoke w i t h great pride. " Y o u ' r e right, Caroline, i t is genteel. B a n k boys get into such nice society. A n d they can always— you know—look so n i c e ! " " Y o u know, M a r y / rejoined the slender woman, " his pa almost repented giving h i m permission to quit school. E v a n was getting along so well. H e would have taken both his ma trie, and his second this summer; but he would go i n a bank, and when a vacancy occurred so near home we thought per­ haps i t would be as well to let h i m go, i n case he should not get so good a chance again." M r s , A r l i n g sat i n thought. " C a r o l i n e / ' she said at length, " do you think E v a n ever cared much about our g i r l ? " M r s . Nelson blushed before one who had been a school-chum. " I was going to mention that," she said, bashfully. " Y o u think there is something between them, then?" " W h y , M a r y , they are only children. A n d yet, I often wish that E v a n would some day get serious." " W o u l d n ' t i t be l o v e l y ! " The conversation drifted, like ocean-tide, into many fissures and along innumerable channels. The M a y afternoon ebbed away. " I really must be going," said M r s . A r l i n g , sud­ denly. " L e t us know how he gets along. I ' m sure the whole town misses E v a n , and is proud of h i m . " 7

OUR

BANKER

17

M r s . Nelson smiled fondly. A n d we, too, are proud of O u r B a n k e r . " {C

I t was the second day of " our banker's " appren­ ticeship. A c c o r d i n g to the chronology of home­ sickness he had been i n the banking business about a year. H e stood at a, high desk i n the back end of a dark office, gazing blankly on a heap of letters addressed, or to be addressed, everywhere. A n open copying-book l a y at his elbow, the pages of w h i c h were smeared w i t h indelible streaks. Clerical experts had invented that book for the purpose of recording letters, but Nelson had applied too m u c h water, and the result of his labors was chaos; worse —oblivion. " J u s t gaze on that!" cried the teller-accountant, A l f r e d Castle. W h i l e A l f r e d gazed a pencil artist might have made a good sketch of h i m — i f the artist, of course, had been any good. The sketch, to be perfect, would need to portray a tall, slim, blonde person w i t h feminine features. B u t no crayon could convey an idea of the squeaky voice and the supercilious manner. " I can't understand how anyone could ball things up l i k e that," he continued. B u t assertions seemed incapable of rousing E v a n from his stupid lethargy. A question might help. " W h y didn't you stop before you had spoiled the whole bunch ?" asked the teller sharply. E v a n swallowed. 2 C.B.

18

A

CANADIAN

BAN.KCLEIvK

" I kept t h i n k i n g / ' he stammered, " that each one—" Castle turned away impatiently, refusing to hear the speaker out. H e entered his cage and closed the door, leaving E v a n to his nightmare. The manager strolled back through the office. " W h e r e ' s P e r r y ? " he asked the new j u n i o r . " Out w i t h the drafts, s i r , " replied E v a n , weakly. The manager was worthy of description also. H e was short, heavy of shoulders and slightly knockkneed. H e was perhaps forty years old, his hair was getting thin, and his dark eyes snapped behind a p a i r of glasses. Just now, instead of snapping, his eyes twinkled. " W h a t i n thunder have you been t r y i n g to do ?" he exclaimed. A s he leafed over the pages of the copying-book his m i r t h came nearer and nearer the surface, u n t i l at last he was laughing aloud and w i t h much enjoy­ ment. " Cheer u p / ' he said, seeing the expression of Evan's face, " w e ' l l let them go this time without re-writing." Then he showed the young clerk how to copy a letter without spoiling both the letter and the tissuepaper pages. " T h a n k you, M r . R o b b , " said E v a n , earnestly. W h i l e the dainty teller fretted i n his cage, l i k e a rare species of w i l d animal, the manager dug Nelson out of his mess and tried to make light of tbe disaster.

OUR

BANKER

10

" W e a l l have to l e a r n / ' he said k i n d l y . Sam Robb might have been either a diplomat or merely a good-hearted human being. A t any rate, E v a n Nelson resolved, after the tone of Robb's words had penetrated, that he would always do his utmost to please the manager. The return, of Porter P e r r y , alias the " Boneh e a d / ' was heralded by loud scuffling over by the ledgers. A string of oaths escaped ( " e s c a p e d " is hardly the way to express i t ) the ledger-keeper, W i l l i a m Watson, as Porter approached. " You ! w h y didn't you get back here sooner ?" The teller raised his blonde head. " E n o u g h of that profanity, Watson," he said peremptorily. P e r r y , also called " t h e porter," dodged Watson, and, muttering a savage growl, shot across the office to the collection desk. " H e r e , y o u , " said M r . Robb, " get busy o n this mail. Where have y o u been—playing checkers i n the l i b r a r y or shooting craps on the sidewalk ?" P o r t e r still had his hat on. H e took the hint when the manager said, half-mischievously, " J u d g i n g by tfoe size of the m a i l , don't you think y o u had better stay a while ?" The remainder of the day's work meant confusion and headaches for E v a n . Before going to his board­ ing-house for supper he took a walk by himself along one of the back streets of M t . A l b a n . A song his sister used to sing seemed to dwell i n the very air ;

20

A

CANADIAN

BANKCLEEK

about b i m . I t associated itself w i t h home memories and sent a t h r i l l through h i m . M r . A l b a n was only t h i r t y miles from H o m e ton, and yet E v a n felt that he was gone from home for­ ever. So he w a s — i f he continued to work i n the bank. H e knew that he w ould be able to ffet home only for an occasional week-end; nor were the H o m e ton trains convenient to bank hours. There was no branch of the bank i n Hometon, and he would, conse­ quently, never be located there. "When the first move came it would take h i m still further away. r

E v a n sauntered, w i t h his thoughts, past comfort­ able homes fronted w i t h lawns and shaded by weep­ ing willows. There is a peculiar melancholia about a M a y day; i t had an effect on the young bankclerk. H e walked by hedges beyond the end of M t . Alban's asphalt out into the suburbs. S p r i n g birds sang their thanks to Nature, and to the homesick heart a bird's singing is sadness. I t is natural for such a heart to seek quiet. E v a n had no desire for com­ pany. H e wanted to think, a l l by himself. His m i n d travelled i n the one circle, the arcs of which were home, school and the bank. Y e s , and E r a n k i e Arling! Although only seventeen he had a tenacious way of l i k i n g a g i r l ; and F r a n k i e had always appealed to h i m . H e thought of her as he walked by the hedges. I t was she, indeed, who helped h i m , more than anything else, to forget the ordeal of his first few days' clerkship. H e shuddered when he thought of the hundred and one inscrutable books i n the

OUR

BANKER

21

office, so well known to the teller and Watson, and a shiver accompanied thought of m a i l and copyingbooks; but he viewed matters from a different angle when F r a n k i e came forward i n his m i n d . How worldly-wise he would be when he went home, and what a h i t he would make w i t h his c w n money i n the ice-cream places of H o m e t o n ! W o u l d n ' t F r a n k i e be proud of h i m ! E x c l a m a t i o n marks hardly do justice to E v a n ' s enthusiasm as he alkrwed himself to speculate on the future. B e i n g " good s t u f f " at bottom, he forced himself, finally, on this May-day walk, to look at the sunlight on the lawns and trees; and when he doubled back to the boarding-house i t was w i t h a good i m i t a t i o n of his old football energy. A t table he spoke blithely to the guests, and was quite gay d u r i n g soup. C o l d roast beef brought a slight c h i l l w i t h i t . Cake had something of a sour flavor. H e drank his tea i n silence. I n the evening he declined an invitation to a party, extended to h i m over the telephone, at the bank. After sweeping out the office he perched himself on a stool and wrote a long letter home. Before day­ light had quite disappeared he " wound " the vault combination, seriously, faithfully, and crept up the back stairs to his bed above the bank's treasure. H e soberly inspected a heavy revolver, placed i t on a chair beside the bed, and retired with a sound not unlike a groan. P e r r y came i n late and raised a dreadful hubbub. H e smoked cigarettes i n the room, whistled the

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CANADIAN

BANKCLERK

raggiest rags and tried his best to make things uncomfortable for the new man. Nelson ground his teeth beneath the sheeis and wished he had been born strong. The first official question E v a n was asked the following morning concerned the w i n d i n g of the combination. " Never forget that/' enjoined "Watson. " M r . N e l s o n / ' called the teller from his cage, "come here." E v a n obeyed the summons. " Go over to the B B a n k and ask them for their general ledger." " A l l right, s i r , " said Nelson, meekly, and t a k i n g his cap from a peg went out to execute the commis­ sion. H e had hardly disappeared when "Watson walked to the phone and called up the B B a n k , info l i n ­ ing them of Nelson's mission and asking them to send h i m on to some other bank. I t was half an hour before the j u n i o r returned; he had been a l l over t o w n ; the report he brought w i t h h i m was this: " I found out i t had just been sent back here." N o w the general ledger of a bank contains a sum­ mary of a l l business done. I t would not do for one bank to see the general ledger of another. Neither the branches nor the clerks of one bank m a y have business secrets i n common w i t h another b a n k ; of course it is a l l right for head offices and general managers to get their heads together i n such small matters as keeping down the rate of interest and

OUR

BANKER

23

curtailing loans—but then a l l competitors should unite against that great enemy, the public. E v a n was given a copy of " Rules and Regula­ tions " to study while waiting for the " Bonehead " to get his drafts ready for delivery. T i e was pointed to the clause on secrecy and commanded to memorize it forthwith. The new junior soon discovered that Porter P e r r y was something of a joke among M t . A l b a n merchants. The " B o n e h e a d " had sometime and somewhere earned the dignity of his title. The way he approached customers about a draft was r i d i c u ­ lous even to E v a n — a n d i t meant something for E v a n to have a definite idea about anything these appren­ ticeship days. Remarks passed between store clerks, and the giggles and smirks of girls behind counters, d i d not relieve the embarrassment N e l s o n felt at being sub-associated w i t h P e r r y , and worse still, the compulsory recipient of loudly bawled pointers. I n proportion as N e l s o n felt humiliated d i d P e r r y feel dignified and important. The Bonehead had a wonderful faculty for call­ i n g people by their first names on the street. T h i s , he doubtless argued, would impress the new " swipe " w i t h a sense of his (Porter's) popularity. I t does not take long for boys i n a bank to conceive a high and mighty regard for position. B a c k to the office from their morning round, P e r r y took i t upon himself to teach E v a n the mysteries of the Collection Register. A f t e r half an hour's faith­ f u l instruction the teller came along and inspected

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CANADIAN

BANKCLEEK

the work. Two dozen drafts had been entered w r o n g ; " D r a w e r " was m i x e d up with Endorser/' dates of issue were confused w i t h dates of maturity, and everything but the amounts was topsy-turvy. " Y o u are, without a doubt," said Castle, turning away, as was his habit, without trying to p u l l the boys through their trouble, " the worst mess I ever came across." H i s remarks were addressed to P e r r y , particularly. E v a n went flat. I t is t h r i l l i n g l y unpleasant to find yourself an incompetent i n the routine of an office when you could w i t h ease recite Hugo's verses i n F r e n c h and write a long treatise on the P u n i c Wars. E v a n i n w a r d l y shuddered. P e r r y stood beside h i m g r i n n i n g and muttering imprecations on the teller. " W h a t difference does i t make how you enter them?" he said, and grabbing a handful of drafts, stamped them at random w i t h the bank's endorse­ ment stamp and the " C " stamp. E v a n stood looking out of the back window. A robin, digging for food on a grassy plot, raised his bright little eyes to the bankclerk, as much as to say: " Come on out, old chap. Y o u ' l l never find any­ thing to eat i n that dark, musty place! " A s he gazed on the gay b i r d E v a n remembered lessons from his childhood reader. H i s m i n d per­ sisted i n flying back to school-days. W h y ? D i d he s t i l l crave knowledge? W a s he hungry for some­ thing he knew the bank would never give h i m ? 11

OUR

BANKER

25

Years later E v a n knew w h y his m i n d had dwelt upon the dear days of school life. A t school he had had scope for his imagination and his genius, i n the writings of poet and historian, inventor and novelist. H e could d r i n k as deeply as he would of the fountain of learning, and still the springs would be there for him, soothing, refreshing. N o t so i n the bank. A l t h o u g h he knew little or nothing of the business as yet, something told h i m that here was a shorn pasture. H e could find plenty of work for his hands, and bewildering, t i r i n g work for his head; bnt where was there occupation and recreation for the m i n d ? Perhaps the fact that he was associated w i t h a boy of P e r r y ' s calibre made the contrast between school and office wider. H e recalled examination-days when he had sat before a long paper w i t h a feeling of power and security. H i s pen could not travel fast enough, so f a m i l i a r was he w i t h F r e n c h and L a t i n vocabulary and construction, Ancient H i s t o r y , M o d ­ ern Literature, E n g l i s h Grammar, and other sub­ jects. B u t here i n the bank he stumbled over a sight draft for $4.17 drawn by a grocery firm and accepted by one J e r r y Tangle. O f course E v a n exaggerated matters. Everyone who is homesick paints home i n beautiful colors and daubs every other place w i t h mud-grey, H e forgot lamplight hours when he had wrested groans f r o m V i r g i l and provoked the shade of E u c l i d , and remem­ bered only the good old friends and the favorite studies of school-days. H e d i d not know that T i m e

26

A

CANADIAN

BANKCLERK

would b r i n g f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h bank routine and that he would learn to like the brainless labors of a clerk. H e only knew that he felt hungry, empty; that he had given up something illimitable for a mathe­ matical thing hedged about w i t h paltry figures. E v a n was roused from his reverie by the feminine voice of Castle. " H e r e you, get me ten three-dollar b i l l s . " The teller handed h i m six fives. E v a n was, for a moment, doubtful of the existence of the denomina­ tion asked for, but he reasoned that Castle would not give h i m the t h i r t y dollars and look so serious i f it were only a joke. H e went around among the banks on a wild-goose-chase for the second time that day. A sympathizing j u n i o r from another bank met h i m on the street. " Say, B o , " he said, g r i n n i n g ; " don't let 'em k i d you any more." E v a n ' s eyes suddenly opened. H e made a confi­ dant of this fellow and asked h i m about the i n i t i a ­ tion tricks of bankclerks. H e was warned against w i n d i n g combinations, r i n g i n g up fictitious numbers on the telephone, and other misleaders. E v a n d i d not smile when he handed the six fives back to the teller. H e said nothing i n r e p l y to Castle's question, u n t i l the teller grew intolerable; then he growled: " G o to h e l l ! " E v a n was not a profane i n d i v i d u a l , as a rule, but there were times when drastic measures seemed justi­ fiable.

OUR

BANKER

27

Castle looked at h i m w i t h real anger, and came out of his cage. " Y o u darn young p u p ! " he exclaimed menac­ ingly. Watson raised his voice i n a loud laugh, and drew the teller's attention to the new man. M r . Robb came back to the cage for some change,—and the storm d i d not mature. E v a n was not relieved. H e wanted to have a row with Castle. B u t it was not the teller he worried about back at his own desk: it was himself. H e was ignorant! W i t h a l l his high-school education and his b i g marks i n languages he d i d not know that combinations should not be wound, or that threedollar bills were not somewhere i n circulation. There was knowledge for h i m i n the bank, after a l l ! A n d he decided to make that knowledge his. H e applied himself to the office books, after that, and fought against the desire to quit and go back to school. H e would ask questions about everything and know a l l there was to know.

CHAPTER IE SWIPE

DAYS,

W H E N Nelson was able to take out the collections Porter found himself i n line for the savings ledger. I t never occurred to the Bonehead that elevation was apt to b r i n g added responsibilities; he thought only of the promotion. N o t h i n g now mattered except the fact that J . Porter P e r r y was a ledger keeper. H e managed to drop the information i n every store on his last t r i p round w i t h the bills, and proclaimed his successor i n a tone that was very i r r i t a t i n g to the new " swipe." E v a n ground his teeth—but thought of F r a n k i e , H e spoke respectfully to a l l the bank's customers, and tried to act like a gentleman, on the street. I n a week's time he knew every merchant i n town well enough to speak to h i m , and had overcome the giggles and whisperings of counter girls. Mornings were always bright enough to h i m . W h e n he first wakened a k i n d of p a l l usually settled about his lonesome crib, but the M a y sunlight soon helped h i m forget that he was " out i n the world alone." H e knew that his father would gladly send h i m money and stand by h i m no matter what happened. T h i s was great consolation, although E v a n d i d not admit 28

SWIPE

29

DAYS

to himself that it was. H e wanted to be an inde­ pendent man, as his forefathers had been; he was u n w i l l i n g to have his father support h i m any longer by store-labor. When he reflected that soon he would be able to keep himself and make little gifts to his mother and sister he took courage and forged through whatever difficulty happened to be i n the way. E v a n had seen college boys fritter away their time, miss examinations repeatedly and get into trouble that cost their fathers dearly. H e determined that he would keep clear of youthful mixups and t r y to save his money, to show his parents that he appreci­ ated what they had done for h i m , and to repay them, as well as he could, for what they had given h i m . Sometimes he thought he had made a mistake i n going into a bank, but he felt, at that, that i t was a brave and unselfish t h i n g to do, and he thought he saw wherein banking had many advantages over school life. H e could get an education behind the wicket and the iron r a i l i n g that w ould make h i m self-reliant. T h i s idea fixed itself firmly i n his mind. T

Homesickness still bothered h i m , of course. It made itself most strongly felt after meals, l i k e a species of gout. A youth, especially a bankclerk, usually enjoys a good appetite; there is considerable excitement about satisfying it. B u t when bodily hunger is appeased the m i n d has leisure to satisfy itself or to feel dissatisfied. E v a n could not throw off the gloom that settled on h i m i n the afternoons and evenings. H e saw and heard constantly that

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which reminded h i m of home and those he loved bestB u t he d i d not succumb to the torture. H e faced his trials and resolved to make good. W h i l e Nelson was battling against foes seen and unseen, P e r r y was engaged i n gladiatorial combat w i t h a savings ledger. I n the space of a week he had developed a singularly profane vocabulary. P r o b ­ ably the contiguity of Watson had something to do w i t h it. H e was under the special tutelage of Wat­ son, and the handling he received was anything but gentle. I t surely d i d require patience to i n s t i l l any­ thing into that head of Porter's. H i s instructor would stand over h i m and tell h i m i n a dozen words just exactly what entries to make i n a customer's passbook. Porter would stare into oblivion d u r i n g the lesson and when i t was done make a dab at his ink-pot, enter up a cheque as credit, cross it out and make i t a debit, then reverse the entry—all before Watson could interfere. The Bonehead was not slow; i n fact, he was too rapid—but his swiftness was a serious detriment since the direction taken was usually wrong. Porter acted on impulses, and they seemed destined forever to be senseless. A swift inspiration came to h i m , he made a slash w i t h his heavily inked pen, there was a blot, a figure with heavy lines drawn crookedly through it, an exclama­ tion of despair—and then the blank look. The vacant expression seemed to be behind a l l his woes, and an empty m i n d was undoubtedly behind that. " Y o u missed your calling, P o r t , " said B i l l Wat­ son on one occasion; " you should have been a sign

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painter. Those aren't figures you are making, you know." P e r r y looked hopelessly at his work and then into the ledger keeper's face. Watson indulged i n a spasm of m i r t h . " I can hardly wait t i l l balance day," he stam­ mered, w i t h difficulty controlling himself; " that nut of yours w i l l crack—and I don't think there'll be enough kernel to excite a squirrel." A w , cut it out and show me this," grumbled the savings-man. " Y e s , " interrupted the teller, i n his mandatory way, " don't be k i d d i n g h i m a l l the time, Watson." The ledger keeper looked at Castle through the wire of the cage. " O h , hello, C l a r i c e , " he said, " when d i d y o u get back?" The teller reddened, but made no reply. H e was not accustomed to impudence, for he was a near rela­ tive of Inspector Castle's. T h i s time, though, he could not find words to support his dignity, so he remained silent. E v a n heard h i m speaking to the manager about it, later. " I s i m p l y won't stand it, M r . R o b b , " he was say­ i n g ; " they've got to show respect." " W e l l , you know, A l f , " said the manager care­ lessly, " they're only boys. D o n ' t be too hard on them. . . . B y the way, how do you like N e l s o n ?" " O h , he's no worse than the general r u n , " replied if

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Castle i m p a t i e n t l y ; " I suppose he'll get there i n time." " Y e s / ' said Robb, reflectively, " like the rest of us. . . . Y o u know, I rather like the h o y ; he seems anxious to do his best." Castle made no reply, but left the manager's office suddenly, as though disgusted at not having found satisfaction there. The manager sighed, deeply enough for E v a n to hear, and murmured a u d i b l y : " M o l l y c o d d l e s , a l l of u s ! " W i t h that he slammed down his desk-top and reached for his hat w i t h one hand and a half-smoked cigar w i t h the other. W h e n the front door closed behind h i m Watson and P e r r y engaged i n a roughand-tumble. A heavy ruler rolled to the floor w i t h a bang, Porter's big boot struck a fixture, and v a r i ­ ous other accidents contributed to the hubbub. " My , cut it out!" shrieked the helpless teller, glowing w i t h wrath. Watson made a grab for h i m , but he rushed into his cage and locked the door. The combatants were puffing too hard to speak, or one of them at least would probably have vented some sarcasm. Evan eyed the proceedings approvingly; it was a relief to witness a little disorder where the orderly telleraccountant ruled. Porter, w i t h a l l his boneheadedness, was a match for any man i n the office, includ­ ing the manager, when i t came to the p r i m i t i v e way of " m a n a g i n g " affairs; E v a n was compelled to admire his physique and the tenacity w i t h which he clung to an opponent. A f t e r a l l " the porter " pos-

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aessed certain qualities not to be despised. Bnt Watson hit the point uppermost i n Nelson's m i n d . " P o r t / ' he said gasping, " i f you would wrestle with your job as gallantly as you do w i t h an antag­ onist you'd soon be chief inspector." P e r r y grinned. " Come on, B i l l , " he coaxed, " put me next to this dope." B i l l bent over h i m and l a i d down the law. Evan finished his m a i l . The teller brushed the office from him with a whisk, and, adjusting his tie and hat to a nicety, walked out into the streets to be admired by the female population of M t . A l b a n . A n hour later the " swipe " was diligently dusting the front office, his back to the door, when someone entered the bank. T h i n k i n g it was P o r t e r he d i d not look up, but went on w i t h his work. There was a sickening dusty smell i n the office: the aftermath of a broom. " H e l l o , there," s a i d B o b b ; " do you work a l l the time, Nelson ?" E v a n looked up w i t h an apologetic smile, and, hur­ riedly dusting the manager's chair, made as though to leave the sanctum. " D o n ' t r u n away, m y boy," said the manager; " I came i n on purpose to see you. S i t down." The j u n i o r obeyed. " H o w do you like banking by this time ?" P r e t t y well, sir, thank y o u , " said E v a n t i m i d l y . M r . Eobb looked at h i m disconcertingly d u r i n g a pause. 16

3 C.B.

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" Who advised you to j o i n a bank staff, N e l s o n ? " he asked, slowly. " It was ray own idea, M r . Robb. I felt as though I had gone to school long enough at my father's ex­ pense. H e earns his bread hard and I began to feel it was up to me to do something for myself." " O h , I see," said the manager, pensively. A g a i n he was silent. " D i d you say you wanted to see me about some­ t h i n g ? " ventured the new junior. " W e l l — I — I was just wondering, Nelson, i f you had taken up w i t h the bank just as a sort of notion, and i f you had I was going to discourage y o u . " " D o n ' t you think it's a good business, M r . Robb ?" " Sure—sure—it's a l l right. That is, for certain ones. Y o u ' l l probably be quitting it when y o u get older." E v a n d i d not reply immediately. H e was t r y i n g to figure out what the manager meant. " I hope I ' l l get along w e l l , " he said, finally. " I hope so, N e l s o n ; you deserve i t; I ' l l do a l l I can for you. B u t the bank is rather uncertain, you know. W e are a l l — w e l l , more or less servants. E v e n I get m y call-downs regularly. Y o u didn't know that, eh ? W e l l , y o u ' l l get wise to a whole lot of things as time goes on. However, I don't want to discourage you. D o your best wherever you are." M r . Robb puffed his cigar into life before con­ tinuing. " Don't take things too seriously, though. N o w M r . Castle, for instance—anything he says just

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swallow it with a few grains of salt. H e ' s got bank blue-blood i n his veins, you know. A n d this sweep­ ing and dusting—don't be so particular. Y o u should he out playing ball or tennis. I must get a woman to clean up from now on. The last manager here started this business, but I ' m going to stop it. I didn't say anything while P e r r y was on the job because it helped break h i m i n to the habit of disci­ pline--but you don't need a schoolmaster; i n fact, you need a sporting coach H e r e , do you smoke ?" E v a n declined the cigar w i t h thanks. " Y o u ' r e right," said Robb, " it's a poor habit. . . . . Was there nothing i n your home town that attracted you ?" he asked suddenly. " What do you mean—a business ?" "Yes." " N o , sir. There doesn't seem to be anything so good as the bank for a young fellow." " T h a t ' s right," smiled the manager; " t h e r e doesn't seem to be. The only thing some people i n this country can see is the bank." The j u n i o r looked surprised. Eobb smiled satiri­ cally. " A little of i t won't do you any harm though, Nelson. Stay with it for a while, since you have left school for good, and something else w i l l come along. . . . H o w do you l i k e your boarding-house?" " A l l right, s i r / ' W h e n the manager had gone Nelson sat submerged i n thought. H e came to the conclusion that M r .

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Robb bad " some kick coming " or he would not give the banking business such cheap mention. H e was swayed by the prejudice of his boyhood days when the bank boys of Hometon were the big dogs; and by the well-remembered expectations of his dear mother: " We're going to have a banker i n our f a m i l y ! " The same evening E v a n was perched on a stool stamping a pad of " forms " when Watson entered. " H e l l o , N e l s o n / ' casually. " There wasn't a phone call for me, was there ?" " N o , I didn't hear any, M r . Watson." B i l l turned his face and grinned. B y and by he focused his black eyes on the new " swipe." " H o w do you like banking by this time ?" he asked soberly. " I ' m beginning to l i k e i t better," said E v a n . A f t e r a pause: " Y o u know, they're apt to move a fellow any t i m e ; even you might be moved. Y o u ' v e got along a whole lot better than most juniors, and I wouldn't be sur " The ledger keeper broke off—the telephone was ringing. H e took down the receiver and began to talk loudly enough for E v a n to hear. " Y e s , long distance. Where? Toronto! A l l right. Hello! Y e s , this is the S Bank, M t A l b a n . Y e s , this is one of the clerks. W h o ? . . . " Watson put his hand over the mouthpiece and whispered excitedly to the staring j u n i o r : " It's the inspector!" T h e n he continued to speak: " Y e s , sir, we have two j u n i o r men here. Y e s , sir,

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one of them is here now. Three weeks. Y e s , he's pretty good. Y o n want to speak to h i m , sir ?" Watson turned to E v a n . " Inspector wants y o u , " he said i n a businesslike way. E v a n felt his knees weaken. H e stared at the ledger keeper despairingly, hut bucked up when Watson s a i d : " D o n ' t keep h i m waiting—remember he's the inspector." " H e l l o , " said Nelson, feebly. " Y e s , sir. I—I suppose so, sir, i f the b-bank wants me to. Report tbere at once?—all right, sir, I ' l l t r y — I mean I ' l l report—" H e hung up the receiver and m u r m u r e d : "Berne!" " W e l l , " said Watson, like one who had been wait­ ing i n suspense for the news, " does he want to move you ?" The ledger keeper laughed very hard and called it a good joke. " B u t i t w i l l mean more money for me, won't i t ?" asked E v a n , anxiously. " Sure, your salary w i l l probably be doubled. T h e y may put you on the cash there. It's an out-of-theway place, y o u know, and you're practically an ex­ perienced man by now." A few minutes later two of the boys from another M t . A l b a n bank came to the front door and were admitted by Watson. T h e y formed a semicircle around the latest man of the hour i n bank moves,

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and plied h i m w i t h questions. They appeared to enjoy the thought of his being moved to a remote quarter of the province. The thing finally struck E v a n himself as funny, and they a i l indulged i n a very satisfactory laugh. I t developed later, but not before E v a n had telegraphed the exciting news home to his mother, that only three out of the four had known what they were laughing at. Soon after a boy enters the bank lie begins to look for something exciting, i n the form of promotion, or a move. H e is given to understand that many inter­ esting and profitable changes await every bankelerk; he knows not the day nor the hour when he may lietransferred to far-off green fields, filled w i t h strange girls and other " things " to make life pleasant. It is this ever-growing expectancy which gives banking a fascination for young men, especially country boys. T h e y cannot see the day of weariness and monotony that is coming, the day of poverty and celibacy, because between that time and the present there is a golden glamor, a flame of l u r i n g light. T h i s flame is fanned by the w i n d y tongues of reckless clerks and feci w i t h the " oxygen " that escapes from head office envelopes. E v a n believed i t possible for his reputation to reach the ears of the inspector after three weekssendee, and, although he was surprised for the moment, he considered i t reasonable enough that one of the high-up officials should communicate w i t h h i m over the telephone. A l l night he counted cash i n a nightmare and saw himself signing letters to head

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office as " pro-accountant." E a r l y the following morning he packed his trunk and mentally hade his room good-bye. O n his way to the telegraph office, before eight o'clock, he was surprised to meet M r . Castle, the teller, I heard about it, Nelson," said Castle, stopping h i m on the street, " and came down to inform you. T h i s funny work has got to stop." The teller-accountant was partial to verbs of com­ mand. " What's that?" said E v a n , bewilderedly. T h e n Castle explained the frame-up, and, leaving the j u n i o r to console himself on his first b i g disap­ pointment, went up town to breakfast. " L o n g dis­ tance " had meant across the street i n a competitive bank. The feelings of h u m i l i a t i o n and chagrin experi­ enced by the poor " swipe " were exactly those that come to a l l bankboys i n the days of their i n i t i a t i o n . I t was the beginning of wisdom for E v a n : though the end was a long way off. J u s t as he had fallen from the position of pro-accountant to j u n i o r , and from $400 to $200, i n one minute, would he tumble off many another pinnacle, on his way to solid ground. I t was a week before the Berne sensation died out i n the " banking circles " of M t . A l b a n . I t expired one balance night, the end of the month of M a y . E v e r y t h i n g but work must be forgotten i n a bank when balance day comes. The manager was back at his desk by seven o'clock, the teller i n his cage a few minutes later, Watson u

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turned up about seven-thirty—the savings-man had taken no nourishment at all. W i t h a p a i r of red ears and a mouth f u l l of indelible he sat propped up to his savings ledger, the picture of idiocy. H i s lips moved unintelligibly as he slowly crawled up a long row of figures, smearing the sheet en route. A t regu­ lar intervals he stopped i n the middle of a column, muttered profane repetitions, and started at the bot­ tom again. Watson cast a t w i n k l i n g eye on poor Perry. " H a d n ' t you better graze, P o r t ?" N o reply. T h i s was a fight to the finish w i t h Porter. H i s opponent had h i m throttled, but still he was game. The current-account ledgerman laughed ecstatically to himself. Castle was annoyed. " D o n ' t laugh, Watson," he said, again using his favorite imperative, " y o u ' l l have to balance the sav­ ings yourself anyway." B i l l Watson squinted through the wire at his fel­ low-clerk. " T h e Rules and R e g u l a t i o n s ' put that up to the accountant," he said, still smiling. Castle ripped a blotted sheet out of his- " b l o t t e r , " but made no answer. E v a n had h u r r i e d through w i t h his m a i l and his supper, and was now intensely occupied i n adding the interest table. H e was shown an out-of-date table w i t h figures at the bottom of each page, and told that every month the j u n i o r had to add those stereotyped columns. L i k e a l l bank beginners, N e l ­ son d i d not use his brains. J u n i o r s are taught (1) c

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to obey, (2) to work, ( 3 ) to ask no foolish questions. N o matter how absurd a task appears, perforin i t without a kick. T h e happy-go-lucky boys take a chance and ask questions rather than do what seems to be unnecessary w o r k ; but E v a n was the conscien­ tious k i n d , the k i n d that obeys unquestioningly and never lets up u n t i l f u l l y convinced of error. There is a noble six hundred i n the bank, as well as the a r m y ; but i n the bank the number is greater than six hundred. P e r r y was working hard this balance-night, but not from a sense of duty—he wanted to show the management that he could balance that savings ledger. Porter was a b u l l d o g ; E v a n more like a sleigh-dog. The manager and the teller-accountant left the office about eleven o'clock. Watson was " o u t " a small amount i n the current ledgers, but had left them to take down a new set of balances for Porter. Y a w n i n g hopelessly, P e r r y leaned against the desk, wondering how on earth he had ever managed to be out $396,492.11 i n a ledger w i t h deposits of only $400,000. . . . . The town of M t . A l b a n was silent. The m a i n street was i n darkness, except for the gleam that came from the windows of three bank buildings. I t was past midnight, but out of twenty bankboys i n the town, fifteen were s t i l l working. I n one of the banks a young clerk slept, w i t h his head on his hands and his hands on an interest table. The ledger-keeper found h i m thus.

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" T o o dang b a d / ' lie said to P e r r y ; " I forgot all about h i m . . . . H e y , Nelson, it's m o r n i n g ! ' E v a n raised his head and opened his eyes. Watson smiled good-naturedly. " It's a shame to k i d y o u , " he said. " T h i s was another bum steer. B u t the practice i n adding won't hurt you, eh?" Nelson stumbled up the back stairs and fell asleep on his bed to the tune of an adding-machine, run by Porter. I n his dreams he stood at the foot pf a mighty column—of figures. I t reached to the clouds. A ghostly friend of Tack-in-the-Beanstalk's whispered to h i m that he must climb that column i f he would reach Success. E v a n began the ascent. 7

C H A P T E R III. A MAN

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Miraculous as it seemed to E v a n , tlie ledgers were finally made to balance. Porter lengthened his stride a foot and walked once more well back on his heels—• just as i f his bad work had not been responsible for a three days' dizzy m i x u p . A certain Saturday after­ noon came round. " I guess we can do without you t i l l M o n d a y noon," said the manager, over Nelson's shoulder, as the latter pondered over an unwritten money-order. I t was welcome news to E v a n . H e had come to feel, however, that his presence was indispensable to the well-being of the collection register and other books of record. I t appeared to h i m that i n one afternoon and a forenoon the hand of any other but himself must irrevocably " b a l l " the j u n i o r post. " Y o u mean you don't want me to drive back Sun­ day n i g h t ? " he asked M r . Robb, doubtingly. " That's what. Y o u ' d better take all the holidays you can get now, N e l s o n ; y o u ' l l be tied tighter than wax-end before you're i n the business long." E v a n seemed still perplexed. " W h o ' l l take out the drafts M o n d a y morning, M r . R o b b ? " he asked, seriously.

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The manager looked at h i m w i t h an expression half humor and half pity. " D o y o u suppose/' he said w i t h a grin, " that the merchants w i l l be very badly offended at not getting these bills at the earliest moment ?" E v a n smiled. Robb s t i l l stood beside h i m . "Evan! . . . » H e looked up, surprised to hear himself addressed so f a m i l i a r l y by the manager; but the latter was speaking: ". . . . Remember t h i s : extra holidays never save you labor. The work is always w a i t i n g for your return, p i l i n g up through every hour of your pleasure." M r . Robb sighed and walked into his office, leav­ ing the new j u n i o r to absorb another impression. The words spoken d i d impress Nelson. H e sat gazing before h i m at the wall, wondering w h y the manager was so friendly toward h i m and so cynical on matters of business. F r o m looking at nothingness his eyes gradually focused on a calendar, and at an " X " mark i n pencil thereon. The rrjark indicated the day when he would make a t r i p home to tell about " the world " : that day had come. W i t h a smile he l a i d aside the money-order he had been examining and began straightening up his desk, whistling as he d i d so. Castle, out i n his cash, was annoyed. " W i l l y o u k i n d l y stop that w h i s t l i n g / ' he com­ manded i n his h i g h tones.

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" Excuse m e / ' said the j u n i o r quickly, " I wasn't thinking." " W e i l you want to t h i n k / ' returned Castle. " N o y o u don't," called W a t s o n ; " y o u ' l l get h—I i f you dare to think. A s the h y m n says, T r u s t and obey'—but for heaven's sake don't think. N o w I think—" " Shut up, B i l l , " interposed P e r r y , " I've been up this column twice already." B i l l opened his eyes and leered clown on the sav­ ings man. " Look who's here," he said, facetiously. " W h y , it's the new ledger keeper; the great-grandson of B u r ­ roughs, and inventor of the new system of adding— the system which says: G o up a column three times and i f the totals agree there is something w r o n g ; mistrust t h e m ; get the other man to add i t . " P o r t e r scowled. Castle could scarcely repress a smile, but he dug his nose into a bunch of d i r t y money, and managed to t u r n his thoughts to microbes and other sober subjects. E v a n , his g r i p packed, stood apologetically behind the cage, w a i t i n g for the teller to t u r n around. " W h a t do you want ?" said Castle. " Cash this cheque, w i l l you, please ?" A smile wavered on Watson's l i p . P o r t e r felt i n his pockets. The teller grinned. " H a r d l y worth while keeping that i n an account," he said, with the intention of joking. I t was a wonder, too, for he seldom tried to be funny w i t h inferiors. c

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" I wouldn't have even that/' replied E v a n , " i f it weren't for the account." B i l l haw-hawed. " Y o u ' r e no humorist, Castle," he said. The teller was red and white i n an instant. The ledger keeper never had shown h i m any respect; he had called h i m Mister hut a few times, and that was just after B i l l had come from another branch. Castle was smaller than Watson and possessed an inferior personality. B i l l was b i g and humorous—and reck­ less. I t was the joy of his life to torment the teller; and yet he was not mean; he was not even obstreper­ ous; he got along splendidly w i t h the manager, and showed h i m respect. The teller's anger exhausted itself inwardly. E v a n still stood w i t h his grip i n his hand looking at the boys working behind their desks. H e felt that he ought to b i d them good-bye, but he d i d not like to do it individually, and it was almost as hard to say a general farewell. " Good-bye," he called f a i n t l y from the front door. Castle d i d not raise his head. P o r t e r and B i l l lifted theirs, but only to g r i n . T h e manager stepped out of his office and extended his hand w i t h a smile. " H a v e a good time," he said, and whispered: " M o n d a y night w i l l do, i f your mother kicks very hard." " Thank you, M r . Robb, I " " That's all right." O n the train E v a n rejoiced. H e thought of the sad day he had landed at the station of M t . A l b a n

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with lonesomeness and misgivings; of the t h r i l l s of discouragement and homesickness that had tortured h i m for the first two weeks; of the blank explana­ tions of " the porter," and ensuing jumbles of figures and b i l l s ; and of his first look at that bed above the vault. I t a l l seemed to have happened at a remote period i n his life—probably i n the pre-existent l a n d ; even balance day, but three days past, was remote. I t was not i n these seemingly ancient memories that E v a n had his rejoicing, but i n the realization that they were memories. A s the t r a i n carried h i m buoyantly toward Hometon he recounted the accom­ plishments he had acquired i n four or five weeks. H e could add twice as r a p i d l y as any high-school student i n the average collegiate; he knew the collec­ tion register and d i a r y ; he could enter up a savingsbank passbook better than P e r r y — w i t h a clearer hand and a much clearer comprehension; he could draw a draft, reckon dates of maturity without a calendar; and so on. B u t , what he prized most, he was familiar with a host of technical terms, used i n the banking business the world over. A n d after buy­ i n g his ticket and purchasing a hat-pin for his sister, L o u , he had two dollars of his own money i n his pocket. That would buy up most of the ice-cream i n Hometon, for one evening anyway. Such thoughts and reflections as these kept E v a n interested u n t i l the brakeman shouted " Hometon next!" T h e n a lofty and exulting happiness took the place of interest. H e looked on the approaching spires and humble cupolas of his home town w i t h an

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expression possibly s i m i l a r to that of an eagle i n flight over a settlement of earthy creatures. H e felt a sudden loyalty for M t . A l b a n , and suspected that it would be part of his professionalism to maintain the honor of his business-town i n Hometon. The bankclerk straightened his back and marched clown the aisle of the t r a i n . A l f r e d Castle and the interest table seemed a thousand miles away. T w o happy faces smiled at h i m from the station platform. F r a n k i e A r l i n g and Sister L o u ran up to h i m . " Gee, but isn't he a sport ?" said L o u , sweeping him i n from tip to toe, and addressing herself to her companion. " Yes, indeed," laughed F r a n k i e , taking his rain­ coat from his arm, and throwing i t over her own. L o u seized his suitcase. H e submitted to the hold-up w i t h a k i n d of dig­ n i t y ; looked about h i m w i t h the a i r of a tourist; and paid less attention to the questions of the girls than he might have done. " The old town's just the same," he soliloquized aloud. L o u was speaking to a passer-by and d i d not hear the remark. F r a n k i e had been paying better atten­ tion. She smiled and looked into his face coyly. " Does i t seem so very long since you left, E v a n ?" " W e l l — I don't know, F r a n k . " H e regarded her critically. L o u was attending now. " I expected to find y o u w i t h a moustache," she said. The remark fitted so well into F r a n k i e ' s thoughts

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i t amused her very much. B o t h girls laughed to each other without restraint. I n fact, they were not very sedate for the m a i n street of Hometon. M r s . Nelson had the house as clean and cheerful as mother and a summer's day can make a home. She sat on the front verandah w i t h the material for a pair of pyjamas on her white-aproned lap. L o n g before the three youngsters were w i t h i n h a i l i n g dis­ tance she waved the light flannelette above her head. Evan's kiss made the mother blush. There never had been much demonstration of affection i n the f a m i l y : there had been no excuse for it. B u t now matters were different. E v a n , too, was a trifle em­ barrassed. " W e l l , I like that," said L o u ; " he never kissed me, mother!" H e caught his sister and bestowed a gentle bite on her cheek; she squirmed and would not let h i m away without a conventional kiss. W h e n he had satisfied her, L o u glanced at the brother and then at F r a n k i e . " Someone else to be smacked," she said, stopping F r a n k i e ' s flight by w i n d i n g her arms around the twisting waist* E v a n was ready to t u r n the whole affair into a joke, and shouting " I ' m game," he caught F r a n k i e and pressed his lips to hers. A g a i n M r s . Nelson blushed. So d i d M i s s A r l i n g . " G e e ! " cried L o u ; " I just thought that's what the bank d i d for fellows." E v a n was thus acknowledged a regular bankclerk, 4 C,B.

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and the laugh he vented was well tinctured w i t h exultation. Then began a series of questions and answers, recitations and interruptions, commendations and exaggerations. E o r two hours the mother, the son and the two wide-eyed girls listened and looked, or asked and received. The expressions E v a n used puzzled them, but he shook his head deprecatingly when they asked for definitions which he knew would be unintelligible to them. H e had not been t a l k i n g w i t h them long before he discovered how to interest them—by saying mysterious things. F r o m the moment of his discovery he revelled i n the clerical technical phrases that he had picked up at the M t . A l b a n office, and the women justified the assertion of that circus man who s a i d : " H u m a n i t y likes to be humbugged." L o u , w i t h a new and sudden affection for house­ work, insisted on getting the supper. M r s . Nelson, of course, could not consent to it on this the night of her banker's r e t u r n ; nobody's hands but her own must lay the cloth and m i x the salad. B u t L o u was strangely insistent, and the upshot of the competi­ tion was co-operation. E v a n was left on the veran­ dah w i t h F r a n k i e . N o doubt there is a time for everything. That was the time for E v a n to tell how lonesome he had been. . . . A n d this is the time to make a brief sketch of M i s s A r l i n g . H e r face was sweet, then it was thoughtful; her eyes were blue-green, bright. She looked not unlike Love's incarnation. She bore

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a strong resemblance to a baby. I n short, she was— what her best friends called her—a dear. " Y o u don't know how I have missed you, F r a n k , " said E v a n , and when she gave h i m a scrutinizing look, he h u r r i e d l y added: " a fellow gets so lonesome, you know." " D o y o u like the bank, E v a n ?" she asked, fencing. " Y o u bet. A fellow gets such a good insight into —things." " Y o u were a dandy at school," she observed seri­ ously. H e eyed her suspiciously. H e was no longer a school-boy. H e repeated a remark he had heard i n the office: " I f a fellow goes to school a l l his life he misses the education of business. That's how i t is so many professional men f a l l down when i t comes to collect­ i n g accounts." F r a n k i e regarded h i m w i t h a smile i n w h i c h con­ siderable admiration shone. She was just a g i r l of seventeen. " I suppose it must be nice to make your own l i v ­ i n g , " she said, and, after t h i n k i n g a moment, " a w f u l l y nice!" " Y o u bet. I got tired of seeing D a d come home for meals a l l tuckered out, to find me playing ball on the lawn or reading literature on the verandah." H e cast his eyes toward M a i n Street. T h e village bell announced the evening meal, and a f a m i l i a r fig­ ure w alked toward the home of George Nelson, village merchant. r

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" There he comes, F r a n k i e / ' said E v a n , unconsci­ ously s i g h i n g ; " that step w i l l always remind me of summer evenings and studious noon hours." The bankclerk felt a sudden desire to work hard and repay his father for the consideration shown h i m at school. The village merchant would have been w i l l i n g to help his boy through any college i n the country, and the boy knew it. H e felt proud of his start i n business, of the paltry two dollars i n his pocket, as he watched his father approach. M r . Nelson waved his hat when he saw E v a n on the verandah; and when he came up,— " H e y , " he laughed, "it's a wonder you wouldn't call into a fellow's store and say good-day." E v a n shook hands heartily, smiling into the blue eyes that had more than once cowed h i m w i t h a glance, when he was performing some ridiculous feat of boyhood. " I understand," said the father, before E v a n could make an excuse; " it's up to M a . I ' m surprised she leaves you alone out here w ith a young l a d y . " Perceiving the effect of his remark on F r a n k i e , George Nelson laughed m e r r i l y and pinched the girl's cheek. Soon the glad f a m i l y was seated at a supper table, M r s . Nelson's table—that is description enough. F r a n k i e knew she was not an intruder. She was there as Lou's companion, not as Evan's sweetheart. She knew E v a n wanted her to be there, her mother knew it, his mother knew it, everybody knew it. The whole town knew it. T h i n g s might as well be done r

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i n the open, i n Hometon, for they would out any­ way. " H o w ' s business, D a d ?" asked E v a n , i n quite a business tone. " O h , just the same. We continue to buy butter for twenty-five cents and sell i t retail at twenty-three cents. Joe breaks about the same number of eggs a day, and J o h n is still good opposition. . . . W e l l — h o w do you like the b a n k ? " " F i n e , " said E v a n immediately; " the manager says he is going to push me along." " Isn't that just splendid," exclaimed the mother, joyously. " T h a t depends," said M r . Nelson, mischievously, " what is meant by being pushed along. I f i t means a move some hundreds of miles away " M r s . Nelson sighed after v a i n l y t r y i n g to smile. She was singularly quiet for a while. H e r husband was enjoying himself immensely. H e was an opti­ mist, his wife inclined to pessimism. George N e l ­ son believed i n making the best of things that had already happened and making nothing of things to come u n t i l they came. Caroline, his wife, lived a great many of her troubles i n advance. A t the same time, the father was as " s e n t i m e n t a l " as the mother i n the teeth of happenings. H e could suffer as much beneath a smile as she could behind tears. Encourag­ i n g the boy, however, was m a k i n g the best of matters, and M r . Nelson was going to do his part. " P e r h a p s it's just as well y o u d i d quit school,

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E v a n , " he said cheerfully; " they say the new prin­ cipal isn't up to much." A f t e r that the conversation alternated between school and the bank, and E v a n was enabled to gather valuable material for the institution of comparisons. H e launched out i n the direction of a bank and kicked back-water schoolward. L i e managed so well no one had the heart to duck h i m ; his friends had compassion on h i m i n his young enthusiasm. B u t i n spite of the consent silence is supposed to lend, E v a n felt, that he was scarcely convincing. A n atmosphere of good old days was thrown about h i m ; F r a n k i e seemed to be dropping suggestions continually that took h i m back to the classroom, where Literature and H i s t o r y charmed, or upon the ball field, wdiere A l i k e Malone swung his long leg and his barnyard boot. A little opposition would have given the bankclerk a keener interest i n the conversation; the reiteration of " yes " seemed to make 'him doubt his own argu­ ments. B u t E v a n was not to be disheartened by imagin­ ings. H e used more of his technical talk on the " D a d , " though w i t h less effect than he had observed on the women, and, as a sort of clincher, divulged a little of the bank's business. The father took an interest there. " D o you mean to say they've got deposits amount­ ing to that?" he said, postponing a bite. M r s . Nelson lighted up. E v a n was coming out. " Isn't it grand," she cried, " to think your bank is so strong, E v a n . Just think of all those deposits."

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" H u m p h ! " grunted the father, " and a fellow can't get a Joan to save his neck." H e stole a look at his son, but E v a n was not f a m i l i a r with loans, yet. H i s first business i n that direction was going to be done with Watson, a few days later. M r . Nelson's hint affecting the manage­ ment of a bank passed over E v a n ' s head, for E v a n was a clerk, not a banker. W h e n it came to actual banking the father knew much more than our banker did, but his knowledge was not comprehensible to the boy, much less to M r s . Nelson. The " D a d " could only eat his baked potato, look at his dish of strawberries—and trust to the future. Saturday evening w^as a small triumph for E v a n . H e walked up and down the village street w i t h F r a n k i e and L o u , ravaged the refreshment parlors, chatted at every crossing w i t h a bevy of old school­ mates, and spent an enjoyable and typically " v i l ­ l a g e " night. Sunday morning was bright, and the Nelson f a m i l y was gay. The word " bank " reverberated through­ out the kitchen, the dining-room and parlor, floated around the verandah, tinkled among the Chinese jingles clinking i n the breeze, and bounced l i k e a ball on the lawn. E v a n was happy a l l forenoon. A n d he talked a great deal at dinner. A f t e r dinner, though, O u r Banker's m i n d took a business turn. H e thought of what the manager had said to h i m about work p i l i n g up and waiting for the clerk. W h i l e he sat for a few moments alone on the

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verandah he mentally sorted over a bunch of bills, entered them up wrong, heard Castle's squawking voice, and eventually yawned over a heap of m a i l . H e found several envelopes returned from wrong banks and was (still mentally) expecting a memo from head office about them. H i s father came quietly out of the house and took a chair beside h i m , d r i v i n g away his routine r u m i ­ nations. " E v a n , " he said seriously, " I had a talk w i t h your old teacher not long ago and he said i t was a shame for you to quit school just when you d i d . H e said you should have got your matric. at least, so that i f ever y o u tired of the bank y o u cauld j u m p right into college. N o w , i f ever y o u feel like quitting, remember I ' l l be only too glad to send y o u back to school." Those words had an effect exactly the contrary to w hat was intended. E v a n felt the force of his father's generosity and unselfishness; he was strengthened i n his resolve to be independent; not only independent, but a help to his father. " N o , D a d , " he s a i d ; " I ' m very fond of bank work, and I know I ' l l succeed." B o t h encouragement and discouragement had the effect of spurring E v a n on. There was no hope for h i m : he must go i n and p l a y the game—or, rather, fight the fight—to a finish. T h e n he would know what others knew but could not tell h i m ; what S a m Robb knew and would have been happy to make every prospective bankclerk understand. r

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I n spite of himself and his surroundings E v a n felt the old homesickness creeping over h i m Sunday night. H e had decided to take the first train on M o n d a y back to w o r k ; he told himself that the hardest way was the best way, and he sought a short cut to success. A f t e r church F r a n k i e found it difficult to elicit cheer­ f u l words from h i m . The two strolled along a side street. Those dear old Ontario villages and towns wdiere the boys and girls walk on Sunday nights along tree-darkened ways, how long w i l l they listen to the repetitions of lovers? E v a n ' s and F r a n k i e ' s parents had said the same " foolish " things to each other that E v a n and F r a n k i e were now saying, and on the very same street. H i s t o r y repeats, but not w i t h the accuracy of Love. " Some day I ' l l come home a manager, F r a n k i e , " he was saying, " and then you and I w i l l get mar­ ried." " O h , I hope so," she answered. She went to bed that night w i t h a happy young heart, and E v a n retired feeling sure he loved and would some day m a r r y F r a n k i e A r l i n g .

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A S I C K E N I N G sensation took possession of E v a n as lie boarded the train M o n d a y forenoon for M t . A l b a n . H e found i t hard to banish from his thoughts the invitation his father had given h i m , to return to school and the pleasant experiences that made up a school education. The two young girls waved h i m good-bye from the platform of Hometon station, and i t afterwards be­ came known that a tear had stood for a second i n the bankclerk's eye. " Y o u needn't have come t i l l night," said the man­ ager, as E v a n walked solemnly into the office. The words made E v a n more homesick than ever. One characteristic of the disease known as homesick­ ness is a strong tendency toward a relapse. One may imagine himself cured, he goes out of his en­ vironment,—and comes back w i t h a new attack. Because of the p a i n occasioned by v i s i t i n g home E v a n decided he would stay away several months before m a k i n g another excursion among home-folk. I n this resolve he was unintentionally selfish; his mother and his other friends loved to see his face, i f 58

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it were but for an hour. B u t young men are always inconsiderate of their loved ones' affections. T h e y probably fear that i n humoring their parents and kin they w i l l humor themselves to the point of losing their grit. What E v a n considered self-preservation was, from the standpoint of the folk at home, some­ thing resembling neglect or indifference. W h e n his mother received a note from h i m saying he would not be home t i l l fall, she had a " good " cry. M r . Nelson smiled, while the women-folk were looking, and sighed later. " L e t h i m go i t , " he said, cheerily; " it takes these things to make a man, you know." M r s . Nelson was more resigned after that; she was most anxious to see her son " a m a n . " F r a n k i e was also notified of the r i g i d resolve. She felt chilly while reading the letter, and postponed an answer for two weeks. The letter she wrote was as follows: " Dear E v a n , — I don't see why you should make yourself any further away than you really are. It may not be very much pleasure for you to come back to this little burg, but i t is nice for us. " I wrote off m y L a t i n and German papers to-day; to-morrow it's F r e n c h and Literature, D o y o u re­ member how you used to help me guess the passages for memorization ? Y o u surely were a lucky guesser. " I f you are dead certain you don't want to come home for a l l those months, you w i l l at least write

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occasionally and tell us how y o u are getting along. Mother is calling me now, and I must close. I hope you won't be offended at this letter. " Sincerely, " FRANK."

W h e n E v a n received the note from " h i s " g i r l he was much excited. F e r r y had been moved, a new j u n i o r had come, and the old j u n i o r was promoted to savings bank. N o t only was he excited, he was confused. Besides having to actually wait on cus­ tomers he was obliged to break i n the new " swipe " ; and the latter, sad to tell, was about Porter's speed. The reply E v a n sent F r a n k i e was busy. I t was rushed off to convey the good news of promotion, and must necessarily have a business ring. I n spite of its brevity, however, it contained two or three new bank idioms. R e a l work began for Nelson. N o t to say that a juniorship is a sinecure: some swipes earn their salaries several times over. One w as once known to write the inspector as follows: " Dear S i r , — I could make more money sawing wood than I can b a n k i n g . " The following reply came back, through the mana­ ger, of course: " Tell M he could earn more money at the job he mentions, but that i t would not take h i m so long to learn wood-sawing as i t w i l l to learn banking." The inspector might have gone one step further and got to the truth of the matter. One requires no education to saw wood, and no intellect; but both edur

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cation and a certain degree of intelligence must appertain to h i m who would make successful appli­ cation to a bank; and education itself requires an expenditure of time and money. The ability a young man possesses has cost h i m something and has cost his father or widowed mother a great deal. W h a t right has the bank to use i t without paying what i t is worth? I t ought to be worth a bare l i v i n g , at least — l i k e wood-sawing. T i m e flew, for E v a n , on his new post. There is certain excitement about bank work, just as there is i n p l a y i n g checkers. I t is said of both occupations that they develop the faculties. C o u n t i n g the stars also strengthens certain brain-tissues. I n fact, there are many educational agencies i n the world and the u n i ­ verse : i t is no trouble to find one or a thousand— the difficulty comes i n selecting. H e who can choose, w i t h open eyes, the factors that shall enter i n t o his education, is going to be among the fittest. B u t few boys of seventeen know where to look; certainly E v a n Nelson d i d not. H e was naturally a specialist; that is, he was one to put his whole heart into anything. I f he had been left to the moulding influence of a university he would have fastened upon literature or science and created something for the w o r l d ; but, unfortunately, he was thrown headlong into a count­ ing-house, and, being an enthusiast, began to d i g among musty books w i t h an energy that was, i n great measure, wasted—except to the beneficiaries of the concern. The life he had led at home had given E v a n scope

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for his imagination. The l i f e he now led made no demand on his creative powers, with the result that his imagination turned away from great things and concentrated on little things—like pleasure. I t was the old story, the story that S a m Robb and others knew. W i t h Nelson it began later than usual, but came with a rush i n the following w a y : One night i n his room above the vault he sat read­ ing i n F r e n c h a story from D e Maupassant, a diction­ ary beside h i m . B i l l Watson walked into the room and sat down w i t h a grunt, and a cigarette. H e lounged back i n a chair, well-dressed and glossy-looking, and puffed white rings upward toward the ceiling. " W h y don't you go out a little, E v a n ? " he said, casually. The ledger keepers had become pretty well acquainted by now. E v a n ' s sincerity and energy were telling on the books, too. E v e n Castle had spoken nicely to h i m one day. " Out where ?" asked E v a n , looking away from the F r e n c h fiction. " T o parties. Where d i d y o u think I meant—out i n the back y a r d ?" " I don't know many people yet," replied the savings man. " Y o u never w i l l , either, unless you make a break. Say, k i d , there's a party on to-night. I can get you a pass. W i l l y o u come ?" " It's too late," parried E v a n . B i l l regarded h i m w i t h a look of pity. " D o n ' t ever make a break like that to a g i r l i n

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this t o w n / he said, smiling, " or she'll take you for a greeny. People don't go to dances at eight o'clock, you know—not i n M t . A l b a n . " Nelson felt embarrassed. Watson was t a l k i n g o n : " I t helps business, you know. Customers like to know the fellows who are looking after their money. T h e y like to think you take an interest i n them." E v a n closed his book quickly. " I ' m not afraid to go to the hanged party," he said suddenly. " That's talking, Nelsy. Get busy, then. Y o u ' v e got nothing to shave, so it shouldn't take you long to get ready." Before long the new savings man presented him­ self dressed for the dance. B i l l regarded h i m with concealed amusement. " Say, E v a n , " he said softly, " could you lend us a dollar ? I think there's something i n m y account, but I forgot to draw it this afternoon." E v a n knew there was nothing i n B i l l ' s account, but he could not refuse the trifling loan. H e won­ dered how Watson could spend eight dollars a week, when his board only cost h i m three dollars and a half. I n return for the loan B i l l d i d his best to make E v a n feel comfortable at the dance. N o w the sav­ ings man knew nothing about dancing, and he was equally ignorant of cards. H e found girls at the party anxious to teach h i m the former, and married ladies ready to give h i m " a hand." W i t h thought of Watson's recently delivered words fresh i n his 7

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m i n d , he began to learn new ways of m a k i n g h i m ­ self valuable to the bank. H e would ingratiate himself with the customers. Two members of the party were particularly agreeable " customers." E v a n discovered that there were some very interesting girls i n M t . A l b a n . One of the two belles p a i d Watson great attention and the other seemed p a r t i a l to E v a n himself; both treated h i m exceedingly well. " She's a bird, isn't she, Nelson ?" observed Wat­ son, when the two bankclerks were alone for a moment. " Y o u bet. That dark h a i r of hers is mighty becoming." Watson laughed. " I mean the other, y o u jackass. M i n e . " " O h , " said Nelson, absently. The following day J u l i a Watersea came into the bank and deposited some money w i t h the teller. E v a n felt his face fill up when he saw the red pass­ book—it meant she would have to face h i m before the transaction was finished. " H o w are y o u to-day ?" he asked, w o r k i n g hard on the book and t r y i n g to look professional. " V e r y well, thank you, M r . Nelson. B y the way, do you like picnics ?" B i l l kicked h i m from behind. " Yes—yes, indeed," said E v a n , quickly. " W e l l , we girls are getting one up for Saturday afternoon. C o u l d you and M r . Watson come ?" B i l l rushed up to the savings wicket.

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" C o u l d we ?" he cried, s m i l i n g at the dark-haired girl. " C a n we?" " A l l right," said J u l i a , w i t h color; " we're going to meet at our place." De Maupassant and the dictionary were doomed. B i l l warmed up to the j u n i o r ledgerman now that the latter was growing sociable. H e periodically forgot to put a cheque through d u r i n g bank hours, preferring to do his business through E v a n . M i s s Watersea's picnic happened, and i t was a good one. E v a n enjoyed himself so well he forgot to write F r a n k i e her weekly letter. H e would have had to mention J u l i a i n it, anyway, and perhaps it was as well to omit w r i t i n g altogether. The g i r l B i l l called his was something l i k e L o u Nelson. E v a n felt at home i n her company, but she d i d not attract h i m i n the same way J u l i a d i d . H a z e l M o r t o n had more fire i n her than either L o u or Julia—that, E v a n said to himself, was how i t was she held B i l l Watson. B i l l was not at a l l easy to hold. I n the day when E v a n Nelson was a savings ledgerman, bankclerks i n Eastern towns were nick­ named " village idols." The title was quite appro­ priate, too. E v e n yet bankboys are looked for and looked after i n those towns. I t is quite n a t u r a l that they should be, for they are a good class of fellows. The worst that can be said about them, as a rule, concerns their prospects; and i t is to the credit of young women that they do not take a man's means into account when they want to fancy h i m . 5

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A f t e r the picnic B i l l and E v a n were alone above the vault. The current-account man was moody. " K i d / ' he said, impulsively, " it's to be poor, isn't it ? W h y don't y o u k i c k once i n a while ? The only decent kicker we have around this dump is Robb.* H e ' s a l l right." E v a n smiled pensively. « i t / ' continued Watson, " I don't see why a fellow can't earn enough to—to—" " Get married on ?" suggested E v a n , who was, at the same moment t h i n k i n g of an ideal composed of F r a n k i e A r l i n g and J u l i a Watersea. " S u r e ! W h y not?" " W o u l d you really like to get married, B i l l ?" " Y e s , I would." ' " So would I . " Watson was forced to laugh. H e was twenty— that was bad enough. B u t Nelson was not yet eighteen. B i l l continued to gaze at the serious face of his companion u n t i l his own countenance changed. Instead of speaking or sighing he lighted a cigarette. " W i l l y o u have one, N e l s y ?" E v a n shook his head. " D o you think J u l i a would object?" " W h a t ' s she got to do w i t h m e ? " challenged Nelson. " W h y , she's your g i r l , man. Sailors have sweet­ hearts i n every port, you know, and bankers i n every town." E v a n tried to connect sailors and sweethearts with cigarettes, but just at that time was unable to estab-

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lish anything hut a far-fetched relationship. L a t e r i n life, on the Bowery, he thought he saw the con­ nection. I n the midst of parties and picnics balance day loomed up. Castle's frame of m i n d , like a special make of barometer, registered the event a day or so i n advance. " H a v e you got your ledger proved u p ? " he asked Evan. " P r e t t y well, I t h i n k . " Under . B i l l ' s tutelage, E v a n had dropped the " sir " when speaking to Castle. " Remember, the interest has to computed this month. Watson, it w i l l be up to you to check i t . " " I ' m not the accountant," said B i l l , chewing gum w i t h a smacking noise. " I ' l l help h i m make i t up, though." M r . Robb came to the cage door for some change, and the teller referred the matter to h i m . " O h , do your best w i t h it, boys," he said. " I ' m strong for co-operation. There isn't enough of it among the staff." Castle turned away w i t h a sneer. " I've got the l i a b i l i t y , " he said, sulkingly. " I ' l l take charge of that this time," returned R o b b ; " g i v e the boys a hand at the savings, A l f . A n d say, Watson, get the cash book written up early so that I can post the general, w i l l you ?" " A l l right, s i r , " said B i l l , cheerily. E v a n experienced a t h r i l l as these orders were passed around. H e felt that he was part of a great

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system. The names of ledgers and balance-hooks sounded pleasant to h i m , for he was daily learning considerable about them. T h e i r puzzles were solv­ ing and their mysteries dissolving before his con­ stant gaze. H e felt like an engineer lately on the job, or a new chauffeur, only more mighty. H i s sense of greatness waned, though, toward mid­ night on balance day. The savings ledger was out an ugly amount. B i l l wa3 also i n straits. " It's a wonder to me," he growled, as the two plodded along alone i n the semi-darkness, " that bankclerks don't go nutty." E v a n was scaling a column and d i d not answer. Watson continued, keeping time w i t h the adding machine. " W o r k , work, w o r k ; doggone them, it's a wonder they wouldn't ask for a few more particulars on this ledger-sheet. W h y , i n heaven's name, do they want the names of customers down at head office? They don't know these ginks here, and never w i l l . I f they don't believe our totals, w h y don't they come and look over the books ? O h , !" " H u r r a h ! " shouted Nelson, cavorting around his desk. B i l l knew the savings m a n must have struck a balance, but he was too sorely irritated to show enthusiasm. " W h y don't you pat me on the back, B i l l ? " " Shut up. Anybody could balance that passbook of a ledger." E v a n cooled clown and remained quiet a while.

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B i l l , t h i n k i n g he had offended his companion, soon looked across w i t h an apologetic smile. N e l s o n was staring w i l d l y at his totals. " W h a t ' s the matter?" asked Watson, well acquainted with vacant looks i n bankclerk faces on balance night. " I — I thought I was balanced. I t seems to be one cent out." The reaction struck B i l l as funny, because i t duplicated experiences he had had and seen, but he made an effort to suppress his m i r t h . H e laughed silently upon his own unbalanced return-sheet u n t i l his nervous system was satisfied, then he spoke. " Evan." " What do you want ?" sourly. " D i d you ever hear the story about the m a i d who counted her chickens before they were ?" E v a n scowled and raced up and down his columns i n search of the stray cent. H e d i d not find it. B i l l took pity, seeing that he would not have to go past the units column, and proved E v a n ' s totals. B u t the cent s t i l l h i d . " I ' l l bet it's i n the c a l l i n g , " he said, g r i n n i n g . " D o you know what that means ?" "No." " I t means you w i l l have to tick off a whole month's work. A n d remember, we've got the inter­ est to make up, too. N o parties this week, kiddo. N o more J u l i a s for yours. She'll have another fancier by the time you're unearthed from this junkheap."

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Nelson wondered how Watson could make light of so gloomy a matter. H e took his own work very seriously, as most bankboys have to. B i l l often worried, but not about his work. W h e n he changed pillows it was a question of finance. " Cheer up, N e l s y , " he said, carelessly, " tilings always turn up. Remember the old motto: It took N o a h six hundred years to learn how to b u i l d an a r k ; don't lose your g r i t ' I ' l l fish you out i f you get too far under water." E v a n was not fond of the idea of being fished out. H e wanted to swim unaided. B u t he failed. A l l next clay he worried over his " difference," giving a start whenever one cent detached itself from an amount. I n the evening B i l l called off the ledger to h i m . W h e n they were nearing the end he called an amount one cent wrong. " W h a t ' s that, what's that?" E v a n repeated, excitedly. B i l l called it again, but r i g h t l y . H e chuckled quietly for a little space, greatly to Nelson's aggra­ vation. I t was midnight the first of the month. The sav­ ings man struggled alone w i t h his balance; the desks swam around the office and figures danced like devils before h i m . " D — ! " he muttered. c

That was one of his first legitimate swear-words at M t . A l b a n — b u t others would come. The record­ ing angel up above might as w e l l open an account

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first as last, for one more human being had entered a bank. The front door jarred and some of the bankboys entered. B i l l was not quite sober, and one of his companions had, what he himself insisted was, " about half a b u n . " " Don't work a l l night, N e l s y , " said Watson, " th-there's another d-day coming." " Sure, lots 'em," said the half-intoxicated one. A teller from one of the other M t . A l b a n banks extended a box of cigarettes toward Nelson. " N o thanks!" " B y heck, it helps a fellow a whole lot when he's t i r e d , " said the teller; " come on—just one." E v e n felt fagged from hours of bootless labor. H e hesitated, almost stupidly, and the bankclerk pushed the box r a p i d l y into his hand. H e figured i t would be childish to refuse after that—and accepted his first cigarette. I t d i d help h i m , for the moment. A f t e r a few puffs he began to be amused at B i l l ' s words and actions. " C l o s e up shop," said B i l l , recklessly; " t o w i t h honest endeavor." " H o w much are y o u out ?" asked the alien teller. " One d i r t y little copper," said B i l l , answering for his desk-mate. " Let's have a look," said the teller. " T h i s is against the rules, I k n o w — " " A w , bury the rules," cried Watson. W h i l e the teller looked E v a n ' s difference loomed

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up as big as a mountain. The tired savings clerk had stumbled over it many times. " B y J o v e ! " he shouted, " g i v e ivs another cigar­ ette!" A moment later he was sorry he had asked for it, but he was obliged to smoke it. I t brought h i m such pleasant sensations he decided i t would be a good medicine to take i n crises of h a r d work. Immediately after Nelson's difference w as found, the boys planned a dance. T h e y had been treated well by the girls of M t . A l b a n , and it was up to them to reciprocate. " Don't y o u think so ?" asked the semi-drunk. " Sure," said E v a n , choking on an inhale. " W h o ' l l start the f u n d ? " asked B i l l . " I w i l l , " responded Nelson, producing a fivedollar b i l l — a l l he had. " That's the k i n d of a sport," said the foreign teller. " G e e ! I haven't seen a real five outside m y cage for a month." " I wish I was on the cash l i k e you, J a c k , " grinned Watson. " W h a t would y o u d o ? " " W h y , borrow a little occasionally. Y o u didn't get me wrong, I hope?" " N o chance, B i l l ; we know you're honest." The dance given by the bankboys of M t . A l b a n was a success—in a l l but a financial way. The thing did not pay for itself, and there was an extra draft on each banker for two dollars. E v e n wrote home for a loan of five dollars. H e also hinted that he r

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needed a new suit, that he felt shabby at parties beside the private banker's son and the haber­ dasher's nephew. A cheque came signed " George N e l s o n " ; i t was twenty-five dollars high. Evan sighed. T h e n he slowly folded the cheque into his wallet. H e ordered a suit from one of the town tailors and p a i d ten dollars down. B i l l Watson usually wrote the cash book and the cash items. H e saw the cheque from Hometon and made mental note of it. A day or two later he asked E v a n for a loan to pay the bank guarantee premium, and got five dollars. When his suit was finished Nelson was a few dol­ lars short. H e went on the tailor's books. The same night J u l i a Watersea called h i m up and asked h i m down. H e felt obliged to take some candy along. " H o w much should I spend for a box of choco­ lates, B i l l ? " he asked. " N o t h i n g less than a buck, H d , " replied B i l l , almost rendering his speech ambiguous. E v a n ' s salary was s t i l l two hundred a year— dollars, not pounds. The box of candy he bought consumed almost two days' earnings.

CHAPTER V. MOVED. " W H I L E E v a n and J u l i a ate their candy and put their digestive organs out of tune, F r a n k i e A r l i n g sat reading stray poems from her F r e n c h reader. She repeated to herself, i n the little nook she called her study, a verse of D e Musset's: " J'ai perdu m a force et m a vie, E t mes amis et m a gaiete; J'ai perdu jusqu'a l a fierte Qui faisait croire a mon genie."

That was about how she felt. She had cried con­ siderably when O u r B a n k e r first went away. N o w she d i d not y i e l d to the temptation of tears, but she was miserably lonesome and sad—the more so since his letters grew less and less frequent and less intimate. F r a n k i e was a g i r l of seventeen and as romantic as those young creatures are made. She had always been E v a n ' s " school g i r l , " and he had always been her juvenile hero. Perhaps theirs was the com­ monest form of love-affair, but the character of the affection could never rightly be called " common." Incompatibility makes affection commonplace and

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mean, but F r a n k i e and E v a n were suited to each other. They both knew they were, and that knowledge made them feel sure of the ideals they cherished. Because she clung to her ideals so tenaciously F r a n k i e was often very wretched; she was so on the night of E v a n ' s visit to the Waterseas w i t h the box of candy. N o t that she knew about it—but she began to doubt the impossibility of such happenings. H i s letters had gradually fed a suspicion i n her mind. A n idea occurred to F r a n k i e . She would call up M r . D u n l a p , the Hometon teller, and invite h i m up to spend the evening; then she would question h i m concerning the fickleness of bankclerks. D u n l a p answered her telephone call w i t h the words: " W e l l , M i s s A r l i n g , I ' m w o r k i n g to-night—• but I ' l l gladly postpone work for you." H e accepted the invitation w i t h alacrity and seemed quite pleased w i t h the verandah welcome he received. Mrs. A r l i n g was out, and he could not occupy the parlor alone w i t h the daughter; but s t i l l he had reason to be thankful. " H o w is E v a n getting along ?" was one of the first questions the bankclerk asked. " V e r y well, I t h i n k , " answered F r a n k i e ; then, settling immediately to business: " T e l l me, M r . D u n l a p , is bank work very exciting?" " O h , I don't know. There are some things about i t that keep up your spirits. N o t so much the bank work itself as the associations."

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" W h a t do y o u mean by associations ' ?" " W e l l — w h e n a fellow gets moved, for instance, he meets n e w — " " G i r l s ?" suggested F r a n k i e , s m i l i n g faintly. " Yes—like you." M i s s A r l i n g d i d not recognize the attempt at gallantry. " I suppose you have been moved pretty often, haven't you, M r . D u n l a p ?" " S i x times i n four years." " H a v e y o u a g i r l i n every place where y o u lived?" " N o t exactly," he laughed. " O f course, I write an odd letter to somebody i n every one of those towns." The school-girl had found out what she wanted to know. I f D u n l a p had come to visit her w i t h any idea that she had forgotten her school-" fellow," Nelson, he could not have cherished the illusion long, for she seemed to lose interest i n everything, all very suddenly, and when he suggested that he probably ought to go back and balance the ledgerkeeper's books she encouraged h i m i n so generous an undertaking. A man w i t h s i x girls knows when he is wantedF r a n k i e went i n to her piano and played " Sleep and Forget." That was a strange selection for a young school-girl to choose; but young girls are born dramatists. Darkness had fallen and the stars were beginning to peep. She was on the verandah again, looking at the evening sky, wondering w h y people 1

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left home and loved ones for the other things, wealth, fame, pleasure, change. The night had sadness i n its countenance—which i t reflected to the girl's. She was quite like a summer's evening. She should have been, perhaps, more like a summer morning. W h i l e the Hometon g i r l stood on her father's verandah, gazing and philosophizing, E v a n stood on the Watersea verandah at M t . A l b a n , gazing also, but not reflecting. H e was looking into the eyes of J u l i a , rather steadily for a l a d of less than eighteen, and talking. " M i g h t y good of y o u to take i n a stranger l i k e me," he w as saying. r

" M y dear b o y " ( J u l i a wa3 past nineteen), " w e just love to have your company. Come any time y o u can." H e had a sudden impulse to take her hand, but she seemed to detect it, and subdued h i m w i t h a powerful smile. '"Miss Wat—" " C a l l me J u l i a , ' won't y o u ? " " A l l right, I w i l l . " ( B u t he didn't.) " I think you are a good sport." «• O h , M r . — " " C a l l me E v a n , ' w i l l y o u ? " " W h a t a nice name," she s m i l e d ; " it's odd. A l l right, E v a n , but you mustn't call me a sport/ " H e had thought i t was going to be considerable of a compliment. T o u know what I mean, M i s s — J u l i a ! " 1

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" O h , don't call me ' M i s s J u l i a , ' " she laughed; " that sounds like a maiden aunt." H e colored; his breaks were coming too thickly. They wandered down the lawn-walk to the gate, and there Nelson bade her good-night by shaking hands. H e knew she would be i n the bank next day, but handshakes are always i n order after nine o'clock p.m. A s he walked along M t . Alban's quietest and prettiest street toward the bank a peculiar sense of loneliness and guilt possessed h i m . H e suggested to himself that he only regarded J u l i a as a friend, and that knowing people like the Waterseas was neces­ sary to his success as a banker. O f course he intended to pay his way along; he would always give J u l i a candy and take her out, i n return for her k i n d ­ ness to h i m . The thought that he might be involv­ ing her i n one of those attachments more easily made than broken d i d not enter E v a n ' s head. H e was too inexperienced to w o r r y over such matters. Others were too experienced. Telepathic waves reached h i m from Hometon. H e saw F r a n k i e ' s face clearly outlined inside the L i t t l e D i p p e r . H e remembered his words to her, words containing a promise. Y e s , indeed, he would be true— B u t still he felt the warmth of J u l i a ' s hand. W h y had he taken i t i n his, and w h y had he felt buoyant when she blushed? H e was vaguely conscious of a conflict i n his heart. Y e t be swore to himself that evervthinff would be

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all right. Y o u n g men are usually quite sure that nothing unpleasant can come of anything. B i l l Watson was sitting i n the manager's office when E v a n entered. H e greeted the savings man with a puff of smoke followed by no words. " Something new for you to be i n so early, B i l l , " said E v a n . B i l l opened his mouth i n the shape of a cave, and kept the white smoke revolving w i t h i n i t — l i k e some sort of mysterious and legendary white fleece. " H o w d i d she like the chocolates?" he said sud­ denly. " T h e y seemed to go a l l right." B i l l puffed a wdiile. " Shame to blow good coin like that," he said, musingly. "Why?" " W e l l , when a fellow thinks of the blots he makes earning a bean he should be gentle w i t h i t . " Nelson laughed derisively. " Y o u ' r e not getting economical, are you, B i l l ?" " N o , but I ' m sore on myself to-night. About once a month I take a night off to repent." E v a n pinched his pal's knee-cap. " A fellow can't be a pike]*, B i l l , " he said, w i t h the air of a profligate young millionaire escapading in the columns of the press. " Y o u can't go to parties and things without spending money." Watson looked at his desk-mate. " E v a n , " he said, thoughtfully, " i n about two years more y o u ' l l be just where I am."

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" W h e r e ' s that?" " I n debt, and a spendthrift—if y o u can call me a spendthrift for getting away w i t h $400 a year." Nelson sighed. I t was unusual for Watson to turn monitor. W h a t he said was a l l the more effec­ tive on that account. The Hometon boy thought of his tailor's account. H e would have to be w r i t i n g home for more money before long—unless he could borrow it. The very caution B i l l had sounded suggested to Nelson a way out. H e would borrow from a stranger. H e could pay his father back the cheque, and also he could settle the tailor's b i l l . Just how he would settle the real debt itself was not for present consideration. I t never is. I t is the humanest thing i n the world to borrow money. E v a n turned the light on his desk and wrote a letter to his father. I t thanked the merchant for his loan, i n rather a businesslike manner, and assured h i m he would get the money back. T h i s was the letter of an ostensibly self-made son to his merchant father, reversing the title of a well-known story. Another letter E v a n wrote—to F r a n k i e A r l i n g . T h i s one was as follows: " D e a r F r a n k , — I t is quite a while since I wrote you. I hope you have not been accusing me of negligence. I am pretty busy, you know. " The people up here are mighty k i n d to us bankfellows. There is one f a m i l y i n particular that uses us white. M i s s Watersea—that is the daughter—

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told me last night I was to come up as often as I could. They have a magnificent home. I wish I were m a k i n g more money so that I could take J u l i a (that's her name) out more. " H o w are you getting along at school ? It's sur­ p r i s i n g how soon a person forgets those lessons you are now learning. B i l l is calling m e — I must close for this time. Y o u r s , as before,