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Page 7
The first hesitation due to the newness of the game had worn off by
this time. Nothing at all of an alarming nature had happened. The
new month had already begun and as most firms have their accounts
balanced only once a month, he had, he reasoned, nearly the entire
four weeks in which to operate.
Conscience was dulled in Constance, also, and she was now busy with
ink eraser, the water colors, and other paraphernalia in a wholesale
raising of checks, mostly for amounts smaller than that in the first
attempt.
"We are taking big chances, anyway," she urged him. "Why quit yet? A
few days more and we may land something worth while."
The next day he excused himself from the office for a while and
presented himself at his new bank with a sheaf of new checks which
she had raised, all certified, and totaling some thousands more.
His own check for twenty-five thousand was now honored. The relief
which he felt was tremendous after the weeks of grueling anxiety. At
once he hurried to a broker's and placed an order for the stocks he
had used on which to borrow. He could now replace everything in the
safe, straighten out the books, could make everything look right to
the systematizer, could blame any apparent irregularity on his old
system. Even ignorance was better than dishonesty.
Constance, meanwhile, had installed herself in the little office
they had hired, as stenographer and secretary. Once having embarked
on the hazardous enterprise she showed no disposition to give it up
yet An office boy was hired and introduced at the bank.
The mythical realty company prospered, at least if prosperity is
measured merely by the bank book. In less than a week the skilful
pen and brush of Constance had secured them a balance, after
straightening out Carlton's debts, that came well up to a hundred
thousand dollars, mostly in small checks, some with genuine
signatures and amounts altered, others complete forgeries.
As they went deeper and deeper, Constance began to feel the truth of
their situation. It was she who was really at the helm in this
enterprise. It had been her idea; the execution of it had been
mainly her work; Carlton had furnished merely the business knowledge
that she did not possess. The more she thought of it during the
hours in the little office while he was at work downtown, the more
uneasy did she become.
What if he should betray himself in some way? She was sure of
herself. But she was almost afraid to let him go out of her sight.
She felt a sinking sensation every time he mentioned any of the
happenings in the banking house. Could he be trusted alone not to
betray himself when the first hint of discovery of something wrong
came?
It was now near the middle of the month. It would not pay to wait
until the end. Some one of the many firms whose checks they had
forged might have its book balanced at any time now. From day to day
small amounts in cash had already been withdrawn until they were
twenty thousand dollars to the good. They planned to draw out thirty
thousand now at one time. That would give them fifty thousand,
roughly half of their forgeries.
The check was written and the office boy was started to the bank
with it. Carlton followed him at a distance, as he had on other
occasions, ready to note the first sign of trouble as the boy waited
at the teller's window. At last the boy was at the head of the line.
He had passed the check in and his satchel was lying open, with
voracious maw, on the ledge below the wicket for the greedy feeding
of stacks of bills. Why did the teller not raise the wicket and
shove out the money in a coveted pile? Carlton seemed to feel that
something was wrong. The line lengthened and those at the end of the
queue began to grow restive at the delay. One of the bank's officers
walked down and spoke to the boy.
Carlton waited no longer. The game was up. He rushed from his coign
of observation, out of the bank building, and dashed into a
telephone booth.
"Quick, Constance," he shouted over the wire, "leave everything.
They are holding up our check. They have discovered something. Take
a cab and drive slowly around the square. You will find me waiting
for you at the north end."
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