Banks and banking -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; New England -- Fiction; Singers -- Fiction
Not so many had demanded their money as would seem from this written
account, but the withdrawal and transfer had all taken time, and three
hours had elapsed between the opening of the doors and the closing of
them upon the last claimant for forty dollars. Quiet was restored. The
run was over, and Judge White was listening with wonder to the cashier’s
account of the manner in which the bank had been saved.
“The Grey girl did it! Where is she?” he asked, and the cashier motioned
him toward the outer room, where Louie lay fainting in Fred Lansing’s
arms.
The day was hot and sultry, and, overcome by the heat and the
excitement, she had felt her strength giving way for some little time
before. Herbert said to her, “Don’t bring any more. The people are going
home.”
Then everything began to turn dark; the floor came up to meet her, and
with a cry she fell forward, while Fred Lansing, who had seen how white
she was growing, sprang forward and caught her.
When she came to herself her head was lying on his shoulder. His arm was
round her, and her hair and shirtwaist were as wet as if she had been in
a bathtub. Her father and Wilson, his cashier, the judge and his
cashier, with Herbert were fanning her and calling her by name. They
could think of nothing else to do except to drench her with water, which
they did effectually, while Fred, with his handkerchief, tried to wipe
some of it from her face and hair.
With a long gasp she came back to consciousness, but did not try to lift
up her head. It seemed to her she could never lift it again, she was so
tired and exhausted. Raising her eyes she saw who was holding her so
carefully, and for a moment a hot flush stained her face, then faded and
left it as pale as before. She did not at first realize that quiet was
restored, and said:
“I must have fainted. I am so sorry, but there are piles of money yet.
Mr. Sheldon’s three thousand, and Nancy Sharp’s twenty dollars ready to
circulate again, if they must have silver.”
Then Fred laughed and said, “We are through with Nancy Sharp’s twenty
dollars, though I confess I’d like to see them once more. The run is
over and you are the heroine of the day. You saved the bank!”
“Yes, by George, you did,” the judge exclaimed in a shaky voice. “You
are a plucky girl and I shan’t forget it. No, sir; I shan’t forget it.
Not but we could have pulled through, but you were plucky just the same.
And now, as soon as things are straightened and everything made right
with ‘tother bank—the accounts, I mean—and the money returned which we
didn’t use, we ought to go home. Susan has telephoned two or three
times. Lunch is early to-day, because of the party.”
“Yes, it is time Louie was home,” Mr. Grey said, asking if she felt
equal to mounting her wheel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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