When the bank directors were through with their daily work of be ing told that everything was all right, the president of the institution set up the cigars and then spun this yarn; “1 began as an errand boy and learned the banking business from stem to gudgeon. I had neither money nor influence on my side, but I knuckl ed down tight and won my way. I’ve seen runs on the bank and saw a Denver cashier lay out two robbers that tried to draw money with their guns; but the worst scare was after 1 had risen to the dignity of paying teller. Our president had a very per verted sense of humor and behind his solemn face he was often chuckling in some of the Irdden recesses of bis ana tomy. One afternoon he called me into his private ottice, locked the door, had me take a seat and kept me on the rack for five minutes by not saying a word. “At length he wanted to know, in a stage whisper, whether I knew that a large sum of money had be.-n taken from the bank. I was thunder struck and must have looked guilty, but managed to enter a disclaimer. “Strange,”, he said, “very strange. It's your business to know.” Then he ask ed me if I drank, gambled, gave thea tre parties or paid attention to more than one girl at a time. I was getting pretty warm when I heard a smother ed rumble that became louder and louder. It was the old man’s laugh working its way to the surface. Then he 'took me by the hand, patted me on the head as he did when I was a messenger, and told me that I was to be the cashier, at a handsome Increase of salary. Judders, who then held the position, was going to retire at his own request. That "big money” had taken by a heavy depositor to pay for a silver mine.”

Thirteen a lucky Nnmher. It is worth while recording that the crew of the From consisted of thirteen men. At the last, moment Nansen ad ded Bentzen to the original crew of twelve: “It was 8.30 when he came on hoard to speak to me. 