the crowd that drifted toward the courthouse at two o'clock, drawn by
the announcement that Alec Waterman was to discuss many local issues,
which the failure of the furniture company had rendered acute. The
circuit court-room was packed with farmers, mechanics, and the usual
idlers when Waterman without introduction began to speak.

At that moment Amzi Montgomery, in his seersucker coat and with his old
straw hat tilted to one side, stood at the door of his bank and observed
half a dozen men on the steps of the First National. Amzi, a careful
student of his fellow-townsmen, was aware that men and women were
passing into the rival bank in larger numbers than usual, even for a
Saturday, and that the mellifluous oratory of Alec Waterman had not
drawn from the First National corner a score of idlers who evidently
felt that the center of interest lay there rather than at the
court-house. Amzi planted himself in his favorite chair in the bank
window and watched the crowd increase.

By half-past two the town marshal had taken official notice that
citizens were gathering about the bank doors, and overflowing from the
sidewalk halfway across Main Street, to the interruption of traffic.
Women and girls, with bank-books in their hands or nervously fingering
checks, conferred in low tones about the security of their deposits. The
Citizens' National and the State Trust Company were also receiving
attention from their depositors. As three o'clock approached, the
Montgomery Bank filled, and the receiving-teller began to assist the
paying-teller in cashing checks. Amzi lounged along the lines outside,
talking to his customers.

"Going to buy automobiles with your money, boys? Thunder! You in town,
Jake?"

He greeted them all affably, ignoring their anxiety.

"Boys, I'll have to get a new shop if business keeps on like this."

A depositor who had drawn his money and was anxiously hiding it in his
pocket, dropped a silver dollar that rolled away between the waiting
lines.

"Never mind, gentlemen, we sweep out every night," said Amzi. "Now,
let's all understand each other," he continued, tilting his hat over his
left ear, and flourishing his cigar. "It's all right for you folks to
come and get your money. The regular closing time of banks in this town
is 3 P.M., Saturdays included. We've got a right to close in
fifteen minutes. But just to show there's no hard feeling, I'm going to
change the closing hour to-day from 3 P.M. to 3 A