to impress you with the security of the bank. You ought
to know the truth, however, and I will tell you in confidence that
another check like Austin's, which we paid a few minutes ago, would
cause us serious, though temporary, embarrassment."

"I came to assure you that I have not thought of withdrawing my
deposits from this bank, Colonel. You need have no uneasiness--"

The door opened suddenly and one of the officials of the bank bolted
inside, his face as white as death. He started to speak before he saw
Brewster, and then closed his lips despairingly.

"What is it, Mr. Moore?" asked Drew, as calmly as possible. "Don't mind
Mr. Brewster."

"Oglethorp wants to draw two hundred and fifty thousand dollars," said
Moore in strained tones.

"Well, he can have it, can't he?" asked the Colonel quietly. Moore
looked helplessly at the president of the bank, and his silence spoke
more plainly than words.

"Brewster, it looks bad," said the Colonel, turning abruptly to the
young man. "The other banks are afraid of a run and we can't count on
much help from them. Some of them have helped us and others have
refused. Now, I not only ask you to refrain from drawing out your
deposit, but I want you to help us in this crucial moment." The Colonel
looked twenty years older and his voice shook perceptibly. Brewster's
pity went out to him in a flash.

"What can I do, Colonel Drew?" he cried. "I'll not take my money out,
but I don't know how I can be of further assistance to you. Command me,
sir."

"You can restore absolute confidence, Monty, my dear boy, by increasing
your deposits in our bank," said the Colonel slowly, and as if dreading
the fate of the suggestion.

"You mean, sir, that I can save the bank by drawing my money from other
banks and putting it here?" asked Monty, slowly. He was thinking harder
and faster than he had ever thought in his life. Could he afford to
risk the loss of his entire fortune on the fate of this bank? What
would Swearengen Jones say if he deliberately deposited a vast amount
of money in a tottering institution like the Bank of Manhattan Island?
It would be the maddest folly on his part if the bank went down. There
could be no mitigating circumstances in the eyes of either Jones or the
world, if he swamped all of his money in this crisis.

"I beg of you, Monty, help us." The Colonel's pride was gone. "It means
disgrace if we close our doors even for an hour; it means a stain that
only years