"It's all perfectly simple. Old Hank and me used to be implicated
together in the cow business down on the Concho. One of the Goliad
Bergmans--early German settlers."

Here Hudson hung up and made interruption.

"Bergman says the check is right," he reported.

Johnson resumed his explanation:

"As I was sayin', I reckon I know all the old-time cowmen from here to
breakfast and back. Old Joe Benavides, now--one of your best depositors;
I fished Joe out of Manzanillo Bay thirty year back. He was all drowned
but Amen."

Wetting his thumb he slipped off the next paper from under the rubber
band. Marsh eyed the sheaf apprehensively and winced.

"Got one of Joe's checks here," Pete continued, smoothing it out. "But
maybe I won't need to cash it--to-day."

"Johnson," said the vice-president, "are you trying to start a run on
this bank? What do you want?"

"My money. What the check calls for. That is final."

"This is sheer malice."

"Not a bit of it. You're all wrong. Just common prudence--that's all. You