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 morrow I shall call at this bank. If this loan has been cleared out of the way by that time it will not be mentioned in my report. If not—I will have to do my duty.”

With that the examiner bowed and departed.

The President of the First National lounged in his chair half an hour longer, and then he lit a mild cigar, and went over to Tom Merwin’s house. Merwin, a ranchman in brown duck, with a contemplative eye, sat with his feet upon a table, plaiting a rawhide quirt.

“Tom,” said Longley, leaning against the table, “you heard anything from Ed yet?”

“Not yet,” said Merwin, continuing his plaiting. “I guess Ed’ll be along back now in a few days.”

“There was a bank examiner,” said Longley, “nosing around our place to-day, and he bucked a sight about that note of yours. You know I know it’s all right, but the thing is against the banking laws. I was pretty sure you’d have paid it off before the bank was examined again, but the son-of-a-gun slipped in on us, Tom. Now, I’m short of cash myself just now, or I’d let you have the money to take it up with. I’ve got till twelve o’clock to-morrow, and then I’ve got to show the cash in place of that note or”

“Or what, Bill?” asked Merwin, as Longley hesitated.