The cashier shook his head doubtfully.
“If we had on hand all we have loaned out we could stand it. But no bank has that. The loans are greater, of course, than the amount kept for emergencies, and if all the depositors spring upon us, as most are likely to do if one does, we may be swamped for a time. There’s Sheldon gave notice last night that he must have his five thousand to-day. If he would wait till to-morrow, when a heavy loan we have out will be paid, we shall be all right. But he won’t; he is a kind of a dog in the manger, and something has gone wrong. He’ll draw his money, and others will follow. Men are like sheep, and women are worse. There is Sheldon now talking to some men and pointing this way.”
The pounding on the door was loud by this time, mingled with calls:
“Let us in! It’s time! It’s after nine. You have no business to keep us out, and we mean to come in.”
“Shall we keep them out till father comes?” Herbert asked, his teeth chattering with the cold chill which had come over him and increased with the sounds outside. It was a kind of roar now, as the cries, “Open the door!” became louder—cries of more women than men, as the former were more excited. “Say, shall we keep them out till father comes?” Herbert asked again.
“By no means,” the cashier replied. “That would confess our fear. Possibly we can persuade Sheldon to leave a part of his till to-morrow. Open the door, Charlie,” and he turned to the office boy, whose eyes were like saucers as he shot back the bolts and threw open the doors so suddenly that two or three of the foremost ones, pushed by those behind, fell headlong across the threshold.
Mr. Sheldon, who was in advance, was the first on his feet and inside the bank.
He knew by this time what the crowd meant, and he had explained, as far as he could, that he was only drawing his money because he wanted it, and not because he was afraid. He might as well have talked to the wind. Their minds were made up. If he wanted his money, they wanted theirs, and meant to have it.
When Mr. Sheldon presented himself before the cashier and said to him, “You know I told you I was coming for my money. I suppose it’s ready?” the cashier replied very blandly, “Certainly it is.”
At this point Herbert, who was standing by the cashier, with a face white as marble, interposed and said: