“It is a run, young man!” exclaimed a nervous tradesman, who had a check in one hand, and a copy of Larry’s paper in the other. “I didn’t know about the loss, though, until I read this,” and he tapped the folded journal nervously.
“A run! I should say so!” exclaimed another man, who also clutched a Leader. “A million-dollar robbery! This bank can never stand that loss. It’ll fail, and I’m going to get my money out before that happens.”
“The same here,” added several, who were crowding up to get in line at the paying teller’s window.
“A run on the bank,” mused Larry. “This will make more news! I must ’phone it in. I’m sorry if my story started this, but I can’t help it. The president might have given me the story when I first asked for it, and then he would have had a chance to explain that the bank could stand the loss. This would have given the depositors confidence. But he wouldn’t do it.”
If there was any doubt in Larry’s mind that the story which he had written had caused the run-scare it was soon over, for every person who crowded into the bank carried a copy of the Leader, with our hero’s big scoop on the front page.
“And there isn’t another New York paper to be seen,” chuckled Larry. “I’ve beaten ’em all! Well, now to send word in about the run. They can add that to the general yarn.”
He was about to hurry from the bank, his thoughts busy with many things, but chiefly how he might set about his task of discovering the thief, and the missing million, when he saw President Bentfield come hurriedly from his private office.
“I might as well wait and see what’s up,” thought the young reporter. “I may get another scoop.”
There was little chance of this, however, for, on looking about, he saw reporters of several other papers present. Among them was Peter Manton.
“Hello, Pete!” greeted Larry. “Are you after this?”