I have bad news for you. As soon as we open our
doors in the morning, there will be a run on the bank." "A run on
the bank?" repeated Mr. Swift.
"The moment we begin business in the morning," went on Mr.
Pendergast.
"Bless my soul, then don't begin business!" cried Mr. Damon.
"We must," insisted Mr. Pendergast. "To keep the doors closed
would be a confession at once that we have failed. No, it is
better to open them, and stand the run as long as we can. When we
have exhausted our cash--" he paused.
"Well?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Then we'll fail--that's all."
"But we mustn't let the bank fail!" cried Mr. Swift. "I am
willing to put some of my personal fortune into the bank capital
in order to save it. So is my son here."
"That's right," chimed in Tom heartily. "All I've got. I'm not
going to let Andy Foger get ahead of us; nor his father either."
"I'll help to the limit of my ability," added Mr. Damon.
"I appreciate all that," continued the president. "But the
unfortunate part of it is that we need cash. You gentlemen, like
myself, probably, have your money tied up in stocks and bonds. It
is hard to get cash quickly, and we must have cash as soon as we
open in the morning, to pay the depositors who will come flocking
to the doors.
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