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At three o'clock the next day； thenalthough Luck would have greatly
preferred an earlier hourthe cashier had the bank cleared of patrons and
superfluous clerks； and was watching； with his nerves all atingle and the sun
shining in upon him through a side window； while Pete Lowry and Bill Holmes
fussed outside with the camera； getting ready for the arrival of those
realistic bandits； Ramon Chavez and Luis Rojas。 On the street corner opposite；
the Happy Family foregathered clannishly； waiting until they were called into
the street…fight scene which Luck meant to make later。
The cashier's cheeks were quite pink with excitement when finally Ramon and
the Rojas villain walked past the window and looked in at him before going on
to the door。 He was disappointed because they were not masked； and because
they did not wear bright sashes with fringe and striped serapes draped across
their shoulders； and the hilts of wicked knives showing somewhere。 They did
not look like bandits at allthanks to Luck's sure knowledge and fine sense
of realism。 Still； they answered the purpose； and when they opened the door
and came in the cashier got quite a start from the greedy look in their eyes
when they saw the gold he had stacked in profusion on the counter before him。
They made the scene twicethe walking past the window and coming in at the
door； and the second time Luck swore at them because they stopped too abruptly
at the window and lingered too long there； looking in at the cashier and his
gold； and exchanging meaning glances before they went to the door。
Later； there was an interior scene with reflectors almost blinding the cashier
while he struggled self…consciously and ineffectually with Ramon Chavez。 The
gold that Ramon scraped from the cashier's keeping into his own was not； of
course； the real gold which the bandits had seen through the window。 Luck；
careful of his responsibilities； had waited while the cashier locked the
bank's money in the vault； and had replaced it with brass coins that looked
realto the camera。
The cashier lived then the biggest moments of his life。 He was forced upon his
back across a desk that had been carefully cleared of the bank's papers and as
carefully strewn with worthless ones which Luck had brought。 A realistically
uncomfortable gag had been forced into the mouth of the cashierwhere it
brought twinges from some fresh dental work； by the wayand the bandits had
taken everything in sight that they fancied。
Ramon and Luis Rojas had proven themselves artists in this particular line of
work； and the cashier； when it was all over and the camera and company were
busily at work elsewhere； lived it in his imagination and felt that he was at
least tasting the full flavor of red…blooded adventure without having to pay
the usual price of bitterness and bodily suffering。 He was mistaken； of
courseas I am going to explain。 What the cashier had taken part in was not
the adventure itself but merely a rehearsal and general preparation for the
real performance。
This had been on Wednesday； just after three o'clock in the afternoon。 On
Saturday forenoon the cashier was called upon the phone and asked if a part of
that robbery stuff could be retaken that day。 The cashier thrilled instantly
at the thought of it。 Certainly； they could retake as much as they pleased。
Lucks voiceor a voice very like Luck'sthanked him and said that they would
not need to retake the interior stuff。 What he wanted was to get the approach
to the bank the entrance and going back to the cashier。 That part of the
negative was under…timed； said the voice。 And would the cashier make a display
of gold behind the wicket； so that the camera could register it through the
window？ The cashier thought that he could。 〃Just stack it up good and high；〃
directed the voice。 〃The more the better。 And clear the bankhave the clerks
out； and every thing as near as possible to what it was the other day。 And you
take up the same position。 The scene ends where Ramon comes back and grabs
you。〃
〃And listen！ You did so well the other day that I'm going to leave this to
you； to see that they get it the same。 I can't be there myselfI've got to
catch some atmosphere stuff down here in Old Town。 I'm just sending my
assistant camera man and the two heavies and my scenic artist for this retake。
it won't be muchbut be sure you have the bank cleared； old manbecause it
would ruin the following scenes to have extra people registered in this； see？
You did such dandy work in that struggle that I want it to stand。 Boy； your
work's sure going to stand out on the screen！〃
Can you blame the cashier for drinking in every word of that； and for emptying
the vault of gold and stacking it up in beautiful； high piles where the sun
shone on it through the windowand where it would be within easy reach； by
the way！so that the camera could 〃register〃 it？
At ten minutes past twelve he had gotten rid of patrons and clerks； and he had
the gold out and his green eyeshade adjusted as becomingly as a green eyeshade
may be adjusted。 He looked out and saw that the street was practically empty；
because of the hour and the heat that was almost intolerable where the sun
shone full。 He saw a big red machine drive up to the corner and stop； and he。
saw a man climb out with camera already screwed； to the tripod。 He saw the
bandits throw away their cigarettes and follow the camera man； and then he
hurried back and took up his station beside the stacks of gold； and waited in
a twitter of excitement for this unhoped…for encore of last Wednesday's
glorious performance。 Through the window he watched the camera being set up；
and he watched also； from under his eyeshade； the approach of the two bandits。
From there on a gap occurs in the cashier's memory of that day。
Ramon and Luis went into the bank； and in a few minutes they came out again
burdened with bags of specie and pulled the door shut with the spring lock set
and the blinds down that proclaimed the bank was closed。 They climbed into the
red automobile； the camera and its operator followed； and the machine went
away down the street to the post…office； turned and went purring into the
Mexican quarter which spreads itself out toward the lower bridge that spans
the Rio Grande。 This much a dozen persons could tell you。 Beyond that no man
seemed to know what became of the outfit。
In the bank； the cashier lay back across a desk with a gag in his mouth and
his hands and feet tied； and with a welt on the side of his head that swelled
and bled sluggishly for a while and then stopped and became an angry purple。
Where the gold had been stacked high in the sunshine the marble glistened
whitely； with not so much as a five…dollar piece to give it a touch of color。
The window blinds were drawn downthe bank was closed。 And people passed the
windows and never guessed that within there lay a sickly young man who had
craved adventure and found it； and would p