.M. Tomorrow's Sunday,
and you can tell folks that's got money here that they won't have any
trouble getting their change in time to put it in the collection basket
to-morrow morning."

A number of depositors, impressed by Amzi's tranquillity, tore up their
checks and left the bank. To a woman who asked him what the excitement
meant, Amzi explained politely that the town was experiencing what he
called a "baby panic."

"As an old friend, Martha, I advise you to leave your money here; if I
decide to bust, I'll give you notice."

Along the two lines, that now extended out upon the sidewalk, there was
a craning of necks. A demand from one depositor that he repeat to all
what he had said to the woman caused Amzi to retire behind the counter.
There he stood upon a chair and talked through the screen,

"I don't blame you folks for being nervous. Nobody wants to lose his
money. Money is hard to get and harder to keep. But I've never lied
across this counter to any man, woman, or child"--and then, as though
ashamed of this vulgar assertion of rectitude, he added--"unless they
needed to be lied to."

There was laughter at this. The room was packed, and the lines had been
broken by the crowd surging in from the street.

"You can all have your money. But I hope you won't spend it foolishly or
stick it in the chimney at home where it'll burn up. I ain't going to
bust, ladies and gentlemen. This town is all right; it's the best little
town in Indiana; sound as Sugar Creek bottom corn. This little sick
infant panic we've had to-day will turn over and go to sleep pretty
soon. As an old friend and neighbor of you all, I advise you to go
home--with your money or without it, just as you like. It's all the same
to me."

"How about the First National?" a voice demanded.

Amzi was relighting his cigar. There was a good deal of commotion in the
room as many who had been pressing toward the windows withdrew,
reassured by the banker's speech.

Amzi, with one foot on a chair, the other on the note-teller's counter,
listened while the question about the First National was repeated.

"I'll say to you folks," said Amzi, his voice clearing and rising to a
shrill pipe, "that in my judgment the First National Bank can pay all
its claims. In fact--in fact, I'm dead sure of it!"

The crowd began to disperse. Most of those who had drawn their money
waited to re-deposit it, and Amzi walked out upon the step to view the
situation at the Firs