Halsey & Co. or, The Young Bankers and Speculators

The story opens in a bustling city bank where a modest newsboy, Fred Halsey, slips in with a warning about a looming fraud. He tells the affluent banker that two men plan to cash a forged check, hoping the bank’s detective will catch them in the act. The banker, intrigued and uneasy, summons his investigator, Caruth, to set a trap.

In the crowded hall, Fred and Caruth scan the faces of customers, waiting for the conspirators to appear. When a stranger in a gray coat finally steps to the teller, a sudden struggle erupts, and Fred finds himself confronting the would‑be forger with a gun. The tense showdown forces the bank’s staff and police to act, turning a routine day into a dramatic test of courage and quick thinking.