The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-07-01

morning." said the trader.
The young man looked around with
surprise. m 4a b
"Mr. Cunningham" continued Ran
dali. 81 have discovered who it is that has
been for SO long time robbing my
money drawer.'
! "Ahm rgfr t
"Yes, sir, thave trapped him, and you
may Judge my surprise upon finding it TO
be none but Wilton Cunningham"
"Do you mean me, sir?' uttered the
young man, siepping down from his
stool and boldly facing his accuser.
"Of course | do, and have PROOF of
what saw
"No man, MIR. Randall, can produce
any proof of dishonesty in me-"
"Not SO fast, sir, did you not pay TO
Mr.. Wiley tho money for your mothers
ren,!"
81 did, SIR" gs tba
"And did you not give him this doll
larr' asked Randall, producing the dol
lar he had crossed.
81 might have done il, sir for | paid
him several silver dollars"
SAY" returned tho old man, with a
sor, of triumphant look, "and that dollar
was stolen from my drawer on last
Wednesday night. Now, how came you
by it?" 9a oc
"If | paid il TO Mr.. Wiley +.
"But you did pay tito him. lie can
swear 10 that" sar Il i,
"Then, sir, know not where | got il.
I had several of them; some my mother
had taken for butter and cheese, and
some had laid away" IN
"Yes, some you had laid away. That
dollar, sir, you took from my. drawer on
Wednesday evening. You stole it,"
"Mr. Randall" said Wilton in n tone Of
calm indigni,y, 81 hardly know how TO
meet your charge. To deny it would be
only to contradict you, but deny it and
call on God to witnes that never, to
my knowledge, wronged man to the
amour, Of cent. | shall see Mr.. Will
ley, sir.n
"Do SO, I will go with you, sir, imme-
diately."
Accordingly Mr.. Randall and the clerk
set of. They found Mr.. Wiley, and
that gentleman, though he felt much
friendship for the young man, but
declared that the crossed dollar had been
received Of him. Wilton could not deny
it, he had not noticed any particular
marks on the money he had paid, and he
could only reiteraie the assertion that he
had not taken it from his employers
drawer. He fell grieved to see tina,
shsde Of suspicion rested upon the face
of Mr.. Wiley, and then he saw how
strong the evidence was against him.
He turned away TO hide the tear that
started from his eye, and his heart
swelled, with painful emotions.
"Is Squire Bullard at homef" asked
Mr.. Randall, after the facts in the case
had been sufficiently discussed.
"No! He's gone down TO Portland,
but he'll Je home tonight" returned Mr..
Wiley. p6 q
"Good heavens! Mr.. Randall, you do
not mean 10 make legal inv esligation in
the casei" cried Wilton turning pale and
trembling like an aspen.
"Mos, assuredly do," calmly re-
turned the trader. "If you are innocen,
you have nothing to feal."
Sand suppose cannot prove that in
nocence"
"Thnt's just wha, I'm afraid Of" hall
ironically returned Mr.. Randall.
10 God" CALCULATED the youth, clasp
ing his hands together in tortured agony,
"what have | done that have come to
this?"
Mr.. Wiley began to show evident
signs Of repentance that he had been in.
sirumental in bringing this about, and as
Randall noticed it, he made haste TO cut
the meeting shor:.
"You need not go back TO the store
with me-" said he 10 his clerk, shut |
shall see you this evening"
Wilton Cunningham turned his steps
homeward, but his step was slow and
sad. He knew the disposition of Mr..
Randall, that he was hard hearted, grasp.
ing, avaricIous and capable Of doing any.
thing that might answer his own avari-
clous ends-but he knew no. then all the
ends the trader had in view--ends which
will be easily understood by a slight con-
versation at the store.
"Lyman," said Mr.. Randall, after lie
had returned from Mr.. Willey's, "l've
got young Cunningham hard and FAST
Tho evidence is clear. and if Bullard
gets home to>night, III have him bound
over 10 trial"
"But you don't mean to try Wilton for
theft, do your" said Lyman.
"Of course do. Do you suppose
man shall rob me with impunityf"
"But you might turn him off, father,
and keep back his last quarters salary"
"You dom. know all, Lyman. The
young fellow nigh, have been likely, had
not this thing turned up, 10 have proved
dangerous rival to u.s."
"How SO, faiher?"
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