Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-09-13
EVENING STAR.
He TOLEN NOTE
BY RETIRED ATTORNEY.

| u,
| when he was sober he did we'll.
He was halter by trade aud by his indus
! try and thrift had acquired money enough "a
| buy the house in which he lived. He had
| purchased it several years before for three
thousand dollars, paying one thousand down
and securing the balance by a mortgage to the
| seller.
The mortgage note was aim ost due at the
| time when the circumstances made me ac-
| quainted with the affairs of the family But
w allace was ready for the day; he had saved
the money, there seemed no possibility of an
| accident.
1 was well acquainted with Wallace, having
done some little collecting and drawn up some
| legal documents for him.
One day his daughter Annie came to my Of
| fee In great distress, declaring that her father
| was ruined, and that they should be turned
out of the house in which they lived
Perhaps not, Miss Wallace,' said, try.
ing to console her, and give the affair, what.
ever 1t was, brighter aspect. {" What has
| happened ?''
"My father" she replied, &c had the money
all ready to pay the mortgage on the house in
| which we live-but it is all gone now"
Has he lost it?''
II don't know; I suppose 80. Last week
be drew out the two thousand dollars from the
bank. and lent it to Mr.: Bryce for ten days"
Nv no is Mr.. Bryce 2''
with him through George Chandler, who
boards with us, and who is Mr.. Bryce's
clerk
"Does Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it,"
"He says he has paid it''
Well what is the trouble them"
Father says he has not paid it"
Indeed but the note will be evidence th at
he has not paid it. Of course you have the
note?n
"No, Mr. Bryce has il"
8 Then of course he has paid it A"
81 suppose he has, or he could not have had
the note.'
What does your father say 2''
He is positive he never received the
money. The mortgage must be paid to-mor-
row."
Very singular. Was your father''-
L hesitated to use that unpleasant word
which must have grated hsrshly on the ear of
tie devoted girl
"Mr Bryce says my father was not Just
right when he paid him, though not very bad. -
81 will see your father -
lie is coming here IN a few minutes
thought would see you and tell you the
facts before he came;
GO L do not see how Bryce could have oh
tanned the note, unless he psid tho money.
W here did your father keepit?'
He gave it to me, and I put it in the Sec
retary in the front room.''
"Who were in the room when you nut IL in
| the secretary"
Mr.. Bryce, George Chandler. my father
and myself
The conversation was here Interrupted by
the entrance of Wallace. He looked pale and
haggard, as much from the effects of anxiety
as from the deoauch from which he was just
recovering
90 She has told you about it, / suppose ?''
said he in very sad tone.
"She has -
"I pitied him, poor fellow, for the two
thousand dollars was large sum for him to
accumulate in his little business The los; of
1t would make the future look like a desert to
him. 1t would be a misfortune which one
| must undergo in order to appreciate it
w hat do you think about it 2" asked he,
| very gloomily, ''I know be never paid mo. /
was not much in liquor at that time re-
| member very well of going home as regularly
as ever did in my life. could tell how I
passed every moment of the time.''
What passed between you On that day ?''
"Well, ! merely stepped into his ofice-it
was only day before yesterday-to tell him
not to forget to have my money ready for me
| tomorrow. lie took Inc into his back Office.
and as sat there, he said he would have the
money ready the next day. He then left me
and went into the front office, where I heard
HIM send George out to the bank to draw q
check for two thousand dollars; so L supposed
he was going to pay me then"
What docs the clerk say about it ,''
He says Bryce remarked, when he sent
him, that he was just going to pay me with the
money"
"Just so''
And when George came in, he went to the
| front office again, and took the money. Then
be came to me again, but did not offer to pay
mo-
Had you the note with you?''
mo; now 1 remember, he said he SUP
posed had not the note with me, or he would
pay it. lie told me to come in next day and
| he would have it ready-that was yesterday
When l came to look for the note, IT could not
be found. Annie and l have hunted the house
all over, but could find nothing Of it.''
"You told Bryce so?''
81 did; he laughed and showed me the
| note with his signature crossed over with ink,
| and a hole punched through it I"
"It is plain, Mr. Wallace, that he paid you
| fraudulent possession of the note, and intends
| to cheat you out of the amount
He never paid me" replied he firmly.
'Then he has fraudulently obtained the
note. What sort Of person is the Chandler
who boards with you''
GA fine young man Bless you he wouldn I
| do anything of that kind"
earnestly"
| "How else could Bryce obtain the note, but
through him. What time does he come in
nights? ?"
| Always at tea time. He never goes out in
the evening"" answered Wallace.
| "But father, he did not come home until ten
o'c clock the night before you went to Bryce's.
lie had to stay at home to post the books, or
something of that kind +"
How did he get in ~
q He has night key"
Il must see Chandler" said.
mo harm in seeing him." added Mr.. Wal
lace, II will go for him"
In few minutes he returned with the
young man. Chandler, in the conversation ]
had with him, manifested a very lively inter.
est in the solution of the mystery and proffer.
cd himself ready to do anything to forward
my views.
"What time did you return 10 the house OF
Tuesday night?" asked with the intention
of sounding" him little.