Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-26

family to maintain by her labOr,-that was the
character In which Margaret had engaged her;
and she looked 1t. Grimy in her drcss-be-
cause she could not spare the money or time
TO be clean-.her skin looked healthy and cared
for; she had straightforward, business-like
appearance about her, and seemed in no ways
daunted nor surprised to see Doctor and Mrs.
Brown standing in the middle Of the room,
in displeaSed pcFplcxity and distress. She
went about her business without taking any
particular notice Of them. Margarct's suspic-
ions settled down yet more distinctly upon
the chimney-Sweeper; but he could not have
got 1t into circulation. Such a sum could hard
ly have been spent by such man in so short
time, and the restoration Of the money was
her first, her only object She had hardly .
thought for subsequent duties, such as pros.
ecution Of the offender and the like cOnsc-
quences Of crime. While her whole energies
were bcnt on the speedy recovery of the mon.
ey, and she was rapidly going over the ne
cessary steps to be taken, her husband sat
all poured out into his chair, as the Gtrrhans
say; no force in him to keep his limbs in
any attitude requiring the slightest cxertion;
his face sunk, miserable, and with that fore
shadOwing Of the lines Of age which sudden
distress is apt to call out on the youngest and
smoothest faces.
What can Crawford be about ?" said Mar
garet, pulling the bell again with vehemPnce.
20 Crawford" as the man at that instant ap-
peared at the door.
-" Is anything the matterP" he said, inter.
rupting her, as if alarmed into an unusual dis
composurc by her violent ringing. 81 had
just gone round the corner with the letter
master gave me last night for the post, and
when came back Christie told me you had
rung for me, ma'am. beg your pardon, but
have hurried So" and, indeed, his breath did
come quickly, and his face was full Of peni-
tent anxiety.
30, Crawford am afraid the sweep has
got into your masters bureau and taken all
the money put there last night. 1t is gone,
at any rate. Did you ever leave him in the
room aoncw
~ can't say, nam; perhaps did. Yes
believe did. ] remember now,-I had my
work to-dO, aud thought the charwoman was
come, and | went to my pantry; aud some
time after Christie came to me, complaining
that Mrs. Roberts was SO late; and then !
knew that he must have been alone in the
room.--l3ut dear me, ma am, who would have
thought there had been so much wicEedncss
in him!"
u" How was it he got into the bureau ?" snid
the lock br0kcn?"
He reused himself up, like ono who wakcns
from sleep.
ayes No! suppose had turned the
key without locking it last night. The bu-
rpau was closed, not locked, when went to it
this morning. and the bolt was shot" He re.
lapsed into inactive, thoughtful silence.
"At any rate, it il no use losing time in
wondering now. Go, Crawford as fast as you
can, for policeman. You know the name Of
the chimney sweeper, Of course" she added,
as Crawford was preparing to leave the room.
"lndeed, nam, I'm very sorry, but just
agreed with the first who was passing along
the street. II I could have known"
But Margaret had turned away with an i'm
patient gesture Of despair. Crawford went
without another word to seek policeman.
In vain did his wife try to persuade Doctor
Brown to taste any breakfast; a cup Of ten
was oil he would try to swallow, and that was
taken in hAsty gulps, to clear his dry throat,
as he heard Crnwiord's voice talking to the
| policeman whom he was uShcring in.
The policeman heard all and said llttle.--
Then the inspector came. Doctor Brown
seemed to leave all the talking to Crawford
who apparently liked nothing better. Marga'
ret was infinitely distressed and dismaycd 10y
the effect the robbery seemed to have on her
husbands energies The probable loss O
such sum was bad enough, but there was
something 80 weak and poor in character, ia
letting it affect him so strongly-to dcaden al
energy and destroy oil hopeful spring, that
although Margaret did not darC to define hcl
feeling nor the cause Of it, to herself she haG
the fact before her perpCtually, that, IL ShC
were to judge Of her husband from this morn.
ing only, she must learn TO rely on hcrscl
alone in all cases Of emergency. The inspcc
tor repeatedly turned from Crawford to Doctor
and Mrs. Brown for answers to his inquiries
II was Margaret who rcptsed, with terse, shor
sentences, very different from Crawlord's lonl
involved explanations.
| At length the inspector asked to speak I,
her alone. She followed him into the mex
room, past the atfrOnted Crawford and he
despOndcnt husband. Tho inspector gave on,
sharp look at the charwoman, who was gOinj
on with her securing with stolid indifference
turned her out, and then asked Margare
where Crawford came from, how long h
had lived with them, and various Othc
questions, oil showing the direction his suspi
cions had taken. This shocked Margaret OK
trcmcly; but she quickly acswercd every in
quiry; and, at the end, watched tho inSpeC
tcT's lace closely, and waited for the avowal q
the suspicion.
He led the way back to the other roor
without word, however. Crawford had lcG,
and Doctor Brown was trying to read tn
mornings letters (Which had just been deli,
ered), but his hand shook so much that b
could not see a line.
+ doctor Brown" said tho inspector, 4"
have little doubt that your man-servnnt hs
committed this robbery. Judge SO from hi
whole manner; and from his anxiety to to
the story, and his way oftrying to throw SUI
pic;on on the chimney sweeper, neither who's
name nor dwelling can he give; ct least b
says not. Your wife says he has alread
been out Of the house this morning, even b,
fore he went to summon policeman; SO thcl
is little doubt that he has found means f
, concealing or dispOsing Of the notes and yo
say you do not know the numbers. lIoweve
that can probably be Asccrtained."
At this moment Christie knocked at Il
door, and, in state Of great agitation, dcmal
dcd to speak to Margaret. She brought u
an additional store Of suspicious circumstance
none Of them much in themselves but all ten,
ing to crlminate her fellOw-servant. She hs
expected to find herself blamed for startil
the idea Of CrAwford's guilt, and was rath
surprised to find herself listened to with atte
ton by the inspector. This led her to &
many other little things all bearing again
Crawford, which, . dread Of being thOugI