Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-08-01

The noxt night fixed the knob in the same
manner, and on the morning following found
forty dollars gone. Upon the pocket-book were
fnger-marks of red lead and when came to
open my cash book found the same kind of
marks there. SO | learned one thing; the
thief knew enough To see whether my account
had been made of the money before he took it.
felt more unpleasantly than before for my
unwelcome suspicious were being confirmed |
had gained new light. There was peculiarly
in the red finger marks that told me sad story.
STILL wished to try further.
For two nights after this the safe remained
undisturbed, but on the third night | missed
sevcnty-ive dollars more, and had now set my
trap more carefully. The red pigment was not
only used, but had put private mark upon
every bill in the drawer. The pockct-book and
cash-book were fingered as before, and the marks
were very clear and distinct
When the week was up, Mr.. Wharton came
and asked me what had found.
"Ah," said he as he noticed the sorrowful
expression of my countenance, "you have failed
to discover anything"
"Alas, wish | could say SOP Ireplied. 81
have discovered too much. In the first place
the money has been taken from the safe, and
the key left in the proper drawer and locked up
as usual. Also, the cash book has been ex-
made of the money. There has been one hum
died and sixty-fvc dollars taken in all"
"But how do you know the cash book has
been examined P" he asked.
81 will show YOU" said, producing both the
cash and the pocket books. "You see those red
marksP fixed red pigment upon the door
knob Of the safe and upon the edges of the
moncy-draw You can see these finger marks ?''
EYES," he whispered
"And now" ] continued, Gust examine them
carefully. See how the leaves of the cash book
were turned over, and also how the strap of
the pocket book was tucked into its place. Do
you sec anything peculiar about ?"
"Only that the finger marks were very plain"
"But you cannot distinguished the thumb
marks from those made by the fingers ?"
YES, can"
"'Then tell me this" l returned. "IVhicl
land did tic hief use most dcrterously in tie
,cork ?"
Wharton gazed upon the marks, and finally
gasped-
"The letf."
$50 he did" returned, "and all the marks
have been the same. The thief is left hand
one, and he is acquainted with the store and
the book, and can gain easy access here. But
| have yet another mark. The last bills that
were taken were all marked with small red
cross upon the numerical figure in the right
hand upper corner. You can follow those up,
for have neither had the courage nor the heart
to do it."
The merchant sank back, pale as death it.
SELF
Henry is the only left handed person on the
premises !" he groaned, gazing on me as though
he wished that | would deny his statement.
But | could not. knew his own son was the
guilty party.
ASK me no more" said /, with tears in my
eyes, for the fathers agony deeply moved me.
"The secret is locked up in my own breast
and neither to you nor any living being will ]
ever call the name of the one whom suspect
The stricken man grnsped my hand, and with
sobs and tears he begged my pardon for the
wrong he had done me, and thanked me for
the assurance had given him.
On the following morning he brought me
fifty dollars in eight different bills, all marked
with red cross.
81 know all now" he whispered, in broken
accents. "Be kind to me, and let this not 60
into the world"
kept my promise, and lived to see the old
man smile again for when Henry saw the deer
agony of his father his heart was touched, and
not only acknowledged all his wild sins, and
humbly begged for pardon, but became true
and good man, and an honor and ornament to
society.