The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-11-15
'lotting-paper, and it convinced her.

'oiu MN III inc morning What ha0
heard and seen.
My dear nephew, you must have been
very drunk, or else-no, t!sIjs. - Ess
sible; your fathers child could not get
drunk. do, myself sometimes; but he
could not deliberately lie. No, my dear
Charles, NJ. Vernay is an old and tried
servant OF mine, aud | will not believe
you. l will not insult him by it. You
were drunk, sir, very drunk. Don't let
me hear of it again
went to my desk An hour after.
yards " VteS91p Ia".-s s., -,-;-I. -, ,,ai.,
~CMnnhes, ulo you balance your cash
last nightp' ....
I - Yes, sir. | always do
1t was right!'
Quite right
There's mistake somewhere said
N. Vernav. There is missing a SUN of
1000 francs
1t can't be in my accounts, uncle; for
here is the book, and here is the balance
to correspond
True
Let me cast it, said Vyrnay.
He did-52O, ,34G.
Try that, NJ. WardcS. do not make
it correct; make i: more
| cast it again, and it was more by just
1000 france. cast it again-52l, it
was. My uncle cast t-52l, it was.
How is this, CharleSy YOU said you
made the balance right. Did you look
at your cash last night 2
Il did assert that the balance last
night in the book and the cash box was
the same. can prove it. posted it,
according to NJ. Vcrnay's system, in the
daily balance book
1t is 500 here, NJ. WardeS.'
He handed the | ook to my uncle
The door opened.
well, FrancoiS, what is it,
'Only that shall give this to Mon
sieur W. | have found it in his cham
bcr.'
He held ont a paper to me; it was a
! note for 1000 francs
Charles, my boy, you should let me
know when you want money. NJ. Yer
nay, see those books are corrected
And nv uncle walked away.
How the day went do not know.
noticed, however, that NJ. Vernay once
or twice went down to the strong room
and brought up some books, and that no
woman came for money.
About five o'clock NJ. Vernay came to
me, after the other clerk aud my uncle
had gone. and said
M. WardeS, we have been looking at
the accounts of Madame Ia MarquiSe
-; will You help me to carry down
these books? the porter has gone ain
rather late.
took the books, and followed him
down into the basement. He unlocked
the outer gate of the outer safe, where
the general books were kept, and passed
through to the inner safe, in which were
kept the deeds and valuable securities on
which my uncle lent money; this was
separated from the outer safe bv all iron
gate in the daytime, and at night by
solid tire-proof door.
lie put his books on the shelf, and re-
shelf in the proper order. The numbers
on the backs were almost illegiblc, and |
was some time, even in the strong gas
light trying to read them.
Can | help you, NJ. Wardes?'
No, thank YOU. I've Just done
put up the last book, and turned to
go. The heavy door swung rapidly on
its hinges-l heard the spring catch, and
the key turn, and | was in black dark
ness
M. vernay! NJ. Vernay! The door
is shut.
Il know it, said his voice, muffled by
its thickness; you have access to all my
books now
heard the heavy clash Of the do of
the outer safe, and then silence, as deep
as death, was round me. | did not
swoon or faint. felt I was the victim
Of most horrible trick it was nothing
more-I should be released in the morn
ing, and would make him repent it. !
heard, presently, kissing sound-it con
tinucd; presently ! Smclt gas should
never see the morning. | should be
Stitled with the gas-the plan was clear
before me now. An accident-no one
knew helped him with the books-he
did not know | was in the safe. and he
shut the door. 1t was purely one Of
those accidents that will happen.
Still the gas his>ed like serpent be-
fore its fatal spring. | must stop that.
felt round the walls Of the burner, and
>oOn found it. There was no tap. |
remembered now, the tap was in the
outer safe, and the gas was lighted in the
inner one bv long stick between the
bars of the gate. My finger stopped it
a moment, but could not keep my fin
ger there always. tried, ana the arm
became so tired Of the contracted posi-
ton above my head, that | could not
keep my finger over it to save my life.
thought Of some other plan. To light
~ G4.al&S! i did not si..sAae, & maa' no
means to do it; and if had it would on
ly have consumed the air every inch of
which was precious as life itself. At last
thought Of something that would do; !
tore some corners off the leaves OF
book, chewel them into pulp, and put
it over the holes in tine tube, pressing it
in hard the Kissing ceased. climbed
the shelves and smelt round the burner
Il had one foe the less. | then began
tO tuI1h Sc 'louNlI US " llS 'Hd''S'H vi
the air lasting me till released in the
morning. In the morning {? this wa>--
o God! Saturday! Saturday ! Sunday
and Monday--two nights and whole
day There was no hope! | mi ht
have lived till the morning, but on Sun
day there was no business done, aud my
absence would be easily accounted for
by that horrible mistake in my books.
Two nights and a day--how many
hours? TO Sunday night at five, twcn-
ty-iour. To Monday morning at ten, sew
enteen. Forty-one long hours! Forty
one hours! There was not air enough to
last me ten! felt round the door; it
was all but air-proof. If | could make
them hear! 1t was impossible; the house
was the other side Of a noisy courtyard
i must die And VictorEe! No. no,
ten thousand times no! | must live
/ will live
hethought me Of my oil store of
knowledue How long could live with.