The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-27
THE STOLEN NOTE.

meant Ncit, anu WHICH, III wac "'oNA An ~
we'll.
He was halter by trade, aud by indus
try and thrift he bad secured money enough
to buy the house in which he lived. lie nad
purchased it several years before Tor So,uVo, |
paving 81, 600 down, and securing the
balance by mortgage to the seller:
The mortgage note was almost due at Inc
time circumstances made me acquainted
with the affairs of the family. But Wallace
was ready Tor the day. lie had saVeu up
the money. There seemed to be no posi-,
bility of an accident. was we'll acquainted
with Wallace. having done some little col
,cc,ing and drawn up legal documents Tor
him. One day his daughter, Annie, came
to nv office in great distress, declaring that
her father was ruined, and that they should
he turned out of the house in which they
lived. :,
"Perhaps not, Miss Wallace" said l,
irving to console her, and give the affair,
whatever it was, a bright aspect. ''What
has happcned!"
"Mv father" she replied, chad tho
money to pay the mortgage on the house
in which We live, but it is all gone now"
Has he lost IL"
81 don't know; ! suppose so. Last week
ne drew a. 900 from the bank, and lent 1t to
Mr.. Bryce for ten days"
"Who is MIR. Bryce"
cd with him through Geo. Chandler. who
boards with us, and who is Mr.. Bryce's
clerk
"Does Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it -
'.Hc says he has paid IL.
"Wcll, what is the trouble. them"
Father says he has not paid it,
Indeed But the note will prove that
he has paid it. OF course you have the
notew
"No. Mr.. Bryce has it."
"rhen, OF course, ne has paid II.
81 suppose he has, 'r he could not have
the note
"What does your father sayT
''He Is positive That be never received
the money. The mortgage, he says, must
be paid tomorrow
every singular Was your father"
| hesitatcd TO Use the unpleasant word
which must have grated hdrshiy OH the car
of the devoted girl.
"Mr. Bryce says father was not quite
right when he paid him, but not very
bad"
II will see your father
ale is coming up here III Il few nn-
,ncutS thought | would see goa first and
tell YOU the iucts before he came
81 90 not see how Bryce could have OBJ |
tanned the note. unless ne paid the money.
Where did your father keep :"
ne gave ~ ~ llls auN L l1ul ~ III tlIC 1
secretary
"Who was in the room when you put ii
in the secretary -
"Mr. Bryce, Geo. Chandler, my father,
and myself"
The conversation was here interrupted !
hv entrance ur Wallace. he looked palcj
and haggard, as much from the effects Of
anxiety rs from the dclmlIca from which he
was recoverlng. II
\ III, =, -
said he, III very low tone.
"Shc has Z
pitied him, poor fellow: for s., 900 was
large sum Tor him TO accumulate in his
little business. The loss Of il would make
the future look like Il desert TO HIM. 1t f
would be misfortune which one must lln- 5
derso To arplecatc II.
""lat passed between YOU On that u
day. liz
"Wcll, ! merely stepped into his of1ice-te
ii was only the day before yestcrday-tuE U
tell him not to forget to have the money for
me bv 10 morrow. lie took me into his
back office, ana Is | sat there he said he |
would get the money ready the next day.
lie then lett Inc and went into the front |
office, where 1 heard him send George out {
TO The banh To draw a check for two thou
sand dollars; SO l supposed he was going S
TO pay me then
"What does the clerk say about it,"
He say Mr.. Bryce remarked, when he
sent him, that he was going to pay me the
money!
"Just 500
And when George came in he went into
the front office again, and took the money:
Then he came to Inc again, ana dlu ho'
offer to pay me the money"
Had you the note with you!"
NO; now / remember he said ne sup
posed | had not the note with me, OF ~
would pay it. / told him 10 come Oh Inc
next day and would have 1t readyL,1tt or
was Yesterday. When l came 10 iooh ,od
the note it could not be found. ANNE anu
| have hunted the house all over |
II did. He laughed and showed ne uis
note, with his signature crosseu ~ :,
ink, and q hole punched through ~ o mold
lit is plain, Mr.. wallace, i has ohtained
YOU the money, as allessra he note. and in
tnnaa Az nSeat YOU out of the amount:
'enus W ono najd me- he replied, nrmly.
..nso no he has traudulently obtained pos
,o.,;a., ~ the note. What SORT OF peIson
is that Chandler, who boards o WIN No you ,oord
g fine Young man. Bless you' he "ouio
not do anything OF o onHi not" repeated An
81 am sure NC ""
me- gnw Else could Bryce obtain the note
Int through him9 What time docs he come
home at night!
in the evening""
.sRut. father, he did not come home till
m o'clock the night before you went to
Rryce's. He had to stay in the office to
nost hooks, or something Of the kind"
How did be get i'll 7"
"He has night key"
o. must see Chandler" said /.
"No harm in seeing him." added Mr..
Wallace 81 win go Tor him."
In q few moments he returned with the
young man (Chandler), who, In the con-
yersatton had with him, manifested
very lively interest In the solution OF the
mystery, and protested himself ready to
do anything to forward my views.
"When did you return to the house on
Thursday nightI"
"About r."
"Twelye!" said Annie " 1t was not
more than 10 when l heard YOU"
"The clock struck II as | turned the .
corner of the street," replied Chandler,
positively.
81 certainly heard some one in the front
room at TO-" said Annie, looking with as
constituent at those around her.
were getting ut something" said I.
''Ho" did you get in 2''
Inc young man smiled, as he glanced ut
Annie, and said 80 |
On arriving ut the door, found I had
lost my night key. At that moment al
watchman happened along, and / told him
my situation. lie knew me- and taking n
LADDER from an unfinished housa np,n.2o 1