The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-08

| SOue young lClOW Ills COuHJeuduCc gave
evidence that he had an iron will and great
intellect. He staid but few minutes, when
he left the room.
After he had passed out, Stout spoke
regarding the business on which we had
come and said, 81 have brought my friend
here with me as he has had considerable ex-
perience in cases of similar nature, and
his advice may be of value to u.s."
The Colonel thanked him for so doing
and then laid the facts of the case before
us. AS he did so, there seemed to me to
be something kept back and felt conf
dent that some grave secret lay beneath
the affair, which was well known to the old
gentleman and which he was anxious
should not be discovered. The facts told
us were briefly as follows:
"About two weeks previous" said the
Colonel, 81 received six thousand dollars
from the sale of some property. l paid
out portion of it and placed the pocket
book containing the balance in the cabinet
in my library. Two days ago my daughter
lookingOve the cabinet called my attention
to the money which l was so careless as to
leave there, and at my request counted it.
After doing SO she locked it up in the cabi-
net and gave me the key. In the evening
of the same day having occasion to use
some money / went for it and found it
gone. Nothing else was touched. l have
dislike to having my troubles made pub
lie property and have therefore preferred to
consult you rather than to send for any
officers All the servants in the house
have grown old in my service and have no
reason to mistrust them"
"What amount of money and what kind
was it ?" asked Mr. Stout of Miss Raleigh.
"There was six hundred dollars in bank
bills and the rest was in checks" she re-
piled.
"Drafts" said the Colonel, "drafts on
George Nolan of Alexandra"
This reply seemed to startle Stout, and
he hastily asked if there was any one in
the library when she counted the notes.
"No one but Lem the old butler; but he
would no more take them than / would"
said Kate.
"No one else saw them at all ?" said |.
"No," she replied" only Rolf, he was
there ; perhaps he can tell you better than
can what kind of notes they were. AS
she said this she apparently addressed her.
self to her cousin, who had again entered
the room.
The young man made no reply but stood
looking abstractedly out of the window.
"Who was in the library during the
day?" asked Stout.
"No one," replied the Colonel. 81 was
there all day alone except while gone out
to dinner.'
"Do you know of any other key to the
Cabinet ?"
"My daughter has one" answered the
Colonel. ....f,.,.
"Oh no, have none, replied Kate, 81
gave it to Rolf long time SINCE" ,.,
"My son." said the Colonel, shave you
key like this?"
The young man carelessly replied that
he had not, when Kate said, "why saw it
on your key ring few days ago."
"Well it is not there now and probably
you were mistaken" replied Rolf
Gas understand it them said "the
only time the money could have been taken
was while you were at dinner?"
"Yes." a
"Was the butler present in the dining
room?" r.aI
"He was there all the time" quickly
replied Kate. l 3iiY t..s
"Who dined with you that day9' asked
Stout. u.
"We were all alone, Kate and l, even
Rolf was out cunning at the time" said
the Colonel. r 8d
Stout now put his hand in his pocket and
drawing out paper presented it TO the
old gentleman and asked, ais that one of
the lost drafts ?" o HIf f.T
"Both the Colonel and his daughter look
ed at it eagerly and carefully, and then de-
cided that it was. rHtrur
"Where did you"-but before the sem
tence was completed Stout hastily Interrupt
ted the Colonel by asking to see that cabi-
net. il 9i3" li'nlf
Accordingly We were ushered by the
Colonel into the library where we were
shown a curiously inlaid cabinet the key
to which he handed to Stout. 'lrd
Without taking the key Stout hurriedIy
went on TO say, "you were going to ask me
Colonel where ! got this, boys will be boys
"Now sit down and keep cool" said
|
Stout to the Colonel who began to show
signs of excitement.