Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-07-02

my pulse humping in my ears, or wer,
those regular beats the tramp Of some
body's maffled feet? Then l heard al
unmistakable sound-creak, creak, creal
door being opened slowly and cautious
ly. All in a moment the idea flashed
into my head Tweay two Thousand
Pounds. You see, all this dancing ani
junketing, and laughing and chafiing
had completely driven out of my mine
all thought of the large sum 1 had in my
possession. | had left it in my greatcoa1
pocket. which was hanging up in tht
hall, down stairs.
Puff a gust of wind came through
the house ratiling the doors and windows
and then l heard door slam. and a
footstep outside Of some one stealing
cautiously away. ,.....-. 49,.
Away down. stairs I went Ike mad
man, my one thought to pat my hand OIL
H
that greatcoat. 1t was brown greatcoat
with long tails. and two pockets behind,
and title cash pocket on the left hand
side in front, and the breast pocket in
which had put the bag Of money
This pocket wasn't as is usual. on the
left-hand side, but on the right. There
was no other coat hanging on those rails,
only my wife's waterproof. What a
swoop | made to get hold of that coat
Great heavens it was gone!
l had carefully barred and chained the
front door before l went to bed-now it
was unfastened. ran out into the street
and looked up and down, hopeless and
bewildered. 1t was dark, damp night,
the lamp at the corner threw long sick
Iy ray down the streaming pavement but
there wasn't a soul to be seen. Every
thing was still, aud cold aud dark.
The money was clean gone-yes. it
was gone. l repeated these words me-
chanically to myself, as | crawled up
stairs. All the results of this loss pic.
tured themselves clearly before me-dis-
missal from the bank, ruin of all my
prospects, utter ruin, in fact What
could dol to what turn! The blow
that had fallen upon me was SO heavy
that it had benumbed my faculties.
Then the7thought came to me! Should
| go to bed and say nothing at all about
it 4? No one knew of my having receiv-
ed that money, not soul bat Black, the
man who had deposited it. had given
no receipt for it, no acknowledgment.
Black had gone to America hundred
things might happen-he might never
return at all events, here was respite,
immediate relief. could go to the bank
next morning. hang up my hat as usual
every thing would 60. on as before. If
Black returned. my word was az good as
his. The notes aud cheques could never
be traced home. But l don't think l re-
tanned this thought long Do you ever
consider how much resolution and force
IF will it takes to initiate a course of
crime and deception ? I'd neither the
one or the other should have broken
lown at once couldn't have met that
elbows eye and told him l had never
lad his money. ral ls.r tE .e-r
woke my wife shed slept through
Ill the trouble. Mary" / said. "we're
uiued-there's been robbery"
"A robbery p cried she. clasping her
lands ''and are the men gone p
Yes" l sail
"OL, thank Heaven" she said, 'then
we're safe Never mind the rest, Jack
Is long as our lives are safe. But there's
ny waterproof, Jack oh, do run and
zee if they taken that .'a e'
Then l told her the story of the
wenty-two thousand pounds She
wouldn't believe me at first but when
he heard the whole story she was frigh. |
ened enough. Yet she had wits about
Ter more than I had. M .aa..4 E5
"You must run off to the town hall. |
Tack," she said, "and set the police to
york. They must telegraph to all the
to London. and everywhere
Oh, do 60 at once, Jack, this very mo
nent. Every second lost may be ruin to
- aa1 15r vi-a3 v'ro 00ci l.5 iUI
Away l went to the. town-hall. This
Tas a big, classic place, with an immense
ortico and hugh fight Of steps but
ou didn't 60 into the portico to get into
he police Office, but to the side, which
1asn't classical at all, but of the rudi-
,entary style Of architecture, and you
rent along number of echoing stone
assages before you reached the superin-
,ndent's office.
When I'd told the superintendent the
.ory-"Ah," he said, II think ] know
'ho did that job" O00
"Oh :" said /, show thankful I am.
hen you can put your hands upon him
I'D get back the money. l want the
oney back, Mr.. Superintendent-never ,
ind him l wouldn't mind, indeed, {
warding him for his trouble, if l could I
lily get the money back" t
"Sir ~ said the superintendent, severe s
!, "the police amt sent into the world
c,at ,,aonla'u rpnnav hank . nothino of