The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-06-18

on, ''the burden of our mother s
support. I enclose you my employer,
Mr.. Winters check for all my saw
ings over the necessary expenses of
my journey. 1 cannot tell you
where 1 am going, for | do not
know. To you and our mother
the only ones to whom I haze the
right to offer it leave my fondest
love. Farewell
1t was the check thus enclosed,
which on being presented by Ernest,
was ascertained to have been altered
to a larger amount.
On being questioned, Ernest of
fered no explanation. Instantly it
flashed upon him that he could not
speak without compromising his
1 brother. and his silence was construed
as a confession of guilt. He was at
once arrested and committed to
trial.
Silas Grimgrin was a post-office
clerk. moral beyond his years. and
with a conscience tendcrly alive to
the sins of others. We have already
seen how little lenity poor Ernest
received at his hands.
Silas Grimgrin had just returned
from Miss Thugge's party, and. in
his bachelor apartment was regaling
himself with a segar and divers re-
fections on the vanity of human
wishes, when knock announced a
visitor.
Come in" said Silas. gIancing
over his shoulder.
| STOPPING to clear the doorway, a
young man entered, a fellow-clerk Of
Silas. at least six feet two in height, /.
with a. good-natured, but not particu-
larIy brightlooking countenance.
Good evening. Mr.. Grimgrin."
"Good evening. Bunce," said
Silas. Pray lower yourself on the
sofa. for your head must be dizzy at
that height
Mr.. Bunce smiled at the joke; it
was an old acquaintance.
''Wbat do you think of Jasper's
case?' he inquired.
"There can be but one opinion
Silas answered.
q have mine, at least" said the
other.
.'And what is it, pray?''
''That he is not guilty
Then who 2" said Silas, sharply.
"You - retorted Bunce, planting
himself before the door, and display
ing a badge, at the sight of which
Silas trembled.
"What proof have you of such an
accusation? said Silas, recovering
his presence of mind with an effort.
''Ample," replied the other. ',Nu-
merous peculations in the Office here
induced the authorities to place it
under surveillance. and for a month
past have occupied the post of de-
tective under the guise Of q clerk.
Two days ago, unobserved, rs you
thought, you distracted a letter di-
rected to Ernest Jasper. Next day
you returned it. An examination
which I, as well as you, know how to /
make, proved that it contained Il
check; the same-for by a process
of my own was able to read its
coutents-to-day presented at the
bank by Jasper and now in my pos |
session" !
"But all that" argued Silas, 'does ]
not prove that either opened the {
letter or altered the check +
''As to the question of the letters !
having been opened" said the detec- I
tive, "an expert is not easily deceiv-
ed. AS to the alteration, MIR. :
the drawer, isready to swear
hat George Jasper enclosed it unal-
-ered in his presence, and left the
etter with him to mail; and I can 7
swear that when it came to the hands +
If Ernest Jasper the check was in
is present state.''
Silas Grimgrin stood mute and a
'ullen. e
There is another charge against t
you." resumed the detective. o
Silas started. v
To-day you opened a decoy let t.
er containing money" n
The guilty man made movement II
s if to escape, but the towering II
orm of the detective blocked his a
ray. In an instant the snap of the v
andcufs on his wrists was heard, 81
nd brief search brought to light b
he identical bin taken from the de.
oy letter. b
The poor wretch's courage failed, tt
nd he confessed all. He had sto-
en- George Jasper's letter, not as he
ad others, for gains sake. but to
observe another purpose. He too o.
wed Mildred Heath, and had been I'll
lainly instrumental in breeding diff m
culties between her and her betroth- to
4. To fix upon his rival the stigma to
an infamous crime, seemed a sure NJ
ay to secure the field to himself. eN