The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-11-28

Then, with forced smile
"Perhaps Sarah may have seen 1t.
No. l have asked her, and she knows
nothing about it. She saw nothing of
the kind"
"1-I-certainly saw nothing, sir"
Mr. Powers was not at all satisfied
with this answer; but he would not press
then. He dismissed the clerk, and sat
down and reflected And his reflections
were not pleasant.
That very evening Mr.. Powers call
ed upon Mr.. Selvidge, the tailor, to col
lect bill for cloth. The latter was,
fortunately, in funds, and paid the bill.
With the money which he handed out
was $40 bill of the Blackstone Nation
al Bank, new and crisp. 1t was exactly
such bill as Mr. Powers had given his
wife.
He asked Selvidge where he got it.
"Robert Veazie paid that bill to me
this forenoon"
"For what?"
"For new coat"
Mr.. Powers went home, and showed
the bill to his wife She declared in a
moment, that it was the bill she had
lost. Where had he found it?
The merchant asked her could she be
silent and discreet for a time. And
when she had assured him that she could
he told her how the bill had come into
his possession.
They were both greatly shocked
They had not believed such thing pos
sible. If Robert Veazie could be
thief, whom could they trust?
On the following day Mr.. Powers call
ed Robert into the connting-room again,
and bade him close the door behind him.
There was that in his employers look
and tone that made the youth tremble.
Mr.. Powers showed him the bank
note and asked him where he got it.
as that ffi& bill gave to Mr.. Sell
vidge."
at is.''
Robert did not answer readily. He stop
ped to think And when he did answer
his employers searching, suspicious gaze
embarrassed him.
"Mr. Powers, l saw that bank-note in
the drawer with another just like it. L
happened to have twenty dollars of my
own in small bills in my pocket, and l
made the exchange. taking the crisp,
new bill, and putting in its place my
worn ones. Before the money was de-
posted think you took the other one.
''Robert," said the merchant sternly,
81 did take bank-note exactly like
this-the only one saw with our mon-
ey that day-and l gave it to my wife
She placed it beneath the large glass
lamp upon the mantel-shelf in our sit
ting-room. She did this just before sit
ting down to tea, and forgot all about il
until the following morning, and then il
was gone On that evening only you
and Sarah were in the sitting-room
Sarah saw nothing fit. Now what am
to Think"
care you sure Sarah knows nothing?'
asked Robert, eagerly and exeitedly.
'She declares positively that she
knows nothing at all about it! trus
YOU may not have me believe that m!
t daughter could"
I sNo! No! Mop broke in Robert, quick
llv. Then he gasped and trembled.
| "What more have you to say, Robert?
} "Nothing, sir"
'Nothing?"
/ 'Nothing!"
: "You can leave me-"
e And the young man went out pale
: bowed and stricken. The merchant saw
and was sorry. 1t was a grief to hir
a deep and heartfelt Later in the da
). he went out and told Robert he Nigh
o go home.
e "I will send for you when want
e see you"
d "Mr. Powers"
D "What would you say, Robert?"
d "Nothingw
e "Then you may go. will send IL
YOU when am able to see you again
10 And Robert Veazie went out from tt
store: but he dared not go home then
d his widowed mother. The fear tn
: came nrushingly upon him was of Sara
g. Did she love him so little that she cou
he see him thus suffer and be silent? w
t. it possible that-But he dared not thin
it He must wait until these first owe
whelming emotions were passed.
II That evening Mr.. Powers and
~ wife talked the matter over; and aft
ar long and careful deliberation it was {
Of cided that Robert Veazie should be
wv MED the house, and, of course, that
an must be discharged from the sto
"a They would not publicly expose II
ret his first known crime; but they cot
w. give him their confidence no more.
es- And they must inform Sarah. tt
II was the hardest part of all. They 81
"A for her to come to them. They woI
he have it done at once. She came in, a
sat down.
ow "My dear child" said her father,
she tenderness and compassion 1--WE hav
ole painful duty to perform. We must
DIV. you of Roberts unworthiness."
ind She clasped her hands, and gasped
ee- breath. What did her father mean?
He told her the story, directly I
she clearly, of his discovery of Robe
les guilt; and he told how broken and pt
got tent the young man had appeared. !
IF a latter he added by way of showing
the crime was acknowledged.
at Pale as death, and with eyes fril
oss, fully fixed, Sarah asked if Robert
Mr.. not mentioned her name.
not "He only asked me" said her fat
but ''if 1 had spoken with you-if you &C
lent not throw some light upon the miss
.red money. I answered him promptly
you knew nothing whatever about
ack- His guilt was apparent from that
m r,oapf His sbama and remOrSe-"