Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-05-07
Whole Number 1892.

"HO Hdu spotted me, as the ueJeGJ
ives say, over his newspaper, would
IN some manner work me i'll.
Dinner over tine question arose of
now to aid the work of digestion.
Terry proposed the theatre for an
hour or so, and quiet ante-bed-
time promenade and smoke, under
some trees, if they might be found
within reasonable distance, after
which we were to separate for some
months at least.
81 tell you," Hal said, as we sat
listening to the noisy blame of drums
and French horns in the overture,
while the mechanics and their wives,
in shining faces and glaring kerr
chiefs, and shawls sent a rosy
glow around the circle, "you ought
to walk once at midnight under the
magnolia and orange trees" Talk
of under der lindens' Baden itself
if Just nowhere, compared with an
ordinary Southern plantation, in re-
spec; to voluminous and odoriferous
shade trees. It's gorgeous, down
there; | mean to run you out of
Grifs before another year and show
you the way to live properly. You
only exist here"
every true" 1 said, thinking of
his income-thousands to my hun
dreds.
"I've no doubt an aunt of mine
will die somewhere, sometime, and
bequeath me legacy of antiquated
wedding fneries and trained parrots,
and then 1 shall begin to see life, as
Mr.. Boffin used to say"
Hal laughed in his droll way, and
the stage had just been cleared for
action, when an interruption occur
red.
"Excuse me-" said a slender man
with dark eyes, iron gray hair and
moustaches, whose face seemed
strangely familiar, but which had
never seen before to my recollection.
(Which of you gentlemen IS Mr.
Jameson; if you please, 1 have a
message from Mr.. Grifford, Mr.. Solo
mon Grifford?''
"My name is Jameson" l said;
''Mr Grifford is now in Lucerne.
"He was, but has returned hasti-
ly and is now in town. He got IN
tonight, and wishes his book keeper,
Mr.. Jameson, to meet him in his
counting Office at once, as he desires
some private papers which he cannot
find in the vault" r--.-
"Strange that he gave me no init
nation of his return in his last dis
patch,'' 1 said, taking off my hat
"What cranky old chap he must
be-" said Terry, eyeing the gentle
manly messenger from head to foot.
''I'll go with you, Neil"
"That is unnecessary, Hal; remain
here. 1 dare say 1 shall be back in
twenty minutes. l shall come back
anyway, even if l can't stay"
''All right; I'Il give you twenty
minutes or half an hour Going
down, the stranger ventured on one
or two bits of information:
My name is Hawkweed; l am an
old friend of Mr. Griford's, and have
bought an interest in his house for
the purpose of establishing a for
eign branch" All of which sound
ed plausible, but l had not recovered
from my surprise when l turned the
huge KEY in the lock and entered
the gloomy place where so many of
my days had passed uneventfully
away. 1t must have been a strange
ly urgent matter of few hours,
however, Mr.. Grifford had always
managed his private affairs a little
queerly, and I supposed 1t was all
right, the light in the Office reassur-
ing me at once.
'Here is Mr.. JAMESON" said the
obliging Hawkweed, stepping to
the door of the vault which stood
open.
Sand very prompt young man
he is too, said a coarse voice behind
me, and pair of strong arms drew
me to the floor, and before l realized
my position / had been tied by a
stout rope to the iron rollers of the.
cashiers desk, and a silk handker-
chief tied over my mouth" +"
''Now then, my kiddy, you are a
desperate business man, amt you,
comm on a wild goose chase like
this here at a moments notice; why,
l wouldn't a took you to a been so
easy soaped. l wouldn't; but, law
me, what can you expect"
'Confound you, hold your tongue
said Hawkweed, working away at
the desk with a bunch of keys ia
ken from my pocket. ''The devil
take me, if | can find the right one.
Take off that rag, Bill; now, then,
which is the key that unlOcks this
here :money drawer, Mr.. Jameson,
and no fooling, You understand"
| felt the cold iron, which Bill
held persuasively against my tenn
pies and | pointed out the key, but
nv heart gave two bounds as re-
member, that for the first time in
my whole life, l had left the key to
the strong box in the pocket Of an
old office jacket, which, at that mo-
mcnt, hung on brass hook, not
three feet from the head of the au-
dacious rascal who was intent on e.
poor old GriffOrd of his
precious gold, which he was too
careful of TO put in the bank in large
quantities, as well as me of my rep
Gtation. l could never hold my
head up after this, and felt that l
merited the eulogistic remarks pass
ed upon me by Mr.. Hawkweed's
companion.
What money has been left in the
cashiers drawer has been appropri-
ated. and the office floor Uttered with
papers, but the keener of the two
villains had determined on a much
greater haul. He had lost patience
and began to curse in round oaths
when rapid steps were heard sP-
preaching, and in about a minute
and a half Hal Terry had flung his
burly form against the rutian
who held the pistol, a tap on the
head from which cody lald ham
out. g.,e