Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-09-25

years. I know you never took tn
you."
"But," said Fred, grasping hard tn
hand of the old clerk held out to him, I"
cannot understand it. Listen" and h.
read aloud the note from his uncle:
"MR. FREDERICK TRYoN-I coult
not believe without proof-undeniabl
positive proof-that you could rob me 0
five thousand dollars, taken, as yol
know. from my private desk on Wednes
day last. You are my sisters son, an(
will never be the one to imprison o.
punish you, but you are no longer neph
ew of mine. Willingly, will never
look you in your face again. Your i'll
gotten gains 1 freely give you to start ir
some business, trusting you will live
honestly in the future. Do not try te
see me; I will not listen to any expla.
nations I know to be false Do moi
RUFUS MARKHAM"
Maud Clarkson grew white as death
as she heard the stern edict. "Oh
Fred !" she cried, "what can you do ?''
"Starve, I suppose" was the bitter
answer, "as I do not happen to possess
the ill. gotten gains so generously pre-
sented to me. But will not ask you to
starve with me, Maud. You were be-
trothed to the millionaire's nephew and
heir; the disinherited beggar frees you
from your PROMISE"
Erred" she cried, bursting into tears,
"how can you be so cruel ?" Then un-
needing the clerk, who was directly
looking from the window, she came
close to Fred's side. Darling" she
said, fixing her eyes upon his face, "if
all the world thinks you guilty, I do
not. If all the world casts you off, I
will keep my promise"
The young lover had been bewildered,
indignant, desperate, but he folded the
gentle comforter fast in his arms, and
great tears fell on her upturned face.
| "God bless you, Maud" he cried; "I
can defy the world if you are true to
me. Now, Potter, sit down, and tell
me what you know of this wretched
business"
"Well, Mr.. Fred, I never heard of the
robbery myself until this morning, when
Vodges, ,the'detectiye your uncle employ
ed to work it up, came to make his report
They did not notice me at first, and
when your uncle remembered I was IN
the room, had heard about all Vodges
knew. You remember there was note
coming due last Wednesday ?"
ITO johnson ?"
eyes; well, thought at the time it
was curious your uncle gave him
check, when I knew the money was
drawn out the bank the day before
to meet that very note. But I never
knew till this morning that the money
was stolen from Mr.. Markham's pri-
vate desk by false keys. Mr.. Fred"
said the old man earnestly, ''it was all
in five-hundred-dollar notes, and your
uncle had the numbers"
| "WeIl?"
"This morning Vodges brought back
one Of the potes which you gave to t
yesterday inlpayment for pearl locket."
"Stop Potter let me think. Where
did get that note? 1 haveit! Arnold
gave it to me to take out hundred dol
lars I lent him some time ago. And
Arnold d-Potter, Arnold borrowed
my keys last Wednesday night to open
his trunk! Potter! huzza! We know
the theft"
mot so fast, Mr. Fred-not so FAST
1t will not be an easy matter to prove
this. Were there any witnesses pres
ent when Arnold borrowed the keys?"
mo; was alone in my room, half
undressed, when he knocked at the
door, and said he had lost the key of his
trunk. lent him my bunch Of keys,
which he returned before I was out of
bed the next day."
you the money!"
eyes; thought he was very flush,
for you know as we'll as I do, Potter,
| that note for five hundred dollars is
not daily visitor in Arnold's pocket"
"He is a cunning scoundrel. He
wants to ascertain if the notes can be
identified before he tries to get rid of
them himself. Mr.. Fred, will you leave
it to me for few days-enly few days
and if I do not catch the thief, you
may tryW
"But my uncle?"
"Wait till you can prove your inno-
cence before you see him. Only a week.
Give me only week to watch Arnold.
And, by-the-way, you will give me an
additional chance if you will leave the
city. Throw him off his guard by let
ting him suppose you are banished for
his crime"
"Run away" flashed Fred, "like a
coward ?"
"Only for week. You see, the prob
| ability is that Arnold has the money in
the fate of what he has given you before
putting any more into circulation but
he has probably hidden it very securely.
You he will watch but if you are will
ing, I will take your room while you
are gone, and do little private detec-
tective business on my part.n
1t was not easy to persuade Fred to
consent to Potter's plan, but Maud's per-
suasions being added to the old mans
he finally consented to leave the city for
week, and return in that time to vim
dicate his own innocence in case of Pot
ter's failure.
Before night Fred was on his way to
visit another city, and his landlady had
agreed to allow Mr.. Potter to occupy his
place during his absence.
Fred had been gone two days, when
| the old clerk called upon Miss Clarkson
| to report progress.
II am completely baffied." he said,
in answer to her inquiries. "You see,
Arnold knows me, and evidently sus-
poets me. He is as affectionately desi-
rous of keeping me in sight, that can
not get peep into his room and when
ever he is out, he locks the door and
gives the key to the landlady. Icannot
| force his door yet, and by the time Fred
returns, am afraid the money will be
smuggled away. am sure it is in his
possession now, he is. so careful about
his room. Nobody gets in there but
the landlady. / did think of bribing
the chambermaid to let me in when she
was at work there, but, unfortunately,
she left to-day"
A flash of flight seemed to pass across
Maud's face, but she only said, demure-
ly:
Your landlady is a german, is she
not?'
Yes; her English is very imperfect.
Have you ever seen her?
| No; | have heard Fred speak of her.
M y mother, you know, was German
But what has that to do with Fred's
case?'
I will tell you. Vodges has tried to
lind the thief, and failed. You have
tried, and failed. I mean to try and
succeed'
You What can you do?'
! Come to morrow, and will tell you.
Punctual to the appointed time, Potter
made his appearance.