Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-07-20

self, his son, his nephew and niece.
The two latter I saw for the first tim
at the dinner table.
Clyde evidently not only knew my el
rand, but was conscious of the suspicion
that were attached to him.
He seemed i'll at ease and his name
towards me was naughty, almost defiant
But 1 did not take this to be proof 0
guilt, as those less used to criminals an
the working of crime might.
| He had stout, strongly developed form
dark hair and eyes, and heavy beard. Hi
features were rather irregular, but hi
face, under more favorable circu instances
would not have been displeasing, though
it looked rather dark and lowering now.
The young lady who sat opposite Mr.
Glover, was his niece Emily.
! Her face would have been noted any
| where, and not only on account of it
beauty. The hair was of jetty. blackness
the eyes Of the same hue, and the com
| plex ion as fair and clear ASA lily,
And yet the first glance struck me I'm
favorably; the black, heavy brows we're toe
near together, and the upper lips closed 81
firmly over the under, that they gave the
face cold repelling look. But this van
ished the moment she spoke or smiled.
What struck me as a little singular was
that she spoke to her betrothed and chatte(
gaily with her uncle, she did not address
one word to her cousin James; neither die
he speak to her, or even glance toward the
place where she sat.
The niece either was, or seemed to be
quite unconscious of the object of my
visit, or that anything unpleasant had oc
CURED.
After dinner 1 went to Mr.. Glover's
place of business, where the robbery had
occurred.
I examined the safe. The lock bore no
marks of being tempered with. 1t was
evident that it had been entered by means
of d key.
Nj. Glover assured me that he always
locked the safe himself, keeping the key
in his own possession; though he owned
that it would not be impossible for any
one to obtain duplicate who resided in
the family. The combination used was
intricate and puzzling, but not insur-
mountabie by the same means
On our return to the house, Mr.. Glover
went to his own room, while 1 proceeded
to the back parlor, at the further end of
the hall, my footsteps giving forth no
sound, as they fell upon the soft carpet.
The door was ajar. but the gas not being
lighted and hearing the sound of whisper
ing within, l paused ON the threshold.
"How Can you be so imprudent James %
said tue soft voice of a woman.
Give me one kiss, darling! only one!'
pleaded an eager, passionate voice in reply.
Hearing the sound of Il step upon the
scure corner of the hall.
1t was servant to light the gas, and
soon as it flashed up, I entered the parlor,
us though had just come in.
Its only occupants were Mr.. James Clio
yer and Miss Leland.
The former was standing by the win
dow, with his back to the door; the latter
was seated upon the sofa, at the further
end of the room.
She sat with her head leaning listlessly
on her hand, but there was warm glow
upon her cheek and 4 strange glitter of the
ewes, that not even the long, dropping
lashes could conceal.
1t was in pursuance of my own plans that
became domiciled at Mr.. Glover's: the
large reward offered, as we'll as my profes-
siollal reputation being at stake, having
stimulated my zeal to the utmost.
My room overlooked the garden. and one
moonless night | saw the faint shadow OF
a man under Il tree at the further end OF
it. 1t was soon joined by another; evil
IDENTIFY, from it's sweeping outlines, Wo
man.
They approached and melted into one.
They were undoubtedly lovers, but who
Surely not Clyde and Miss Leland-thel
would have no occasion to meet i'll thai
way.
The woman was the first to go: gliding
across the garden, she entered a side door
The other figure fingered few minutes
and getting down upon his knees seemed
to be cropping among the roots OF the trees
lie then disappeared through the samt
entrance.
At early dawn the next day l was ou
in the garden, going directly to the spot
where 1 had seen the two figures the night
before.
looked narrowly around, but could dis
cover neither shred nor footstep by which
could gain any clue to their identity.
Recalling the mysterious movements o.
the man at the base of the tree, examin
ed closely the ground around it.
was about relinquishing my search
wien | chanced to misplace a pebble, tina
! lay half hidden in the long grass at thu
| foot of the main root. Pntting my hand
OF rather two fingers, on it, in the erevic'
it concealed, discovered something hard
1t was key, and needed only one glanc
at it to determine its character and design
After breakfast l had private inter
view with Mr.. Grover and his son, telling
them that | had discovered the thief; tina
[ was going to New ork to perfect m
arrangements for his arrest, and that the
must keep everything quiet until my re
turn.
Addressing the fathar. | said'
"rough it may be Il matter mucl
private sorrow, remember that there nee
be no public exposure, unless you choo e.
II understand you, Sir" said the Oh
man Strengthening himself up, and lool
ing me steadily in the eye. Clyde is m
dead sisters son, and I have reared him a
teplerly as if he were my own; still b
shall not escape the punishment he mel
its y
Imade no reply, and in five minutes wa
.ra,s Ia the statinn lanes accom-