The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-02

ready, I'm told" said the other. 'That
burglary last week cost them a thous-
and pounds
"Any trace of the burglars as yet?
mo. The safe must have been opened
by skeleton keys, Denny thinks"
"Humph" grunted old Hardie. "If
/ Denny trusts as he would trust him
self"
"0h, nonsense, nonsensep cried the
other old gentleman. "There's such
thing as being too suspicious, Hardie!
| You'll be saying next that Hale is at
/ the head of gang of burglars!"
'He may be, for all 1 knOw,n replied
| Hardie, dryly.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Reginald Denny be-
gan to be strangely mistrUstful. Not
of John Hale-he would as soon have
thought of doubling himself-but of
others about him.
"Hale," said he, sometimes I think
these knaves of burglars are nearer
home than any one imaginesu'
''Do you, sir ?" A CHASTITY look come
over the young mans features, as if he
were in pain. "Impossibler'
"At all events, it is worth looking
into" said Denny. "The circle of sus-
picion seems to be narrowing now. Do
you mind sitting up for a night or
two?"
mot at all, sir, if you desire it."
"pm sorry to ask it of you, as you
haven't seemed well this last week or
two"
"Pray don't mention it; I am well
enough, said Hale, almost impatiently.
It was the first night of his vigil-a
dark, tempestuOus midnight, with rain
falling outside, and the rush of equinoc-
tial winds wailing down the chimneys.
Mr.. Reginald Denny had gone home,
but some unanalyzed notion induced
him to return, quietly by stealth, to-
ward two o'clock in the morning. Let
> ting himself in by his own private key,
with a word of reinsurance to the
alarmed watchman who paced the ware
house, he noiselessly entered the count
ing-hOuse.
The safe where the money and valua-
BILE papers were kept was wide open.
, KneeIing before it, with both hands full
of bank-nOtes and bills, hurriedly trans
! ferring some to an open leather case on
his right hand, and putting others back,
r was John Hale himself.
r In an instant, Mr.. Reginald Denny's
iron grasp was on his arm.
$50 have got at the root of the mat
= ter at last,n said he, in a deep, stern
I voice. $50 you are the burglar, John
Halew
2 "Ahr' exclaimed the culprit, in dis.
e may. "Have mercyr
? "NleTcy on a heartless wretch never
= You shall pay the full penalty of your
D base ingratitude and crime.n
D "Thiuk for one moment, sir, of the
, situation in which l have been placed
: by an extravagant wife, whom fondly
= tenderly love"
t "EIer follies are no excuse for you
dishonesty; I have placed unlimited
trust i'm you-this is my reward. HaC
+ not fortunately arrived on the spot
= tomorrow would have seen me a beg
y gar, and the viper l have warmed ant
e nourished, laughing at his dupe."
While with rage and dismay, Hale
- sprang to his feet, and confronted the
= man whom he had so long been system
e atically robbing.
8 "YOu have discovered me-" he cried
in stified accents, "but you never shal
; convict meW
There was a vivid flash, the report o
1 a pistol, and the next instant John Hale
lay dead before the eyes of the mortified
V merchant.
Y at was not so much his own fault al
: it was his wife's," people said, wher
the ugly facts connected with Johr
e Hale's suicide leaked out. He wal
d weak, but not naturally wicked, anC
she prosecuted him mercil ilessly fo
a money. Poor girl her dress, fashion
u and luxuries were dearly bought.
And Victoria Hale, sitting, pale auC
}, agOniZed, in her deep widows weeds
r knew as well as if supernatural hand
! had written it in fiery letters on th,
. wall, that she had killed her husband