Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-06-16

boy and man, since you were ten years old,
and that's twelve long years. l know you
never took the money, but things look very
ugly for you.
"But, said Fred, grasping hard the hand
the old clerk held out to him, 81 cannot under
stand it. Listen, and he read aloud the note
from his uncle:
"MR. FREDERICK TRYoN-I could not be-
lieve without proof-undeniable, positive proof
that you could rob me Of five thousand dol
lars. taken, as you know, from my private desk,
on Wednesday last. You are my sisters son,
and 1 will never be the one to imprison or
punish you, but you are no longer nephew of
mine. Willingly, will never look in your face
again. Your ill-gotten gains l freely give you
to start in some business, trusting you will
live honestly in future. Do not try to see me :;
be false. Do not write, for 1 will not open your
letters "'RUFUs MARKHAM"
Maud Clarkson grew white as death as she
heard the stern edict. "Oh, Fred !" she cried,
"what can you do?"
"Starve, suppose" was the bitter answer,
| e" as do not happen to possess the ill-gotten
gains so generously presented to me. But
will not ask you to starve with me, Maud.
You were betrothed to the millionaire's nephew
and heir; the disinherited beggar frees you
! from your promise"
IIGuY BIG CIl6N, DuI bJlllB lulO J6dTS, now
can you be so cruel?" Then, unheeding tho
clerk, who was discreetly 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, do
not If all the world casts you off, 1 will keep
my promise"
The young lover had been bewildered, indig-
nant desperate, but he folded the gentle COM
forter 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, l never heard of the rob-
berry myself until this morning, when Vogdes,
the detective your uncle employed to work it
up came to make his report. They did not
notice me at first, and when your uncle remem-
| bered was in the room, had heard about all
Vogdes knew. You remember there was a note
coming due last Wednesday,"
"To Johnson?"
eyes well, thought at the time it was
curious your uncle gave him check, when l
knew the money was drawn out of 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 private desk
by false keys. Mr.. Fred said the old man,
earnestly sit was all in fve-hundred-dolla
notes, and your uncle had the numbers"
Well ?"
"This morning Vogdes brought back one of
the notes which You gave to T yester-
day in payment for pearl locket."
Stop, Potter let me think. Where did /
get that note? l have it ! Arnold gave it to
ne to take out hundred dollars l lent him
some time ago. And Arnold Potter.
Arnold borrowed my keys last Wednesday
night to open his trunk Potter huzza!
We know the thief !"
"Not so fast, Mr.. Fred-not so fast 1t will
not be an easy matter to prove this We're there
my Witnesses present when Arnold borrowed
the keysP
"No; 1 was alone in myroom, half undressed,
when he knocked at my door and said he had lost
the key of his trunk l lent him my bunch of
Keys, which he returned before was out of bed
the next day."
"And you were alone when he paid you the
money!"
"Yes thought he was very flush, for you
know as well as | do, Potter that a note for five
hundred dollars is not daily visitor in Arnold's
pocket"
g. He is a cunning scoundrel. He wants to as
certain if the notes can be identified before he
tries to get rid of them himself. Mr. Fred, will
vou leave it to me for a few days-only few
days?-and if do not catch the thief you may
try !"
But my uncleY
"Wait till you can prove your innocence be-
fore you see him. Only week. Give me only
week to watch Arnold. And by-the-way
you will give me an additional chance if you
viii leave the city. Throw him off his guard
by letting him suppose you are banished for his
crime"
Run away" flashed Fred "like coward ?"
"Only for week. You see, the probability
is that Arnold has the money in his possession
| yet. He will wait to see the fate of what he
| hoc eriv Won, bafpra -
circulation but he has probably hidden it very
securely. You he will watch but if you are
willing, | will take your room while YOU are
gone, and do little private detective business
on my part "
1t was not easy to persuade Fred to consent
to Potters plan. but Maud's persuasions being
added to the old mans he finally consented to
leave the city for a week, and return in that
time to vindcate his own innocence in case of
| Potter's failure.
Before night Fred was on his way to visit
another city, and his landlady had agreed to
allow MIR. Potter to occupy his place during his
| absence.
Fred had been gone two days, when the old
clerk called upon Miss Clarkson to report pro-
gress
81 am completely baffled, he said, in answer
to her inquiries. "You see, Arnold knows me,
and evidently suspects me. He is SO affection
ately desirous of keeping me in sight, that
cannot get "a peep into his room; and when
ever he is out, he locks the door and gives the
key to the landady. l cannot 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 ocareful about
his room Nobody gets in there but the lard
lady. l 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 light seemed to pass across Maud s
face, but she only said, demurely
" Your landady is German, is she not?"
Yes; her English is very imperfect. Have
you ever seen her ?"
No; have heard Fred speak of her. NY
mother, you know, was German"
" But what has that to do with Fred's case p
will tell you. Vogdes has tried to find the
thief, and failed. You have tried, and failed.
L mean to try and succeed"
F" You What can you do?"
"Come tomorrow, and will tell you."
.Punctual to the appointed time, Potter made
his appearance.
With dancing eyes and flushed checks, Maud
met him.
"Wel2" he asked, certain from her looks
that she had good tidings.
81 told you would succeed |"
" And you did? Huzza I feel as young as
| Fred himself !"
"To whom l have telegraphed to return.
He will be here this evening, and you must
bring Mr.. Markham Mr.. vodges and the
proper police authorities, to meet in his room.
Then, Mr.. Potter, go to Mr.. Arnolds room.
and remove the pipe of the stove at the elbow.
In the joint you will find Mr.. Markham's memo,
randum book and the missing notes."
"You are sure?"
"Listen This morning, in calico dress
sun-bonnet, and q pair of coarse shoes, foi
disguise applied for the place of chamber
maid at the boarding house where Mr. Arnold
has room. l braided my hair in two long
plaits, and convinced your landlady that wal
a recent importation from Germany, unable tC
speak word of English. She agreed to take
me for one week on trial, and before had beer
| two hOnrS in the house. [ yas GENT To tidu Mr.