The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-11-17

i
"But,a said Fred, grasping hard the
hand the old clerk held out to him, IL
cannot understand it. Listen" and he
read aloud the note from his uncle
'hE. FREDERIcK TRYog-I could no be.
iieyewithout proof-undeniabl 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 nv sis.
Ter 5 SON. and will never be the one TO i'm.
prison or punish you, but you are no longer
nephew Of mine. Willingiy, will never look
IN your face again. Your ill.eotten gnins I
freely give you TO start in some business,
trusting you will live honestly in future. Do
not Try to see mel will not listen 10 any ex.
| plantations | know TO be false. Do not write.
ior will not open your letters.
RuFus MARKHAM
Maud Clarkson grew white as death as
she heard the stern edict. aoh, Fred p
she cried, "what can you do ?"
"Starye, | suppose" was the bitter an
swer, "as ! do'nOt happen to possess the
ill,gotten gains 50 generously presented to
me. But will not ask you to starve with
me, Maud. You were betrothed to the
inillionaire's nephew and heir; the disin.
herited beggar frees you from your prom
ise.'
Erred, she cried, bursting into tears,
show can you be so cruel7" Then, un-
needing the clerk, who was discreetly
looking from the window, she came close
to Fred's side. Darling, she said, fixing
her eyes upon his face, eff all the world
thinks you guilty, do not. If all the
world casts you of, will keep my prom
ise.n
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; al
can defy the world, if you are true to me.
Now, Potter, sit down, and tell what you
know Of this wretched business"
swell, Mr.. Fred, never heard Of the
robbery myself until this morning, when
Vogdes, the detective your uncle employed
to work it up, came to make his report.
They did not notice Inc at first, and when
your uncle remembered l was in the room,
| had heard about all Vogdes knew. You
remember there was a note coming due
last Wednesday ~
''To johnson r.
"Yes well, | thought at the tirae it was
curious your uncle gave him check, when
knew the money was, drawn out Of the
bank the day before to meet that very
note. But / never knew till this morning
that the money was stolen from Mr.. Mark.
hams private desk by false keys. Mr..
Fred, said the old man, earnestly, at was
in observation-disclosures notes, and your un-
Gle had the numbers
"WeTl? p
This morning vogdes brought back
one Of the notes which you gave to T.
yesterday in the payment for a pearl
locket."
"Stop, Potter let me think. Where
did / get that note? | have it Arnold
gave il to me. to take out hundred dol
lars | lent him some time ago. And Ar.
mold Potter, Arnold borrowed my
keys last Wednesday night to open his
trunk Potter huzza We know the
thieflp
"Not 50 fast, Mr.. Fred-not so fast.
II will not be an easy matter to prove this.
Was any witness present when Arnold Dor
rowed the keys?"
"No; was alone in my room, half un-
dressed 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 re-
turned before / was out Of bed the next
day."
"And you we're alone when he paid you
this money!
"Yes; | thought he was very flush, for
yod know as well as / do, Potter, that
note for FIVE hundred dollars is not a daily
visitor in Arnold's pocket"
ale is cunning scouudrel. He wants
to ascertain if the notes can be identified
before he tries toAget rid of them himself.
Mr.. Fred, will you leave 1t to me for
few days-Ouly few days2--and If |
don't catch the thief you may tryr'
"But my Unclei Sam 2"
"Wait till you can prove your innocence
before you sec him. Only a week. Give
me only week to watch Arnold. And,
by-the-way, you win give me an additional
chance if you will leave the city. Throw
him off his guard by letting him suppose
you are banished for his crime.
aRun away flashed Fred, "like
coward y
"0nly for week" You see, the prob
ability is that Arnold has the money in
his possession yet. He win wait to see
the fate of what he has given you before
putting any moro into circulation; bat 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"
It was not easy to persuade Fred to
consent to POtter's plan, but Maud's per.
zuasions being added to the old mans he
finally consented 70 leave the city for
week, and return in that time to vindicate
his own innocence in case Of Pottefs
failure.
Before night Fred was on his.way to
visit another city. and bis landlady had
agreed to allow Mr.. Potter to occupy his
place during his absence.
Fred had been gone tvs days, when the