Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-10-16
NEW SERIES, VOL. XII. NO. 42.

| 7"You have bad news ]" she cried.
| "Perhaps Mr.. Fred had better read the
note, - was the evasive reply.
But Nlaud's terror was only increased
when Fred, after reading the note, broke
into a furious exclamation of rage.
"Who dares to say l am q midnight
burglar p he shouted.
''Oh, Fred, what is it ?" asked Maud, turn
ing very white.
t.My uncle has been robbed of Eve thou>
sand dolars, and he pays.me the complim ent
of supposing mo the thief because have a
duplicate key to his private desk. L great
heavens p he cried, with a sudden change
in his voice, che canuot mean it l rob
my uncle! p
"Mr. Fred" said the clerk, respectfully,
II only waited to see how you took the ncte,
to speak few words of advice. Mr.. Fred,
l was with your father when be was killed
on the railway train : I was with your uncle
when he brought you from your mothers
funeral to his home. I took you to board
ing: school, and brought you home for the
holidays, and I've loved you, 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 band
of the old clerk held out to him, Il cannot
u0QeTSIa0O 1t. lJlSleO, anu nc ISa0 u!Ouu
the note from his uncle:
"MR. FREDERICK TRToN-T could not be-
| lieye without proof-undeniable positive proof
that you could rob me of five thousand dol.
| lars, taken, Us you know, from my private
desk on Wednesday last. You are my sis
! ter's son, and | will never be the one to inn
prison or punish you, but you are no longer
nephew of minP. Willingly, [ will never
! look you in your face again. Your i'll gotten
| gains [ freely give you to start in some busi-
| ness, trusting you will live honestly in the
| future. Do not try to see me l will not
| listen to any explanations l know to be false
| Do not write, for will not open your letters.
RUFUS MARKHAM"
| Maud Clarkson grew white as death as
she heard the stern edict- 'Oh, Fred y sho
cried, "what can you do?"
''Starve, suppose" was the bitter answer,
Gas [ do not happen to possess the ill-gotteu
| gains so generously presented to me. But l
! will not ask you to starve with me, Maud.
| You were bctrothcd to the millionaire's ncph-
ew and heir; tho disinherited besgar frees
| you from your promise
chow can you be so cruel ?" Then unhecd-
| ing the clerk, who was directly looking from
the window, she came close to F.ed'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 bcxidercd, in
dignant, 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 t'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, | never heard OF tho rob-
! berry myself until this morning, when Vodges,
| 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 re.
membered ] was in the room, l had heard
about all Vodges knew. You remember
there was a note coming due last Wednes-
day ?"
"To johnson p
"Yes; we'll, I thought at the time it was
| curious your uncle gave him check, when
1 knew the money was drawn out the bank
the day before to meet that very note. But
l never knew till this morning that the
money was stolen from Mr.. Markhsm'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"
'TWell?"
.''This morning Vodges brought back ono
of tho notes which you gave to = yes
terday in payment for pearl Iocket." -.
| ''Stop, Potter! let mo think. Where did
I get that note? ? l have it! Arnold gave
| it to me take out hundred dollars I lent
him some time ago. And Arnold--POt-
ter, Arnold borrowed my keys last Wednes-
day night to open his trunk Potter huzza
We know the thief!'
''Not so fast, Mr. Fred-not so fast It
will not be an easy matter to prove this.
Were there any witnesses present when
Arnold borrowed the keys?"
mo; was alone in my room. half un-
dressed, when he knocked at the door, and
said he had lost tho key Of his trunk. /
! lent him my bunch OF keys, which he re-
turned before was out of bed the next day"
"ADd you were alone when be paid you
the money 2"
eyes; / thought he was very flush, for
you know as we'll as do, Potter, that a note
for FIVE hundred dollars is not daily visitor
in Asnold's pocket"
He is cunning scoundreL He wants
to ascertain If the notes can be identified
before he tries to get rid of them himself
Sir. Fred. will you leave it to me for a few
! days-only few days?-and if l do not
catch the thief, you may try!"
"But my uncle 2"
"Wai: till you can prove your innocence
before you can see him. Only week. Give
me only week to watch Arnold And. by
the-wsy. you will give me an additional
chance if you will leave the city. Throw
him of his guard by letting him suppose
you are banshed for his crime" =.
"Run away" flashed Fred, 'Tikea cowsri?"
''Only for a week. You see, the proba-