The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-07


when Fred, after reading the note, broke
into furious exclamation of rage.
Who dares TO say am q midnight
burglar" he shouted.
ooh, Fred, what is It gn asked Maud
turning very white"
My uncle has been robbed of five
thousand dollars, and he pays me the
compliment of supposing me the thief
because have duplicate key to his
private desk. 1 great Heavens" he
cried, with sudden change in his voice,
he cannot mean 1t rob my uncle
IL"
Mr.. Fred, said the clerk respectful
ly, " only waited to see how you took
the note, to speak a few words of ad-
vice. Mr.. Fred, was with your father
when he was killed on a railway train;
was with your uncle when he brought
you from your mothers funeral to his
home. took you to boarding 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. 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, "I
cannot understand it. Listen,'' and
he read aloud the note from his uncle:
MIR. FRED TRYoN.-I could not
believe without proof-undeniable, posi-
tive proof-that you could rob me Of five
thousand dollars, taken, as you know,
from my private desk, on Wednesday
last. You are my sisters son, and L
will never be the one to imprison or pun
ish you, but you are no longer nephew
| of mine. Willingly, will never look
into your face again. Your ill-gotten
gains freely give you to start in some
business, trusting you will live honestly
| In future. Do not try to see me / viii
| not listen to any explanation / know to
be false. Do not write me, 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 do2"
"Starve, 1 suppose" was the bitter
answer, " as do not happen to possess
the ill-gotten gains SO generously pre-
sented to me. But will not ask you to
starve with me, Maud. You were be-
trothed to the millionaire's nephew, and
heir; the disinherited beggar frees you
| from your PROMISE"
Fred" she cried, bursting into tears,
show can you be so cruel ?" 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, 1 do
not. If all the world casts you off L
will keep my promise.
The young lover had been bewildered,
indignant, desperate, but he folded the
gentle comforter fast in his arms, and
great tears dropped ON her upturned
face.
"God bless you, Maud" he cried: IT
can defy the world, if you are true to
me. Now, Potter, sit down, and tell me
what you know about this wretched
business"
"Well, Mr.. Fred, 1 never heard of the
robbery myself until this morning, when
Vogdes, the detective your uncle employ
ed to work it up, came to make his re-
port. They did not notice me at first,
and when your uncle remembered was
in the room, had heard about all
Vogdes knew. You remember there
was a note coming due last Wednesday,
To Johnson?" Yes; well, I
thought at the time 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, sit
was all in five hundred dollar notes, and
your uncle had the numbers"
"Well ?n
This morning Vogdes brought back
one of the notes, which you gave to
T. yesterday in payment for pearl
locket.n
Stop, Potter let me think. Where
oiu get that notey l have It'll Arnold
gave 1t to me to take out a hundred dol
lars lent him some time ago. And Ar
nold-Potter, Arnold borrowed my keys
last Wednesday night to open his trunk
Potter, huzza We know the thieff'
mot SO fast, Mr.. Fred-not SO FAST
1t will not be an easy matter to prove
this. Were there any witnesses present