The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-07-19

worn, he was there himself, busily occu.
pied. The telling him was The worst part
Of the business, but he uttered not word
of reproach, and evidently fully believed
my account of the matter. Still, as he
paced up and down his room with q
gloomy, ashen face, saw that the disas.
ter was one that affected him bitterly.
Have you told the policer he asked
sharply, at last. "No," l replied, II am
now on the way; I have only seen Robert
Hargreaves since" "Thank Heaven, you
have not. The thing is bad enough, le,
Us make the best of 1t. Not word ID
anybody of the loss, except Kate; you may
trust her; but not another living soul"
My uncle was right, could see, hard
as it was to keep quiet. The tale Of such
loss, under these suspicious circum.
stances, at this especial 1unCture, would
be fatal to his credit. Az it was, he might
be able to tide over his difficulties. He
would 60 to London at once and try to ge'
the bills held over. And If cotton w0uld
only spring little! e
Already Uncle Henry was over the worst
of his misfortune, and going about his
business alert and composed. But for me-
how could l bear the thought of the prob.
able ruin-disgrace, event. should have
brought upon my friend and benefactor
/ kept up till had seen him of by the
London train. Then hurried off to Kate
to tell of the irretrievable misfortune and
to get little comfort, where only comfort
was possible, from woman's sympathy.
Kate, when first told her the news,
was overcome with grief and dismay. But
she soon recovered presence of mind and
courage, and tried to re.establish mine.
1t was possible to do something in the
matter. If we could take no open meas
ures to find out the thieves, we might try
secret negotiations. Those who had
stolen the notes would likely enough be
would be open to an offer, and appreciate
safety Herewith. Without loss of time,
I inserted an advertisement in all the local
papers and the London dailies, Offering q
reward of 81 ,00O for the recovery of the
missing notes. But no result followed
made no sign.
Next day back came Uncle Henry from
London, having succeeded in renewing
AAS WILLS JOA UAOUuCk 4OuAtCCA u0ySs ~
was now the middle Of June-on the Sd
could be no further credit given, for things
Gillies s. Co.'S failure had caused uni
versal mistrust and want of confidence.
But If cotton only sprang an eighth per
pound, all would be we'll.
Cotton did not spring, however, but fell
. trifie instead. Failures were rife at
Middleton as well as in London. The
strongest firms were talked about, and
Uncle Henry did not escape. Still, he
carried ON matters bravely; and when the
fourteen days had passed, if there should
happen NO favorable change in the
markets, things would be bad with him.
| now bitterly regretted that the loss of
the notes had not been made public. 1t
would be pretty story for my uncle's
creditors, if he had to call them together
all the more improbable, too, as this
would lie the first that had been heard Of
it. But it was too late now; to say any
thing about it would only precipitate mat
tiers, indeed, and destroy Uncle Henry's
last chance.
Day after day passed away, bringing no
improvement in the state Of affairs. 1t
was now the last day of the month; on the
Sd of next month, if no help came, uncle
would have to stop payment. / was sit
ting at my desk, the pen idle in my hand,
brooding over coming misfortune, when i
heard letter drop into my box and the
quick rap of the postman. It was only 4
dead letter after all-s0me letter had
misdirected, no doubt; another piece of
carelessness or stupidity to 60 to my &C.
count, swelling by ever SO little the great
balance against me. Ten thousand
pounds! Why, whole life's slavery
would not be an equivalent. l flung the
dead letter from me in disgust, and re.
turned to my dismal reverie. There it
lay, however, looking at me reproachful.
", and took it up at last to be rid Of it.
But on tearing open the Postoffice envel-
Ope, found that the letter within was
not in my handwriting, hut apparently in
that of some illiteratc person, and that
the address was that of q person knew
nothing about. 1t was an unopened letter,
addressed to 8. Captain Sam White, Now.
lands Row, Middleton" Why had they
sent it back to me, who certainly had not
written it? The secret was that the en-.
velOpe was one of mine-its seal embossed
with my name and address-and thus il
had been sent to me at once, failing its
delivery to the addressed. 1t was very
COO of somebody to make use of my en-
velOpe. Still, as the letter had nothing
to do with me, had no right to open it,
and was about 10 inclOse it to the Post.
MASTER General, asking him to have the
letter opened and returned to the original
sender, when Kate came in as usual, to
see if had heard anything. "No news
again to-day, James ?" she asked, stoutly
!" No news, Kate" and we beth sighed
then she Looked over my shoulder to see
what was doing.
och, Jim!" she said reproachfully
taking the letter from my hands, you
are corresponding with those betting men
again; you are trying to get back uncle's
money that way, and you will only make
it WORSE"
Then I remembered that Sam White
was betting man who had been advertis
ing a good deal lately. I explained tt
Kate how the thing had happened, and
she quietly disposed of my scruples, and
satisfied her own curiosity, by Selling thu
letter, tearing it open and taking it to thu
window to read. As she read, her pretty
face was puckered up into all kinds O
puzzled wrinkles.
II can make nothing of it," che said
at last, handing me the dead letter.
1t was dated the 18th of June, the DAY
after the robbery, but bore no date and NJ
signature.
RESPECTED frend-Have litel job lot of calico
prints, ten th0wsend yards or So rewtabc for ful
rem market. Ill come over and zee thee on tn
fnrst, and mind ye have the sinners reddy. Owl
place, ut 'levcn + t morning."
"Jem!" cried Kate, when had finishe,
reading, no light coming to me in tn
process, "were there any envelopes in tn
portfolio that was stolen with the notes p
"Yes, there certainly were few, an
stamped with my name and address on tn
SEAL"
"Then that letter is from the thief an
the ten thousand yards of calico are tn
notes, and he is going to meet somebod
ON the first, that is tomorrow, and get ri
| of them.'
There was no doubt that Kate was righI
and I rose and Rugged her on the spot q
the joy of her discovery. But, after al
when the first burst of delight was Ovel
how were we the better for this letter
The postmark was Middleton; there va
nothing in the letter itself to give an
clue to the writer. But IL we could I'm