The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-09-11


as it was, he was already astir; could
see him through the window, cross-leg-
ged on his board, busily at work, stitch
ing away at cowskin waistcoat; even
in the overpowering anxiety of the mo-
ment, could not help feeling of won
der at his employment, the rest of his
apparel so much more in need of his
labor. The ground was too soft to give
warning of my approach, but my shad-
ow falling across the window, made him
look up suddenly. Catching my eye, a
deadly pallor came over his face, the
corners of his mouth began to twitch,
he jumped off his board and came to
the door. Bob stood in the doorway re-
garding me with an air of covert mis-
trust, then his eyes glanced eagerly
around as if he doubted whether were
not accompanied. Seeing only the
empty cab and its driver, waiting in the
road, a hundred yards off, he recovered
his self possession and inquired my bus
iness. asked him, eagerly, if he had
kept the numbers of the notes he had
paid me on the previous day. Why,
what's amiss; haven't you ?" parried
Robert with instructive caution. Some
thing at this moment prompted me to
equal caution. 1t struck me that Har-
greaves would be more ready to give in
formation if he thought that was al
ready possessed of it. "Oh, have the
numbers" / replied; but 1 thought L
should like to compare my list with
yours" What, you've gotten list
then," cried Robert, "then what do
you want more ?'' 6 The notes have
been stolen," L said, and then went on
to describe the circumstance of the rob-
berry. Robert listened with sarcastic,
incredulous smile that was very provok-
ing, especially as felt that his mental
attitude toward the story was that which
the whole world would speedily assume.
"Take my advice, ''he said, 'go home and
frame likelier tale than that. Same
time, if your uncle's in with ye, Pm not
one to spoil sport There's one lee to
begin with if they took the case with
the numbers in it, how do you come to
| know 'em now ?" 81 took O copy, of
COURSE" replied, scarcely noticing the
| insinuation, or broad assertion rather,
contained in Roberts speech I was too
broken spirited. But must compare
| it with yours. Oh do give me the num-
bers, Mr.. Hargreaves.' "Nay, I've
gotten no numbers" 4" he replied, sullen-
ly; "what'd be the use of numbers to
me? I'd work enow to gather 'em to-
gether, bit by bit and one by one, with
out bothering about numbers. Pm no
scholar either, for that matter"
With that he slammed the door in my
face, and went back to his board, but 1
saw no sign of the cowslzin waistcoat as
passed his window, detected and crest
fallen. Bob was sitting with his needle
in his hand, gazing at its point in kind
of sullen reverie. In him was the last
gleam of hope possessed, and could
not give it up without another trial.
"I'm sure you could tell me something
about them, Mr.. Hargreaves," cried
to him through the window, "where
you got them from, some of them"
ct tell thee what, said Bob from his
board, 81 swear my Bible oath I know
naught more about thy notes, so go thy
] ways"
There was nothing to by gained by
wasting more time over Robert, and L
drove away homeward, still more
wretched than before. By the time we
reached Middleton, business had COM
menced at my uncle's warehouse, and,
always early at his work, he was there
himself busily occupied. The telling
him was the worst part of the business,
but he uttered not a word of reproach,
and evidently fully believed my account
of the matter. Still, as he paced up and
down his room with gloomy, ashen
face, I saw that the disaster was one that
affected him bitterly.
Have you told the police ?" he ask
ed sharply, at last "No," replied, II
am now on the way have only seen
Robert Hargreaves since" "Thanl1
Heaven you have not. The thing is bad
enough, let us make the best of it. Not
a word to anybody of the loss, except
Kate; you may trust her; but not an
other living SOUL"
My uncle was right, could see, hard
as it was, TO keep quiet. The tale of
such loss, under these suspicious cir
curstances, at this especial juncture
would be fatal to his credit. AS it was