Litchfield enquirer., 1879-07-10


 and must remind the gentleman who had charge of the banks cash at Tollkirk that at no future time will the Directors be disposed to relieve him of the responsibility attaching to his office''
 There, Jamie; take that to your mother, '' said Mir. Duff kindly, handing the official note to Hamilton. II thought Peter would man. age it' (referrng to his son-in-law, the inspec- ter); 'but we maun ca canny," said the bank CT, relapsing into broad Scotch, to put the re- proof, if such it might be called, in the gen. 1 tlest form, to spare the lads feelings. There were tears of relief in Hanlilton's | treatment; Sir was afraid they would roup l lsell by auction me and my old mother out ot l Tollkirk'' "Roup ye? l couldn't spare ye, lad." Then the youth went home to his mother l jubilant, a burden lifted from him. ,,e But on the next evening, after business hours, Hamilton's face was winter than ever. l His hands were trembling as he fumbied over his cash. and s.cast" and ''recast" the long 1 ooisa,ns of figures in his caah-book. It was market day, a busy day, and large sums had TOT he found his cash three Hundred pounds short! He had not the courage on this occa- sion to go to MT. Duffs room with his plant. But the banker saw at once as he passed throug the office on his way up stairs that something was wrong.
 ''You are late, Mr. Hamilton" (Mr. Duff never in 8 general way called James ssMr' His doing so now implied misgivings) "Yes, Sir but think I won't be long ;'' his lips felt parched from excitement.
 "Are ye ready to lock up the safe with me?" ........
 'Not quite. If you are in no hurry, Sir t@a down."
 Every we'll"
 Dr. Duff went up stairs but on this occa- sion he did not finger over his meal. When he came down, half an hour later, Hamilton was not ready to lock the safe He was sitting looking into space, his head resting on his hands. ..-. "Have you balanced your cash now?" MT. Duff asked, with just perceptible edge of an- | noyance in his tone.
 ''No, Sir I differ three hundred pounds" ''Over or short ?"
 ''Short, Sir!"
 Mercy on us! This will not do. You must bestir yourself and-and find it. I have to go out to meeting to night" The banker spoke sternly.
 Hamilton once more, under Mir. Duff's eye, nervously went over his figures and counted his cash. The deficiency could in no way be accounted for.
 'This is terribly awkward, James,
 There were tears in the youths voice as he uttered: "Yes, Sir; and it will drive me mad"
 When Mr. Duff returned from his meeting at eleven O clock, Hamilton was as far from peace as ever. The younger clerks had gone away. Again the banker and Hamilton went over each item together-in vain.
 s.Wo can't repnrt fhis n fhp haad offioa whatever happens" quoth MT. Duff grimly.
 "What $ to be done, Sir?
 'Find it P
 They looked blankly in each others faces Both men went to bed with heavy hearts; nor did the search next day throw any light on the mysterious transaction. Mr. Duff could not bring himself to report this second defici- ency to his head office and the only alterna- tive was to refund the amount from his own private means. This, as may be imagined, he did very reluctantly ; and for the first time in his experience he watched the younger men, and perhaps his trusted teller, too, with just a faint and irrepressible glimmering of suspicion A mistake of this sort might happen once but to happen 8 second time at so short an inter- val, made him uneasy on other matters than mere loss of money. He had framework of mahogany and glass made for Hamilton's desk, so that no one could come near the cash in future but Hamilton himself And so, with what grace he could summon, and with many grave warnings, MT. Duff paid the ''short money, having, as he said, to '.grin and bear it."
 For a week or so things worked we'll under the new arrangement; but for the third time Mr. Duff was destined to see Hamilton DOT. ing over his books long after bank hours, this time to hear on inquiry that the luckless lad was short by no less an amount than five hun- dred pounds Had the shrewd, quick -witted James Hamilton, after ten years of faithful service become suddenly dolt? "This is beyond endurance" the banker said sharply, as the fact was communicated to him.
 ''Is is most strange" replied the helpless tel Ter, feeling that the Fates were against him.
 ''It is impossible yen can have paid the money away"
 Ut is gone, sir"
 ''Then you mast find it. I can no longer be responsible for your blunders Here is no less 8 sum than nine hundred pounds in less than six weeks to be accounted for. Many a one has been sent across the sea for less.''
 The youth put his hands over his face and fairly burst into tears. ':I must give it up Sir. can't stand this. must leave the place."
 MT. Duff was looking at him with very keen eyes as this was sebbed out Leave Toll kirk? Understand, Mir. Hamilton, that you dare not leave Tollkirk before this matter is cleared up.'
 up searching; but when the morning came they were as far from the mark as ever.
 Mir. Duff, much to the surprise of customers of the bank, next day 'took over'' the cash himself, and, rather awakwardly from want of practice became his own cashier Hamilton was degraded to subordinate duties. His spir- it's poor fellow, was fairly broken. No trace of the missing money could be found Of course, Mir. Duff could not continue acting as teller. The work interfered with even more important duties.
 A son of MT. Traill, the parish minister, who was employed at the Aberdeen branch of the same bank, at this time visited Tollkirk, and being of the same craft, spent good deal of time in MT. Duf's company. The subject of the missing money was preached and discussed between them. It so happened that George Trai]l was engaged to be married to Mary Duff and the banker having lost confidence in Hamilton, and feeling sorely in need of ca pablo help, proposed that George should apply to the Directors of the bank for the appoint ment of joint agent or partner with himself in the management of the Tollkirk branch. So it came about that in short time George Traill, 8 shrewd practical business man. relieved MT. Duff at the telling table, in order to fa- miliarize himself with the faces of the bank s customers. For some days all went we'll Then came market day. At close of the day Mir. TrailPs cash was five hundred pounds short!
 CHAPTER II.
 Dismsy fell on the quiet little bank in Toll kirk. The former uneasiness became panic. Hamilton had been made i'll by the anxiety of his position, and was in bed on the day that MT. Traills deficiency occurred. After close ly scrutinizing every entry in the books, Traill came to the conclusion that he had not paid the money in excess to any one, and that the notes must have been stolen by some one on the premises. The banks safe was duly ex- amined but the locks bore no marks of being tempered with. The windows and doors of the office were unaffected, and MT. Duff's do- mestics-who swept out the office-had been his servants and were known to him for years The matter was on this occasion reported to the banks head office but thence cime the cold intimation that no further deficiency could be made good, and referring the bank agents