The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-08

sne '' ~, the safe: 81 am sorry to say, siE,
che cash appears to be one hundred pouHas
snort - James was very pale "neh nc
snake. and despite bis efforts to preFeot u
hfs voice trembled. A stranger coufd nov
have fold whether the YOUTHS ayatatfos' was
the result OF fright or guilt. 81 ,o..
Mr.. Dnff knew him too wei 10 set tue Ia.-
tnr alternative dwell in his nina 1ot e'en
rnoment. but the lads excitement was
annan,yhat infectious, aud 1t was WIN Jus.
,;,,ie .hrob that he replied, :" lou are 10
t;ne .iamie.,' Mr.. Duff leaned BACK IN ms
cha;r and nibbled the feather emu Oh sss
o,,;il as he looked in the lads race. ,.7
az was never more serious III my 'te7
reiterated Hamilton.
49, n Ia some mares nest, depend apou
IT'D said MIR. Duff In tone tnat pai.E ..
assured the poor fellow. nave yeur 'e
very busy at the desk to-day, oanes ,,,rs
mn, horn busy. Hardly three pages OF OUT
cash-book are tiled" 1, ,,a;ne
,,,-st.irs 70 dinner. In the mean tius cno 60
~ INNOVATIONS and your cash, ana oS
and nv I'll come in to lock up The safe WIKI
ye." - .,o honrer,s room
"a Che ou,er Office with very grave iace-
A. nm. who lived with bis family, as 10
customary in Scotland, in the very eoino ~;
.S;nne honse attached to the bank, sent MS
letters 70 be copied by the junior CLERK, ana
tben went leisureiy upstairs to dsuher.
Mr. Duf,,s was, for a MAJ who does uo'
,,;ec, 10 permapent residence IN pro'tn.
c;aI town very easy and pleasant mooe VI
life. His work was not hard. nor were n.s
RESPONSIBILITIES very heavy. det,aoa tis.st
and comfortable home in an oio-lasu,on:u
conntry town, and although MS VIE 'as !"
the church-yard on the Drae ny ,ne I've -
side these ten years, StlIl ne Ia. wv
Mary Diff ibesidcs Jennie, the mar
Rod daughter. who lived in Edinoure!.
whose delight it was 10 make MS HE
sunny and happy. He was naturally-De-
inc known to possess private means, ana on
account OF his official capacity az the as
ncnser of discounts and custodian OF the
wnoltb of the ncighborhood-a man OF some
;mnortance in Tolikirk. and formed part Oh
nc we'll as moved in, Tollkilk's best society.
He was magistrate and farmer rs wen rs
banker. and on Sundays, for many ION"
year. he had stood beaminS behind "tnc
nla,cn ot the entrance to the "auld klrk."
Everybody knew him and he knew every
bodv. and perhaps nobody respected MIN
the less because he pretty well knew 10
within pound or two what every rate-
nayer on his side OF the country was worth
financially.
He took his life very easy, as have SAID,
making no undue fuss when an accommoaa-
ticn bill was presented to him II he knew
as he was certain to know-the pedlSfee
and progress through life OF drawer ana
cndorser. He was respected, TOO, oy MS
Edinburg employers as man OF prudence
and sagacity. who never made bad deDts'
never troubled them with applications 1of
rise OF salary or transfer OF agency
whose books always stood the MI
nutest inspection, and who, speaking
generally, wanted no fayors from them:
Rather, granted fayors, by OCCASIONAL
invitations to visit him at Tollkirk, where
there is UNSURPASSED trout and salmon-flStl-
ing, besides magnificent "liHks" for golf,
and where the local distillery yields liquid
OF more than local reputation. The CITY
birds were not slow to accept such invita-
tions, Mr.. Duff being, over tumbler OF
toddy, the best Of company, and generous
in the matter OF horses and tshng-rods.
The chief inspector Of the bank came often
enough 10 WOO the fair Jenny, the eldest OF
the family, aud took her away with him
one summer day, to the general bereaYe'
ment Of Tollkirk.
The banker did not hurry over dinner on
the particular afternoon of which | write.
When he went upstairs he did not give Il
second thought to James Hamlton'S pale
face but quietly settled himself in his arm
chair after doing Justice to his simple rcpast,
TO read for the second time the report OF his
own recent treat speech at the parochlal
board, given at length in the Tollkirk Herald,
lii I,Oti n
spokeE sentences seen in black and white
communicating pleasing sense Of compa'
cence and importance as influencing pubic
opinion. II was nearly 7 o'clock before MI
Duff remembered that he had not yet locked
I'D his safe, and that his clerk was probably
waiting below for him. He was surprised
when he opened the office door--leadng te
the hall OF his house-to tind Hamilton still
bending over his cash-book with an expires
sion of deep anxiety on his face, and bun
dies Of bank-notes lying on the desk before
him.
"What, James, still in u fog?" he asked
cbeeriully, as he came in. "Not found youl
difference, eh?"
az am a hundred pounds short, sir, with
out doubt"
Hamilton had toled through every entry
over and over again; had counted and re-
counted his bundle OF notes, and now had {
very sharply defined fear in his heart and :
vision in the background OF his imagination
OF dearly-loved old mother waiting fol
him at home, and who was i'll able 10 bear
the responsibility Of such a loss--if loss il
should prove TO be.
"Amare'S nest, I'll be bound" Mr.. Duff
said, good-naturedly, taking Hamilton's
place before the cash.book. Very carefully
and with keen eye he went over each
entry; very carefully, too, he counted the
cash, and recounted it; but only to t;nd
that Hamilton's words were too true. The
cash was undoubtedly E100 short.
81 think we had better sleep over it,"
Mr.. Duff said at last, looking at his watch.
"The difference will turn up in tue morn
ing, you may depend upon it." Then the
cash and books were carried into the safe,
and the office closed for the night.
Poor Hamilton lay awake nearly all night
thinking over some probable clue to the
whereabouts OF the missing money. Never
before had he left the bank with such a
dread on his mind, for he felt certain he
had gone over each item Of the day, that he
bad not overpaid any one to such an extent !,
and he knew that on him deyolyed the re-
sponsibllity to make good any such de-
1ciency. He hardly spoke to his mother as
he ate what she called his <sruined din
ner"-spoiled by three long hours Waiting
In the oven-nor could she get from MN all
through the evening a hint OF the cause OF
his trouble. She guessed and hinted that
perhaps Minna Duff. '.the little hlf." haa
something to do with his gloom, Tor sue
knew how her boys heart lay in regard 10
the bankers Younger daughter; but her
sons reply was equivalent 70 snub.