The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-11-23

Fred Harding He was In the habit OF
often lounging In and out of the store,
reading the papers and exchanging the
news, and had distant remembrance
of his sitting by the stove, within hear
ing distance, when Mr.. Crofton fret
mentioned the matter TO me, but thought
nothing Of IL at the time.
"In less than ten minutes l was on
my way back TO Stockport. What my
thoughts and feelings were during the
journey would be difficult to describe, so
conflicting were their nature. At one
time was strong in the belief that ]
should be able to circumvent the william
that had robbed me of more than life,
and then my hopes were down to zero.--
/ knew that Harding's eagerness to win
sweet Lucy Crofton made him jealous OF
the favor with which her father regard
ed me, and was convinced that his OBJ
ject was not simply money, but to ruin
me in my employers estimation. The
result would be the same, at all events.
Unless could get the package, farewell
to all my bright prospects and the sweet
est maiden in all the world to me.
" 1t was dusk when reached Stock
port, for which was not sorry. i went
directly to the hotel where knew Hard
ing boarded. He had been out of town
for the last two days SO the porter told
me, but had just got back Ascer-
tanning the number, proceeded to his
room, and, the door being ajar, i went
in; Harding was not there, but the
bright light and cheerful fire indicated
that he was not far off, and sat down
and waited.
looked scrutizingly around. On
the chair near me lay an old glove, the
mate to the one in the satchel, as i
found by comparing them. Another
link in the chain of evidence.
I" had scarcely time to secure this
and decide upon my course of action
when Harding entered. L have not
power to describe his establishment and
dlsmayed look as he saw me. Quickly
recovering himself he advanced eagerly
toward me.
" ignoring the outstretched hand j
said, sternly:
"Mr. Harding, here is the satchel you
left behind you in the little masquerade
you played last night. You acted your
part well, but 1t Is time to lay off the
mask now. In this satchel is an odd
glove, the mate of which 1 found upon
the chair yonder, and which may be of
value to you. You can have it in ex-
change for the package you took from
me-"
Taken entirely by surprise, and q
coward at heart, the villain turned dead
ly pale.
GO Will you give me twenty four
hours to leave town in Z"
Taking revolver from my pocket
advanced one step nearer.
"' Give me that package and you can
have forty. eight hours; refuse and you
have not five minutes to live!'
60 1t was about his person as / surmis-
ed, and without another word he gave it
to me.
Only waiting to make sure that IL
was the same, and had not been tamper
ed with, L sprang down the stairs, two
steps at time, in my haste to catch the
train that knew would be soon DUE
Twenty minutes later 1 was on my
journey again feeling like freed bird as
/ sped along.
By travelling day and night, and
taking, brief times for rest and refresh.
rS,aots + en- non rlxy rooda NJ, five time I
had lost as to be able to bring my bust
ness to satisfactory conclusion within
the limits assigned me. On my return
found good many of my friends and
acquaintances considerably excited on
the subject of Harding's sudden and
mysterious disappearance. 1 kept my
own counsel, however, being more
ashamed of the successful game that had
been played with me, than by being able
by fortunate combination of circum-
stances, to checkmate him in the end.
at was not until Lucy had been my
wife nearly year, and 1 was Junior
partner of the firm, that ventured to
tell her father of his narrow escape from
o serious loss,s which, in its results,
would have been more disastrous to me
than to him, inasmuch as it would have
involved the loss of the most precious o.
all my earthly possessions.
81 Do not fancy, because you car
only save penny now and then, that
you will never become the possessor Of
pounds.
&J True integrity is the diamond o.
character, consisting of natural excel