The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-01-23

right. There was no other coat
hanging on those rails, only my
wife's Waterproof What swoop I
made to get hold of that coat! Great
heavens, it was gone!
/ had carefully barred and chained
the front door before went to bed
now it was uDfastened. I ran cut
/ into the street, and looked up and
down, hopeless aud bewildered. 1t
was II damp, dark night; the lamp at
the corner threw long, silky ray
down the streaming pavement. but
there wasn't soul to be seen.
Everything was still and cold and
dark.
The money was clean gone-yes,
it was gone. repeated those words
mechanically to myself as crawled
up stairs. All the results Of this
loss pictured themselves before me-
dismissal from the bank, ruin of all
my prospects-utter ruin, in fact.
What could l do9 To what turn?
The blow that had fallen upon me
was so heavy and sudden that it had
benumbed my faculties. My chief
desire was to crawl into bed and fall
asleep, hoping never to wake. But
morning would come surely enough
morning and it's attendant miseries.
Then the thought came to me:
Should 1 go to bed and say moth
ing at all about it? No one knew
of my having received that money;
not soul but Black, the man who
had deposited it. l had given him
no receipt for it, no ackno wledg-
|, ment Black had gone to America
"a hundred things might happen
he might never return; at all events
, there was respite, immediate relief.
could go to the bank next morn
ing, hang up my hat as usual, and
everything would go on as before.
If Black returned, my word was as
, good as his. The notes and checks
would never be traced home. But l
don't think I retained this thought
long. Did you ever consider how
, much resolution and force of will it
. takes to initiate course of crime
) and deception I had neither the
ore nor the other. l should have
' broken down at once. couldn't
. have that fellows eye on me and tell
E him had never had his money.
: / woke my wife; she had SLEPT
through all the trouble. "Mary,"
D said, "we're ruined; there's been q
J, robbery"
ga robbery" she cried, clasping
her hands; "and are the men gone?
4 "Yes," I said.
) "Oh, thank heaven!" she said
sthen we're safe. Never mind the
: rest, Jack, as long as our lives are
: Jack-oh, do run and see if they
- have taken that"
Y Then told her the story of tht
v G22,0O0. She wouldn't believe mi
e at first, but when she heard th'
whole story she was frightened
8 enough. Yet she had wits about he
f more than had.
:. "You must run off to the towl
/ hall, jack" she said, 'and set th'
IS police to work. They must telegraph
{ to all the stations-to London ant
:. everywhere. Oh, do 60 at once
}. Jack-this very moment! Ever,
It second lost may be ruin to us!"
d Away 1 went to the town hall
y This was large classic edifice, viii
It an immense portlco and huge figh
I? of steps; but you didn't go into th
| portico to get into the police Office
r but to the side which wasn't classica
1t at all, but of the rudimentary styl
!? of architecture, and you went alon.
o number of echoing stone passage
l. before you reached the Superin
e tendent's Office.
d When | told the Superintendent
r the story-:Ah," he said, ~ think
G know who did that job"
,, "Oh," said I, show thankful I am
II Then you can put your hands OF
l. him and get back the money.
s want tho money back, Mr.. Super
l. intendent, never mind him.
J. wouldn't mind, indeed, rewardin!
him for his trouble if l could onl,
e get the money back.
l "Sir," SAID the Superintendent
severely, "the police amt sent int,
? the world to get peoples none.
= back-nothing Of the sort. We aren'
going to encourage composition o
felony; and for putting our hands OF
Flashy Joe-for he did the job, mari
you-well, what do you think th,
! liberty of the subject is for? Where
your evi,lence?"
was obliged to confess I hadn'
:. any, whereat the Superintendent
: looked at me contemptuously.
|, "Now, let's see into the matter,
: he said, after he'd made some notes
}, on bit of paper. "Howcame they
to know you'd got the money il
s your coat?"
l said 1 didn't know.
], "Ah, but I know" said the Super
J, intendent, "you went to get glass
. of ale after you left the bank, young
r man?"
Y 1 was Obliged to confess 1 hac
e done SO.
T "That's how property gets stolen,
| said he, looking ut me severely
!, "And what's more, you had glass
Z with friend. All, l knew you had
t And perhaps You got talking to this
: friend of yours?'
"Yes, indeed, had"
every well; and you mentioned
, q hout tho rnopaxy rn,,'J ;,,,t tooI,o,