Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-11-17

MS frlena ana partner Mr. Duni HIs eyes
were wide open, and he moved with his
usual deliberaiion. but with an air Of stern
preOccupatiOn quite foreign TO his working
habits. Tfaill saw at q glance that the
banker was walking in his sleep.
His hrst impulse was to seize him and
wake him; but a moments reflection de.
cided him 10 wait the natural issue (
events. Mr.. Duff, without hesitation or
fumbling, chose the right keys for the
outer door, and pushed H. as the lock
sprang back, slowly open; then the wicket.
gate, the inner iron door, and so on, until
he disappeared silently in the vaultlike
shades Of the strOng-rOOm. When he
reached the inner safe, he took from the
well-packed store Of pound notes-Traill
eagerly watching him from the door-a
bundle containing five hundred; he then
noiselessly shut and locked each door as he
retreated. He passed within arm's-length
of Trail, bearing the bundle of notes, the
keys, and his lighted candle; left the office
followed by his partner-walked slowly
up stairs to his bedroom, where he delib-
erately dropped the bolt back in its place,
and finally laid the keys carefully, appa-
rently counting them, in their usual place
in the box fixed in the wall for the pur.
pose. Trail expected he would then re-
tire TO bed; but it was evident that the
somnambulist had not finished his nights
work. Having safely put away the Keys,
he lifted his candle and again went down
stairs, carrying the notes in his hand.
Traill followed him through the kitchen
and out into the courtyard behind. With
the same purpose-like deliberation that he
had shown at the safe, he now marched to
the unvarnished truth, o romantic reader,
must be recorded-to the PIG-sTY! Ar
rived there, he lifted loose fold of thatch
that rested on slab of stone in the rickety
roof, secreted the bundle of notes there, re.
placed the thatch carefully, and then turned
with an air of relief and went indoors.
Traill did not disturb him, did not even
take the trouble TO follow his partner to
see if he reached his bed safely, but sprang
eagerly TO the loose thatch, in which,
snugly lying, he found the comfortable
sum of one thousand nine hundred pounds
in bank notes! He could not help laugh.
ing as he stood there in the dim gray
morning, hardly halfclad, for the pursuit
had not been without excitement IAN ex.
pensive roofing for Duff's pigs" he mur-
INJURED, gathering the various dusty bundles
together and retreating indoors from the
cold morning air.
g think, Duff" said Trail, seriously,
when they met in the office, after breakfast
II think, TO make certain that no thief, or
witch, or ghost has been tampering with
the cash during the night, we had better
count the cash hencetorth in the morning
as well as at night; that will make certain
whether the money disappears by night OF
during the day."
Mr.. Duff assented.
Suppose you begin this morning"
Again Mr.. Duff assented; and with re.
luctant fingers, at his partners suggestion,
counted the money. Powers of darknessw
he exclaimed, II shall not stay another
day in this house. The cash is again five
hundred pounds shortr' Had Mr. Duff
not been remarkably bald man, he would
have probably torn his hair in agony.
How much do you reckon your pigs
cost you annually, Dutf?" Trail asked with
apparent irrelevance, and, as Mr.. Duff
thought, tlippancy.
Pigs! Hang the pigs! Hang the bank!
and Yes; l mean to resign my office.
Pm not going to remain here to be robbed
and ruined"
Il see you are putting a new roof on
your sty, and papering it." Traill went on
"Sparing no expense on it.
Doing the thing slylishly, eh?"
Are you mad. Trail !''
"Well, let me see. At the rate of two
thousand pounds, say. in three months,
that pig-sty will cost you and me Just
about eight thousand pounds year"
Traill was apparently in his cravest mood.
That's pretty moderate, eh ~
Poor Traill! The loss of his money
has taken his brain. What demon has en-
tered this house," sighed Mr. Duff in the
presence of despair more tragic even
than his own.
"Look here old fellow" said Trail, sud.
denly bursting into laughter-"look here!
l found these in the roof of your pigsty
this morning; and what is more, saw you
put them there with your own hands,"
ProdigiousE
Yes all the missing money was there.
The banker gave a champagne dinner to
his delighted clerks on the evening of that
day. His own health, however, was in
rather bad way. In month or two he
resigned his office, retiring on liberal
pension to his farm; and in order to com.
pensate James Hamilton for all his recent
trouble and misery, Mr.. Duff requested, as
personal and final favor, that the Direc-
tors might appoint him to the position of
Assistantagent with George Traill; pro.
posal which the Directors favorably en-
tertained. These offices both of the gentle
men hold with honor to this day. It may
be mentioned too that George Trail and
James Hamilton are now brothers-in-l law,
each having in due time welded one of
Mr.. Duff IS daughters. The bank is James
Hamilton's home; while George Trail has
rented farm adjoining Mr.. Duff's. The
fresh country air, and exercise, and fishing,
and unlimited golting-all enforced on
him by the doctor as the best medicine
d nr,l 70 tl,1, old ln.