Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-21
A CIRCUMSTANrIAL PUZZLE.
IN THREE pARrs-pARr II.

IN THREE PARTs-PART II.
OF course had not the faintest doubt
in my own mind about the identity of this
ingenious and systematic forger with Mr.
Adam Brown. / had already given my
reasons 10 John Bnller; and they are so
perfectly obvious, under all the circum-
stances, that l need not repeat them here.
/ could quite understand why John Bull
Ter, since he had a more than common ins
terest in his clerk of the works at Red
port, should be very anxious to be con-
WINGED that his belief in the latters limo.
cence was not inconsistent with the COM
mon sense proper to shrewd man of the
world, whose pride in never being "done"
is always the greater in proportion as it is
uniusti6ed. Men who are really sharp
and shrewd know too we'll that they are
always and inevitably being ." done" to
bother their heads about their share in a
universal doom.
/ knew Adam Brown pretty well by
sight, and little by reputation. He was
good looking pleasant young fellow, GER
tainly too young for his over responsible
place in John Boller's service, but well up
to his work, and very popular with the
young men OF his own class in Carcester.
His father had been an unsuccessful com
mission agent and, as l had to day learned
for the first time, the successful rival in
love of John Butler. | must leave it to
others wholly to understand why the
beaten suitor, whom nobody suspected Of
having a grain of sentiment IN his COM
position, should have made himself a sec
0nd father to this young MANN reserved
and wholly undemonstrative way, that is
for | feel certain now that Adam Brown
looked upon himself simply as an ordinary
employee, and did not fancy that the place
he held in John Buffers business was due
70 the place IN John Buller's heart OF MS
dead mother. | dare say that little
romance might prove worth writing for its
0Tn sake IN the hands Of sentimental
81 ahoI. But this story is rot sentimental
s.s1e.
80 I was really rather sorry that circum-
stances pointed so clearly to Adam Brown
AS the guilty man, though of course | felt
saise that John Buller's eyes ought to be
ereened, and that such an ungrateful crime
ought to be punished as openly and as
richly rs it deserved. l had not the least
intention of helping my client to persuade
himself of the innocence of a guilty man.
On the contrary, l fully meant to expose
5he young rascal before he could do worse
harm; and for that purpose the plan of
privately marked checks seemed the best
That, upon the spur of the moment, | could
hit on. Il would satisfy John Butler by
avoiding immediate scandal, and no doubt
convict the iorser just as well as any more
open way.
Bat the explosion was to come more
sharply and swiftly than had planned.
On the following Saturday morning the
spirit moved me to take John Buffers
house on my way to my own Office, for
/ was not particularly busy at the moment.
| thought it advisable to see with my own
eyes something of that curious weekly dis
patch Of checks and bills to Redport, and
I wanted also TO make more particular &C.
quaintance with the physiognomy of Mr..
Adam Brown. believed in physiognomy
N. those days. l need hardly say that l
no longer now do anything of the kind, be-
yond knowing when a man eats too much
and drinks too often. | have seen such
sanity faces in the dock, and men on whom
nature has stamped blackguard or even
murderer, have been among the best whom
she has made. Adam Brown, who had
finished his breakfast and was Just on
the eve Of starting for Redport, fell into
neither of these extreme classes, and
might easily have belonged to either side
of The broad band between them where
good is inextricably and undecipherably
mixed up and often confused with harm.
As | have said. he was young and good
lad's who comes of good people and has
been brought up well. And, what was
better, 1t was not weak one, nor stupid
one. But, at the same time, it wasn't a
happy one and gloomy rather than merely
grave. His eyes. instead of looking bright
or open, IS young mans should always
be in the morning, were dull and red. as if
he had either slept but little or were in
the habit OF taking something stronger than
tea or coffee for breakfast when at home in
his Redport lodgings. In such cases the
eye and the hand are one and his hand
was not quite so steady as he held out his
hand for the leather check.case, so l
thought at least, as il ought to have been
give only dropped in to see if you We
made your arrangements about marking
to.day's checks, said l, as soon as Adam
Brown had closed the street door.
- You've found nothing new, suppose ?"
mo. I wish to Heaven the thing was
out and over it worries me more than /
try to say. There's nothing so horrible as
having somebody about that you can't
trust, and you don't know who And you're
married man, Standish you don't know
what it means to swallow all your own
worries Yourself, with nobody to give the
least bit of EN- to. But-holloa Hi,
Adam !" he called out, throwing up the
window and calling down the street. "Just
to show you how things bother me-" he
said to me, +" I've left out OF the case lust
the very check from Archer & Company
that wanted to have paid in at Redport
this very day Hi, Adam All, here
you are | was afraid you were out of
earshot; but you re in lots OF time for the
train. There's something / wanted to say
to you, and DIR. Standish coming In Just
nov"
There was nothing in the sudden recall,
however unusual, to brighten an honest
man. But could not mistake my eyes
there are some eases in which we can't help
reading faces, ay, in believing what we
read. Ii ever fright turned a mans face
red and pale, it turned Adam Browns
now.
" Here's check of Archer" said John
Butler. noticing nothing, " that want paid
in at Redport this morning, and forgot it
when Mr., Standish came In. Put in the
rase with the others. Here it IS. Three
hundred and eighty eight pounds nine.
Adam Brown held cut HIS hand for he
.rSleck but sudden inspiration, prompted