Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-11-02

no ON" cOlllt tpuril II tlll Hl!Sel
Are You sure that it hes been ever
since impossible for any one to find
ur Iurl"ln the note"
Il am perfectly sure of that. The
lock Of my desk III which have kept
1t il one mad" myself. There is
but ore key i'll the world that will
open il. and hcie ii is" he said. pro
ducing from hi, pocket bright steel
KEY. 81 very odd outline. Not a
thing has been disturbed in that
desk
| unused few minutes as l again
casually overhauled the papers, then
said:
Mr.. Campbell, don't mean to say
that Mr.. Bolton is dishonest. but
might he no; have handed You this
blank sheet Oh paper, and slipped the
not" into his pocket book with the
money you lent him."
No that i, out Of the question. L
examined the note again. after 1
reached hone. before | put the
pocket book away. to sec that no mis-
take had been made: found it all
right. plain ~ day in ever! letter and
figure. and / remember as well as
though il had been Yesterday: even
rememher noticing how bright ne
ink was; it had quite a reddish tingc.
1 was IL the act of handing the
pocket book back TO him. as lie said
this. bu. Il thought suddenly struck
me, and | opened it again.
MIR. Campbell" said carelessly.
do you remember whether the note
was filled out on a blank form, or
not ?"
1T WAS not; he wrote it in full
himself, on the top of Il riece of
foolscap. and cut it off with par of
scissors. l remember everything
about it very c.early. for it was about
all had in the world, and to me it
WAS very essential affair"
| examined the strip Of white paper,
for startling idea had already taken
shape in my mind, and l perceived it
had been cut from the top of foolscap,
evidently with pair Of scissors.
do you remember how you hap
pened to place this slip of white
paper in here?"
mo, l don't remember placing it
there: I might have done SO thinking
it would come handy to figure on"
"Wlll you let me have it,"
Certainly" he replied, somewhat
SURPRISED at my modest request.
well" | said, as l laid the paper
on the table, and set the inkstand on
it. II am going to make an effort to
recover your money for you; l shall
bring suit against Bolton at once, and
have him summoned to appear before
Judge. You can. of course, swear
that You have lent him the money,
and the note he gave you is missing
Yes, with a clear conscience;
could not he mistaken about it,
Then call on me tomorrow morn
ing. ut nine O'clock"
Il will"
He left ne and / took the slip OF
paper and examined it closely.
1t seemed to be nothing but a stray
fragment of foolscap, but it occurred
to me that it might have history: il
was here that my chemical knowledge
came into play.
remembered that Alexander Boil
ten was a chemist; and also remem
bercd that al ink could be made will
analine, iodide of ammonia and chlor
ide of zin~, in certain proportions
which had fresh reddish tinge, and
that it would fade out entirely in foul
days, leaving no mark on the paper
Bolton, no doubt, knew this secret
that he used to swindle the mechanic
out of his earnings.
The more I considered this subject
the more l became convinced that
such was the case. The note hal
been written in fading ink.
But there was another chemical
secret which probably Bolton did no,
know, as had discovered it myself
by accident. This treacherous ink
on fading out, leaves the zinc in in.
visible atoms in the paper, SO that
every line traced may be restored by
the application of q certain solution
of sulphate of iron and hydrate oil
calcium. So, no sooner had Mr.
Campbell left my Office, than 1 hur
ried to drug store, where / obtained
the solution.
| Returning to my Office, 1 saturated
piece of blotting paper with DROP
Of it, aud applied it to corner of the
blank slip Of paper. The result made
mo Jump up, clap my hands and vel
with delight. for fresh and clear the
dollar came out. I knew not what
hidden words the paper contained
and l placed it in my pocket-book
corked up the vial-which was des
tined to be vial of wrath to Mr.
Bolton-and went Immediately. snC
brought suit against him for the re
covery of the amount of the note
with interest and costs.
| A few days later Alexander Bolton
stood at the bar of justice, to answer
in his own behalf 1t seemed SO easy
to him, that he did not deem it neces
sary to employ any counsel.
Mr.. Campbell swore to the facts he
had related to me concerning the
loan. Mr.. Bolton answered, on oath
that he bad no recollection of ever
borrowing any money from the plain
tiff. If he did, where was the note
He would thank anybody to produce
it.
"Your honor" said I. addressing
the Judge, II think I can produce the
note in question"
II understood you that it was not
to be found," said Judge D., some
what surprised.
ut has never been lost" I said. as
1 took from my pocket the blank slip
of paper, and passed to him. This
is it"
Il hope you are not trifing with
the court" he said, as he glanced at
both sides and perceived that it was
blank.
II am not, your honor" said l, as
l proceeded at once to explain to him
the chemical fact have already de
scribed.
l watched Alexander Bolton as
did SC, and noticed that he turned
very pale. When l had concluded.