The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1884-12-25

Lanler was partner.
Loring was found by Mr.. Lanier
pacing up and down the room. his
face pale and betraying great alarm.
"Ah, glad to see you Loring. Why.
old fellow, what is the matter? You
appear to be greatly agitated
"The door--shut the door, please"
said Loring, Il have bad news for a
Christmas eve. You are aware that
Mr.. Wadsworth drew out of the firm
to day.........dollars which he intended
to invest elsewhere"
"Yes, go on" cried Lanier.
"Mr. Wadsworth had the checks that
were drawn cashed at the. national
bank this afternoon, and deposited the
currency, tied up in a brown paper
package, in our safe. The package has
ysteriously disappeared"
L Good heavens Loring, what have
you said-the money been stolen;
whom do they suspect, surely not you"
mo. You know | have been out of
town all day, but they suspect-YoU." :"
suspect me, a member of the firml
Come Loring, this is too serious a mat
ter to joke about"
Il wish that l were joking, but it is,
alas, true that Mr. Wadsworth said to
the other members of the firm in MY
presence, this evening, after you had
left for home, that inasmuch as you
had been the last one known to have
visited the large safe. and that YOU
closed it yourself / being absent), that
the safe had not been broken into, and
for various other reasons which he
81, I,
had observed your increasing extrava-
CANT habits of late, he firmly believed
you to be guilty of having appropriated
the money for your personal use; but
be said you would not be arrested
that we would keep the matter a
secret from you) until tomorrow morn
ing as he did not wish to spoil Christ
mas for your wife and children"
ARREST mel Let them. 1t will not
take long to establish my innocence,
but an outrage will have been perpe-
trated."
mo; do not let them find you, for
circumstantial evidence would, / feel
certain, convict you"
"Loring, do you believe me guilty of
this crime?" groaned Mr.. Lanier.
81 know that you are innocent"
answered Loring.
81 have thought it all over In one
hour docking at his watch) you must
be on your way to New York by the
eight o'clock express. Arriving in New
York you will disguise yourself and
start for some foreign country, where
you will remain until your innocence
may have been proven"
"But my wife and children leave
them? No! l will remain and face
my accusers."
"Mr. Lanier," said Loring "the time
is precious; your own good judgement
must tell you that / am right. You
must prepare to go. | will be your Sc
cret agent. You will say to Mrs. Lam
ier that you are called out on important
business, for you have not time to ex-
plain matters to her except by a very
brief note. We will call at the house
of Mr.. Baldwin, Cashier of the -
Bank, where your private funds are
deposited, and get his check for deposit; |
explaining to him that you have to use
same in Lowell tomorrow morning, !
otherwise you could wait for the regu-
lar banking hours. On the first of every
month you will send me a certain sum |
for the maintenance of your family
but We have no time to lose, so you had |
better write the brief note to your wife |
at once and | will deliver it to her inn
mediately after your departure, and, as |
your friend, do all in my power to |
reconcile Mrs. Lanier to what she, as |
the sensible little laby that she is, will |
at once perceive to be the inevitable |
for the present.
"Loring," cried Mr.. Lanier, "there is |
my hand; accept the thanks my heart |
extends to you but which words will not |
express. | will now write the note.
Oh, my God, that | should be con
demned to such sorrow -
Lanier then wrote his wife as follows;
''MY DARLING WIFE-Circumstances which will |
be explained TO you by our mutual friend LOring, |
my immediate departure from Boston
to return know not when. God bless YOU my wife |
and precious children. l shall remit to you GER
tain sum of money, sufficient for your support at
least on the first of every month. Believe that /
am your faithful, loving, and innocent husband,
CLIFFORD LANIER."
"Loring, you will pardon me for hav-
ing sealed this note" said Lanier, with
an attempt at jocularity
Certainly" answered Loring "and
we must now make our apologies to
Mrs. Lanier for having to absent our
selves a little while"
Just at that moment came light tap
at the door and in answer to come in
Mrs. Lanier entered.
"Ah, my DEAR" said her husband,
I'VE were just about looking for you.
| am obliged to go down town at once
with Mr.. Loring on matter of busi-
ness, and | don't know when l can
rnfI1rln D