The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-12-05
SEECT STORY.
AN EMBEZzLER'S REVENGE,

1t was ten o'clock on Tuesday morn
ing. | had already been at the office a
couple of hours hard at work over
ledgers and day.books. They had been
my constant companions for many
days past. l was beginning to tire of
their company. But at last l had dis
covered that of which / was in search.
whistled down my speaking tube
for Mr.. Jenkin, the head clerk of the
firm.
as Mr.. Macfarlaue come yet p
"No, sir" was the reply
| felt annoyed. He ought to have
arrived half an hour ago. Was it pos
sble he had taken fright7
| gave orders that he should be sent
to me directly he came.
had been engaged on an important
affair, but | believed had carried it
through successfully. SO far as |
knew my examination of the books
had been made without exciting suspi
cion, but it was difficult to be quite
sure.
Half an hour passed before Macfar-
lane made his appearance. When he
entered the room it was evident he
thought he was about to be reprImand-
ed for his tardy arrival, for he began
to apologize.
| listened to his excuses, which |
happened to know were pure inven-
tions, and then turned to the matter 10
hand.
"Can you explain these fgures'" |
asked him quietly, opening the ledger
at certain page.
He gave slight start, and then
moved slowly forward to inspect the
| entry.
"What is it that requires explans-
ton! = he asked
"According to the returns which |
have received from Frodsham e. Walk
er," replied, "the amount of alloy in
their last consignment does not tally
with that stated in your entry. More
over, they do not seem to have been al
lowed the usual discount, though you
have deducted it from the sums for
which you have accounted"
The evidence was as clear as day.
He could give no explanation.
sit must have been mistake he
said. "We used not to allow the dis
count, and suppose must have over
looked the recent change in my in
structions.
'Its curious mistake / observed.
at has occurred in the only case in
which, in the ordinary course of bust
ness, we should have no check on your
transactions. Pure accident rendered
me suspicious, and | resolved to see if
there were any grounds for my suspic-
IONS"
He made no reply.
Have you anything TO say ?" de-
manded.
"Only that it was a mistake he re-
iterated.
II am afraid that excuse will hardly
be sufficient. A mistake which results
in a loss to the firm of a hundred and
seventy-fve pounds is not one that can
be passed over"
What do you mean to do = he
asked
NATURALLY, l shall put the whole af-
fair before my partners. In the mean
time you will remain here till they de-
eide what steps to take
He moved a step toward the door,
but | had my hand on the bell, and he
stopped.
ii have told you it was a mistake,
he repeated; "but am ready to suffer
the consequences Of il. 1t will ruin
me TO replace the money, but | can
give you half Of it, and you can retain
the balance by degrees from my sal.
ary.'
THAT is not the usual method in
which embezzlement is treated | re-
piled, coldly,
"Do you mean that you will prose
cute me p
Il have no doubt whatever that the
firm will"
"It's no good putting it on the firm"
he said angrily. at is you who have
discovered it all. No one will know
word of ii if yon do not speak
"Gou confess it then p | asked
81 confess to nothing except a mis-
take 1t is for you to undertake the
responsibility of treating it as any
thing more. Are you going to ruin
me? Don't You know that if / am ar
rested my life is wrecked? ~
| hesirated 1t is serious thing to
blast mans prospects forever, how
ever much he may deserve punishment.
He saw my hesitation and took advan-
tage of it.
"Why do you want to iniure me
What good will it do you? You
know | am the best man 10 the whole
place. Is it wise to lose me? | will
work as hard as a dozen of them if
you let me off. You will always have
hold over me in the future, and if
you see me shrking you will always
be able to keep me up to ny work. If
only you will keep silent No one
else knows
His argument was the worst he |
could have used it determined me fl |
nally, saw that if | consented to |
hold my tongue | should be as much at |
his mercy as he at mine--we should b.
accomplices.
at is too late" ! said, "You should
have thought of all this before, ! have
no choice"
"You will send me to prison, then p
81 shall report what have discov.
ered.'
"Nery well, then," he said in whis-
per, ''if you do, | swear III have my
revenge Another couple of years,
and should make my fortune now
YOU are destroying everything, Take