Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-06-10
81 don't think l ougnt,'' she said

SHe came Snyly IN. Once INSIDE, however,
and the door shut upon the inquisitive po-
liceman-well, it is no matter to us how
Crisp welcomed her. But this satisfactorily
performed, they went upstairs, his arm
round her waist-a strange sight in thai
dusty place-their steps echoing in the
empty house. AT the top of the stairs the
door into the large clerks room was ajar
Crisp pushed it open and led her in.
''And this is where you do your work.
she asked, devouring with wide-open eyes
the long, bare room, with its long win
dows, its rows of desks and stools along
one side, and the glass-box in the far cor
ner.
"No," he answered, laughing, 81 am
supposed to be cut above this, darling
Only I am obliged to be very careful not tc
throw stones" He led her up the room,
and, unlocking the door of his glass house,
took her in. How delightful it was to helr
her up on his high stool and hold her there,
for, of course, being unaccustomed to it,
she might have become giddy! And see
her fit her little boots to the rail of the
desk, and unlock the latter and come at
once face to face with her own photograph
And then to see her blush, all pleasure al
this proof of his fidelity! 1t was all Sc
delightful that he wondered why, though
they had met in Change alley on Saturday
afternoons before, he had never brought
her to see his office.
'And where do these doors lead to:
Don't Ernest; please leave my hair alone.
How do you know, sir, that there is no one
THEREOF
lie stopped at once-whatever he was
doing-and dark shadow fell across his
face. "That is Critchlow's room,' he
said "and, by Jove, he's left his key in it
There's nice piece of cafelessness!" But
there was no elation in his voice. 1t seem
ed as if a shadow had fallen on them both
from the moment her eyes were drawn to
that door. 1t was just in front of them
the door leading to the partners rooms
stood there-but in the corner on the left.
''I'll take che key and convict him, at
any rate, of this" the young man said,
moodily, and went out of his glass case
and crossed the floor to the door. The
girl followed him, strange, sudden feel
ing Of the emptiness of the house upon
her. How hollow Ernest's footsteps rang.
The sun, too, had gone behind cloud, and
the room seemed dreary, dusty, and cold,
too, for she shivered.
Crisp, after trying the cashiers door and
finding it locked, slipped the key out and
put it into his pocket. Then he locked his
own door and pocketed that key also. 1t
was strange, perhaps, that he took no fare
well kiss in the hall, but opened the outer
door hastily, and seemed to breathe more
freely when they were out of the alley and
in the peopled streets.
They took so long walk, Ethel telling
her lover of her latest troubles at Maintree
House, young ladies seminary where she
was tolerated as teacher Of English, and
Ernest, confiding the dreadful matter OF
the error in his accounts that when they
parted he gave up all thought of returning
to his books
''But you must not be late another day,
SIR" were her last words. He thought
nothing of them then, but afterward, when
he was alone, they puzzled him. There
had been no appointment made for that
afternoon, no promise given, no time fixed.
So how could he have been late? 1t was
odd. What did she mean by saying he
was late?
CHAPTER III.
Crisp's omission to return to the books
may have blunted his moral sense, or il
may have been mere chance that led him
to be nearly quarter of an hour late or
Monday morning. AS he hurried up the
alley he was surprised by the sight of a
group collected about Parkman's door,
Among them were one or two of Park
mans clerks looking unlike themselves,
and one or two policemen unable to look at
anything but themselves.
"What is up?" he asked lightly; but
though they all seemed to be looking at
him, no one answered. Instead, clerk,
one of the juniors, said audibly, "That is
Mr.. Crisp; and strange voice answered
emphatically, "That is the MANI This
seemed to cause a sensation, amid which
a short, stout person with a blunt, hearty
voice and humorous eye, pushed through
the group and said, "This way. sir,
please in voice of authority.
"What in the world is the matter!?"
asked Crisp.
seTell you in a moment, sir. Please to
step with me up to Mr.. Parkman's room. y
And he took Crisp by the arm, in what the
latter thought all odd fashion, and so led him
up, and swiftly through the clerks Office,
which was half full of staring gapers, and
into the junior partners room.
Crisp looked round him in utter bewil-
derment. On the hearth-rug stood Mr..
Parkman, pale and agitated. By the win
dow two gentlemen were talking. At the
table, apparently making some notes, sat
police officer.
''Watson," said his conductor, shutting
the door firmly behind them, ''do you take
himP' and fef fe ho"t into corner of the
room, where he seemed To -...Ev .sv himself
with an old Joe Miller, so very facet.- g
that it rendered him oblivious to all going
on around him.
While Crisp stood looking from one tt
the other, the superintendent rose abrupt!
and stepped close to him. "Mine is {
painful business, sir. Yon are Mr.. Ernes
Crisp, l think?'
1t darted into Crisp's mind that thu
chief had put the police in motion in The
matter of that little discrepancy in his &C
counts; but single glance at Mr.. Park
mans pale, sympathizing face sufficed tt
dispose of that. "Yes," he said. 81 am
That is my name"
"You may or may not know, then, tha
great crime was committed here on Sat
urday afternoon. The cashier, Mr. Critch
low, has been found dead in his office
stabbed to the heart from behind"
'Mr. Critchlow,' the head clerk whis
pered with white, shaking lips.
"And you have been identified as th'
person ldSG bG6u 10 leave Guo uUuSS. L III
sorry to say that I must take you into Gus
tody on suspicion; must warn you, too
Mr.. Crisp, that anything you say will b.
given in evidence against you"
Son Saturday afternoonn' Crisp mutter
ed in awed accents, looking around hin
with eyes that did not see. '.Rut what
why am I suspected?'
''All that you will hear at the Mansion
House. | am anxious to take you there al
once, and with as little unpleasantness tt
yourself as possible
Shortly afterward the merchant, pale bu
collected, had to be present at the Lore
Mayors inquiry at the justice-room of th
Mansion House. We need not attend hin
thither, for only such evidence was takel
as would justify remand, and the reade
can guess what that was. The policeman
was examined who had seen Crisp go init
the house on the Saturday afternoon, anC
had likewise seen him a little later. eacl
time in company with lady. Then thu
Superintendent of Police produced the Ike!
found upon the prisoner, and proved that
was the key of Mr.. Critchlow's office, thu
door of which was found locked upon th'
outside. And two of Parkmans' clerks re
luctantly described the bad terms upol
which the prisoner and deceased were, ant
the quasi threat with which the former hat