The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-21
SELECT STORY.
THE MYSTERIOUS FORGERY.


ed his pace as he made his way along
| Throgmorton St, to the scene of his
daily toll. 1t was not that he feared
to be late that Mr.. Crump was walk
ing fast. During all the forty years
that he had sat on high stool from
10 to Mr.. Crump had never been
known to be late for his work. A
more methodical, careful man never
hung over ledger or balanced cash
book
At length he reached the well-known
staircase, opened the office door, and
stood still for a moment in surprise.
Young Carter, the assistant bookkeep-
er, was there before him, already at
his work. Mr. Crump smiled grimly.
$50 you've made beginning, young
man." he said. swell, we'll see"
Carter's face flushed a little as he
bade the older man good-morning
The fact was that Crnmp, who had
married rather late in life, had bright
eyed daughter named Apnie, with
whom Robert Carter had fallen very
much IN love. 1t was only on the pre-
{, edlng evening that things had come
to a crisis, aud, somewhat to the young
mans surprise. Mr.. Crump had reject
ed tie p p'oposed engagement He did
not like young Garter. lie did not
approve of the young fellows fashion
ably cut collars, nor of his scari-pin,
nor of his cane. Such things Mr..
Crump considered were the signs of a
frivolous disposition and unsteady
habits. Nor did Mr. Crump approve
Of the snAtches of comic songs which
Cater was continually humming lie
suspected that the young man fre-
qaeuted music halls, and spent more
money on cheap cigars, novels and out.
ings than was proper for one in his
position. Besides, Mr. Robert Carter
was usually the last of all the clerks to
make his appearance in the morning,
and this was, in Mr. Crumps eyes, a
very bad sign. IT was plain to the old
man that Carter was not making an
attempt to earn his good opinion.
Time will show-time will show"
said Mr.. Crump, in rather an aggravat-
ing way, as he changed his coat, open
ed his desk, unlocked his safe, aud set
abou, his work.
Soon the other clerks began to arrive,
and then came Mr. Mason, the acting
partner, tall, pale man, with long
black whiskers. Mr. Livesey, the
senior partner, only came to the office
twice a week, to examine the bank
book and see how things were going
on. Mr.. Mason opened the letters, and
soon appeared at Mr.. Crump's desk
with small sheaf of them in his hand.
These were letters in response to which
small sums of money had to be sent,
and it belonged to Mr.. Crump to attend
to them, for he had authority to sign
checks for the firm for sums up to five
pounds.
Mr. Crump first made a list of the
payments he had to make and then
went to his safe for his check book.
AS he opened it to write the first check
he was surprised to find that the
counterfoil belonging to the last check
which had been taken from the book
was not filed up. He could hardly be,
lieve his .eyes. Never in all his life
had he written check without first
filing up the counterfeit with particu.
lars of the amount the ldate and the
person to whom the check was sent
But his surprise was changed to- dis
may when he took out his cash book
and found that he had only drawn
nine checks the day before, the coun
terfoils of which were all properly fill
ed up, whereas tenth check had been
torn out of the book.
For moment he sat as if stunned
Could any one have stolen the blank
check . He always kept the key Of
his safe OH his own bunch but it was
just possible that some one might
have got hold of the key, taken an i'm
preston of it in wax, and had a fas4
key made. He had heard Of such
things. He leaned his head on his
hands and tried to think. When had
he closed the safe last night ? About
4 in the afternoon, before anybody had
left the office for the day for he re
m,mDered that he had been sent TO the
docks about A o'clock with some docu
ments for a ship that was about to sail
and that when he got back at half-p
6 every body had left, and the place
was in darkness,
If the blank check had been stolen
the theft must have been committed
last night-or this morning CoulC
the safe Lave been opened before hi.
arrival He rememeered Carter,
unusually early appearance, and threw
a suspicious glance at the young man.
Then simpler solution of the mat
ter occurred to him. 1t was very posi-
BILE, that in tearing out the last check
he had drawn the day before, he had
torn out two by mistake, folded then
up, aud sent them off together. Thi
would, of course, account for the ap
pearance of the check-book, lie de
' termined to write at once to Marshal
~ Company, merchants in Liverpool
to whom he had sent his last check
and ask whether blank check had no
beon sent to them by mistake.
Then the question arose-should ht
mention the circumstances to Mr.
Mason On consideration Mr. Cruml
thought 1t was not necessary to do 80
Mr.. Mason was rather hard man t,
deal with, and confession would ruin
the character for carefulness whicl
the cashier had so long enjoyed, An,
he fully expected that in two days a
most he would get letter from Liver
pool enclosing the slip of paper whicl
had cost him so much anxiety.
The next day was Tuesday and ac
cording to his invariable custom OF
that day of the week, Mr.. Livese
made his appearance in the office
Business had not long commenced
when everybody in the establishment
was aware that something unusual ha
- happened. Mr., Mason was closete
with his partner for few minutes,a an,
T. then went hurriedly out of the Office
8 returning shortly afterward with Nj
% Jetfreys, the manager of the Londo
q and Lancashire Bank, at which tn
q firm kept their account.
,Ol Then Mr.. Jeffreys left. and can