Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-25

Mr.. Crump felt a choking sensation IN
his throat, but he plucked up courage
enough to say az have told you already,
sir, that l know nothing about it. 1t was
only yesterday morning that | noticed that
a check had been taken from the book"
why did you not mention 1T? asked
Mr.. Mason.
u thought l had torn it out myself,
along with the one | sent to Mr.. Marshall"
"But it may have been torn out by any
one in the office during the day before ?"
Yes, sir" replied Crump. 81 don't sec
how any one could have got at the book,
for I am very careful but it is possible"
1.-THE thief has probably got q profes,
sional forger to copy the signature from an
old letter. said Mr.. Mason, taking up
| slip of paper. 8" 1t is beautifully initiated
| would not have detected it myself"
ct is plain that the thief must have
been some Il in the office, though prob.
ably he had an accomplice outside" sale
Mr.. Jeffreys. "a stranger would not have
known that the firm had so large a balance
at the moment. Is there anyone OF youl
fellow-clerks whom you think may have
had a hand in it?" he added, turning tc
the cashier.
mo, sir"
is there anyone who keeps loose com
pany, or anyone who is in the habit o.
spending too much money!"
Mr.. Crump thought Of Carter and hest
tated for a moment.
Speak, sir, if you are wise, said Mr.
Livesey sternly.
"Ihave sometimes thought that Mr.. Car
ter spent a good deal IN dress and so on,
replied Mr.. Crump. But as he spoke he
suddenly remembered Robert Carriers un-
uupaI1rr .arlr annaoronan tho ETpppdInn
| morning, and a suspicion arose in his
mind. Without intending it, he allowed
his thoughts 10 appear in his face, so that
his protest-'I know nothing whatever
against Mr.. Carter had but little effect.
Crump was sent back to his desk and
Carter was sent for. He came back to the
clerks room in a state of great indignation,
having strenuously denied any knowledge
of the forgery. The result of a consulta-
ton between the bank managers and the
partners was that. as Crump could not ac-
count for the loss of the check, he had
probably stolen it; and that, although
there was not evidence enough to prosecute
him. he must be dismissed at once. AS to
Carter, they determined to allow him to re-
main where he was and keep a close watch
on his proceedings.
Poor Walter Crump went home that day
like one in a dream. He was dismissed as
the accomplice of a forger! And he could
not say that, in the circumstances, he had
been treated unjustly. The check had
been intrusted TO him, and he had lost it.
1t was, apparently at least, his fault that
the crime had been committed. He al
most wondered that he had not zen sent
to prison.
When he reached his own house he sat
down in front of the fire without speaking,
and even his favorite daughter, Annie,
could not make him say what troubled
him. How could he tell his children that
he, their father, had been dismissed from
his situation on suspicion of having
robbed his employers of $1,000.
About 8 o'clock in the evening q knock
came al the old mans door. 1t was Robert
Carter. Crump started to his feet i'll indig-
nation. Was this fellow. whom he sus-
pected to be the real criminal, to come and
gloat over him in his misery?
But before he could speak, Carter had
come into the room and held out his hand.
q came to tell you, Mr.. Crump," said
he, how sorry we all are in the Office
about this. None of us believe you had
anything to do with it, of course. 1t will
all come out, likely, in a day or two"
The old maj stared at him for q minute
or two without speaking and without
taking Carriers hand.
"Begone. sir ~ he cried at last. How
dare you come here to insult me with your
sympathy? Youl l fancy you are the
one who knows most about it,"
Annie turned from M to the other with
~bewildered, terrified looks. Fortunately
she was the only other n of the family in
the room.
"What is it, father? she cried, clasping
her hands. What is it you say Robert
knows more about than any n else? Oh,
tell me what has happened"
Go to your room, girl" said her father,
sternly. There is trouble enough with
out YOU meddling in it. Stop" he con-
tinued, as the girl slowly left the room.
You see that young man. l forbid you
to see him. to write to him, to receive any
letters from him. He-you will know soon
enough"
"What, sir!' cried Carter, his eyes blaz-
ing with Indignation. DO you say that l
that l took the check. Why, it was an
impossibility, ever if L had wished to do
such a thing"
Leave my house, SIR was the old
mans reply, as he reseated himself in his
chair. He had by this time persuaded
himself that in some unguarded moment
he had left his key in the safe, that Carter
had taken an impression of it and had a
false key made, and that he had got some
clever forger TO initiate the firms signature.
But he knew that no one would believe
him, that appearances were all against him
and that it would be impossible for him
now even to earn his own bread. He
looked upon Carter as the man who had
ruined him, and in his misery and unrea-
sonableness he fancied that n of the
Young mans objects was 10 throw suspicion
upon him to reduce him to poverty and
make it impossible for him to refuse TO
accept him for Armies husband. But in
this the old man determined he woald
never yield.
Carter protested once more against the
Injustice of the cashiers suspicious, and he
then left the room. At the street door he
met Annie, who was waiting for him.
"Oh. Robert r. she exclaimed in 4 low
voice, - tell me what has happened"
Somebody at the Office has forged q
check for $1,000 and more" he replied.
1T had been taken from your fathers
book-and-and-he fancies | took i'll
| who had nothing to do with his safe what
ever
And do you imagine it was
Robert was silent.
And Won came here to say you didn't
| believe il? Oh, how good of you'll"
But he thinks l am the thief. You
don't, Annie?'
mo, Robert; l am very sure of that
Only, 1 can't see You as long as my
father
Roberts only answer 20 this was q sigh
and with a hurried good-by the lover:
parted.
I of course poor Walter Crump could no
find another situation, though he would
! have been glad 70 take the lowest place II
an Office. The wolf can't to his door il
earnest. Annie. who had a situation in {
! board school, was the chief support of hi:
family. aud the poor girl was pale and thin
from long hours and scanty meals.
Ii was about five months after the day
when the cashier was dismissed in disgrace
that one day Mr.. Mason left his office a
1870, his usual hour for going ont to lunch
Half past / was also the time when it wa:
| Robert Carriers turn to go out for half NJ
hour. and MIR. Mason had hardly had time
To reach the street when the young mar
left his desk, went into Mr.. Mason's room
entered a small closet in which a wash
hand basin was fitted up. and proceeded tC
wash his hands. This was a high misde
manor, especially as mediation wa:
provided for clerks in another part OF thu
building; but Robert Carter preferred Mr.
Mason's closet, and always used Ii when h'
had a chance of doing so.
On TINS occasion, however. he had barely
begun his ablutions when he heard III,
outer door of the office slam, and then h'