Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-06-02
others to be copied in letter-took," pu
in Mr.. Mason,

| 'Is the check" he began, after pause.
| "Of course it is forged" answered Mr..
Livesey.
| "And was it paid ?''
| 'Yes, it was paid yesterday"
| Mr.. Crump shuddered, took long breath,
and waited
''Now, Crump, you had better make a
clean breast of it, said Mr.. Livesey after
few moments silence. s.'Tell us who this
man Beckman is; tell us where the money
has gone-it can't be all spent already-and
| it will be none tho worse for you.'
Mr.. Crump felt shocking sensation in
his throat; but he plucked mp courage
enough to say, Il have told you already,
sir, that know nothing about it. It was
only yesterday morning that noticed that
a check had been taken from the book
| "Why did you not mention it 7" asked
Mr. Mason.
81 thought had torn it out r4yseli
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 ?''
eyes, sir" replied Crump. Il don't
see how any one could have got at the
book, for l am very careful; but it is pos
sible."
''The thief has probably got profession
al forger to copy the signature from an old
letter, said Mr.. Mason, taking up the slip
of paper. s'It is beautifully initiated.
would not have detected it myself"
SIT is plain that the thief must have
been some one in the Office, though prob
ably he had an accomplce outside" said
Mr.. Jeffreys. ga stranger would not have
| known that the firm had so large balance
at the moment Is there any one Of your
fellow clerks whom you think may have a
hand in it ?'' he added, turning to the
cashier. o.
"No, sir"
SIS there any one who keeps loose COM
pany, or any one who is in the habit of
spending too much money ?"
Mr.. Crump thought of Carter, and hesi-
tated for moment.
''Speak, sir, if you are wise," said Mr..
Livesey sternly.
81 have sometimes thought that Mr..
Carter spent good deal on dress, and so
on; but not more than many young men,"
replied Mr.. Crump. But as he spoke he
suddenly remembered Robert Carter's
unusually early appearance on tie preced-
ing morning, and a suspicion arose in his
mind. Without intending it he allowed
his thoughts to appear in his face, so that
his protest-'I know rothing whatever
against Mr.. Garter" but little effect.
Crump was sent back to his desk, and
Carter was sent for. He came back to the
clerks room in state of great indignation,
having strenuousiy denied any knowledge
whatever of the forgery. The result of a
consultation between the bank manager and
the partners was that as Crump could not
account for the loss of the check, he had
probably stolen it; and that, although there
was not evidence enough toprosecute him,
he must be dismissed at once. AS to Carter,
they determined to allow him to remain
where he was and keep close watch on his
proceedings.
Poor Walter Crump went home that ay
like one in dream. He was dismissed as
the accomplice of forger. And he could
not say that, in the circumstances, he had
been treated unjustly. The check had been
entrusted to him, and he had lost it. 1t was,
apparently, at least, hisfault that the crime
baG been committed. Ne almost wondered
that he had not been 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 faith
er, had been dismissed from his situation on
suspicion of having robbed his employers of
e3, 600.
About o'clock in the evening a knock
came to the old mans door. It was Robert
Carter. Crump started to his feet in 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 be could speak Carter had
come into the room and held out his hand:
81 came to tell you, Mr.. Crump," said
he, show 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 day or two.
The old man stared at him for minute
or two without speaking, and without TAX
ing Carter's hand.
''Begone, sir!" he cried at last. Chow
dare you come here to insult me with your
sympathy? You! I fancy you are the one
who knows most about it."
Annie turned from one to the other with
bewildered, terrified looks. Fortunately
she was the only other one of the family in
the room.
''What is it, father? she cried, clasping
her hands. 'iWhat is it you say Robers
knows more about than any one else? Oh,
tell me what has happened %
''Go to your room, girl,' said her father,
sternly. "There is trouble enough without
your meddling in it. Stop" he continued,
as the girl slowly left the room. "You see
that young man. | forbid you to see him,
to write to him. to receive any letters from
him. He-you will know soon enough"
"What, Sir cried Garter, his eyes blaz-
ing with indignation. 'Do you say that I
that l took the check? Why, it was an
even if I had wished to DO
such a thing
va INV bnuee ~. x-,oe t,,o ~ ii o..
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 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 appear
ances were all against him, and that it
would be impossible for him now even to
earn his bread. He looked upon Carter as
the man who had ruined him, and in his
misery and unreasonableness he fancied that
one of the young mans objects was to throw
suspicion upon him, to reduce him to
poverty, and make it impossible for him to
refuse to accept him as Annie's husband. -
But in this the old man determined he would
never yield.
Carter protested once more against the
injustice of the cashiers suspicious, and
then left the room. At the street door he
met Annie, who was waiting for him.
'Oh, Robert" she exclaimed in low
voice, 'tell me what has happened
Somebody at the Office has forged
check for three thousand pounds and more,'
he replied. sit had been taken from your
fathers book, and-and-he fancies I took
it-I, who had nothing to do with his safe
whatever"
Sand do they imagine it was -''
Robert was silent.
"And you came here to say you didn't
believe it? Oh, how good of you p
tBut he thinks l am the thief. You don't
Annie ?"
'sNo, Robert; am very sure of that
Only, can't see you so long as my faith
er-"
Roberts only answer to this was q sigh,
and with hurried good-by the lovers part
ed.
y \
Weeks and months went by, and the mys-
terry of the forged check remained unsolved
Mr.. Livesey insisted that the firm should
bear the loss of the $4,000, which Mr.. Ma
son thought the bank ought to repay, as