The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-05-21
THE MYSTERIOUS FORGERY.


and Mr.. Walter Crump, cashier to the
firm of Messrs. Livesey & Mason,
qulckened his pace as he made his way
along Throgmorton street, to the
scene OF his daily toll. 1t wasnot that
he feared to be late that Mr.. Crump
was walking fast. During all the forty
years that he had sat upon a high
stool from 10 to 5 Mr.. Crump had
never been known to be late for his
work. A more methodical, careful
man never hung over a ledger or bal
anced a 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 book
keeper, was there before him already
at his work. Mr.. Crump smiled grim
ly.
$50 you've made a beginning, young
man." he said. "Well, we'll see."
Carriers face flushed a little as he
babe the older nan good-morning.
The fact was that Crump, who had
married rather late in life, had a bright
eyed daughter named Annie, with
whom Robert Carter had fallen very
much in love. 1t was only on the
preceding evening that things had
come to a crisis, and, somewhat to
the young mans surprise, Mr.. Crump
had rejected theproposed engagement.
He did not like young Carter. He did
not approve of the young fellows
fashionabty cut collars, nor of his
scarf-pin, MOI of his cane. Such things
Mr.. Crump considered were the signs
OF q frivolous disposition and UNI
steady habits. Nor did Mr.. Crump
approve of the snatches Of comic
songs which Carter was continually
humming. He suspected that the
young man f~requented music halls,
and spent nor money on cheap CT
CARS, novels, and outings than was
proper for one in his position. Be
sides, Mr.. Robert Carter was usually
the last of all the clerks to make his
appearance in the morning, and this
was, IN Mr.. Crump's eyes, a very bad
sign. 1t was plain to the old man
that Carter was now makieg an at
tempt to earn his good opinion.
'Time will show-time will show
said Mr.. Crump, in rather an aggra-
waiting way, as he changed his coat,
opened his desk, unlocked his safe, and
set about his work.
Soon the other clerks began TO ar
rive, and then came Mr.. Mason, the
acting partner, a tall, pale man, with
long black whiskers. Mr.. Livesey, the
senior partner, only cameto the Office
twice a week, to examine the bank
book and see how things we're going
on. Mr.. Mason opened the letters, and
soon appeared at Mr.. Crump's desk
with a small sheaf OF them in his hand.
These were letters in response to
which small sums of money had to be
serlt, and it belonged to Mr.. Crump to
attend to them, for he had authority
to sign checks for the irmfor sums up
to five pounds.
Mr. Crump first made a list OF the
payment he had to make and then
wentto his safe for his check-book. AS
ne opened it to writethe first check he
Was surprised to find that the coun-
terfoil belonging to the last check
which had been taken from the book
was not filledup. Hecould hardly be-
leve his eyes. Neverin all his life had
ne written a check without first filling
up the counterfeit with particulars OF
the amount, the date and the person
TO whom the check was sent. But his
surprise changed to dismay when he
took out his cash book and found
that he had only drawn nine checks
the day before, the counterfoils OF
which were allproperly filled up, where
as q tenth check had been torn out OF
the book.
Fol- a moment he sat as If stunned.
Could any one have stolen the blank
check2 He always kept the key OF his
sale IN his own bunch; but it was just
possible that some one might have
got hold of the key, taken an impress
sion OF it in wax, and had a false key
made. He had heard of such things:
ne leaned his head on his hands and
tried to think. When had he closed
the safe last night? About Ain the
afternoon, before any one had left the
Office for the day; for he remembered
that he had been sent to the docks
about 4 O'Clock with some docn.asrts
lot a ship that was about to sail, and
that when be GOT back at half-na8t D