The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-04

and with hurried good-by the lovers
parted.
or course poor Walter Crunp could not
find another situation, though he would have
been glad 10 take the lowest place IN an oi.'r'
The wolf came To- his door III earnest Ann'o'
who had a situation in board school,waS the
chief support Of the family, and the poor ghi
Wa, pale and thin from long hours and scanty
meals
1t was about five months after the day
when the ca asher was dismissed III disgrace,
that one day NJ Mason left his office nj ! 80
his usual hour for going out to lunch Han
past one was also the time when 1t was lsoterL
Carriers turn TO 40 out for half an hour, and
Mr.. Mason hal hardly had time to reach the
street when the young man left his desk, went
INTO Mr. MaSons room, entered small c!'>'t
IN which a wash hand basin was fitted up, ana
proceeded 10 wash his hands This was u hiSh
misdcmcanor, especially as accommodation
was provided for clerks III another part OF the
building; hut Mr. Robert Carter preferred
Mr.. Mason's closet, and always used 1t "heh
he had n chance of doing 80.
On this occasion, however, he had barely
begun his additions when he heard the outer
door of the Office slam, and then he heard
some one, whom he judged 10 he his employer
come into the room.
Fortunately, tho door ~ the closet was
nearly closed, Sc that IN" young man was III
visible 20 any one III the center of the room.
ale has only come back for his umbrella,
said Robert to himself; there is no need OF
my moving. II keep quiet he will be gone
IN minute MOI Some one else las come
in with him What shall do"
Mr.. Mason had already closed the double
doors which led from his room 10 the outer
office, and Carter was scrcwing up his cour-
age TO the point of ContcSsing his presence
Hhcn the first words spoken by the stranger
.cll upon his ear and made him stand as
stll as a stone.
"You can take your choice, rs | said IN
my letter Hand me over another hundred
or III split What's one seventy two out OF
three thousand! | had all the risk and
you---'
"Si!ence-win youF Kissed out Mr., Mason,
In an angry whisper. Il can't give You zoo,
for haven't got it. But will give you t5O
low and go next month. After that YOU
ian split if you like, for you shall got no
more out OF me Anything would he better
than living as slave 10 a man like You.
Hand over the $50 then" said the other
after rausc, ana then there was slight
rustic Of bank notes.
"You had better leave the country SAID
Mr. Mason. in a low tone. The bank cashier
who cashed the check might meet you in the
street
I'm take care Of that, replied the stranger
and after a few more words had passed the
two men left the Office.
All this time Garter had been standing half
paralvzed, first by fesr of discovery and then
hy astonishment But he understood thls
much, that this stranger was the man who
had ca>hed the forged check under the name
of Beckman: that Mr.. Mason knew it, and
SO far from denoUnCing him To the police was
giving him money TO hold his tongue. Yes;
and more than this, the stranger was threat
enng to split" upon Mr.. Mason!
What it could all mean Carter could not
comprchcnd hut he saw one thing plainly
enough The important point was 10 lind out
who this man was, and where he lived. In
moment Carter ran out of the room, seized
his hat, and rushed down stairs.
He was lust in time. Mr.. Mason was leav-
ing the foo, of the stairs, going up the street
while well dressed man, who had evidently
lust parted from him, was walking rapidly
in the opposite direction. Carter followed
the stranger to the Mansion house, and saw
him take a Bayswatcr omnibus. This suited
Carter exactly lie went round to the front
of the vehicle and got up beside the driver
Then he clambcred along the roof and seated
himself above the door
At the HolboIn restaurant the man whom
81 q 81 N
fresh himself while Garter waited patiently
outside At last he reappeared, and Carter
uuietlv followed him down Holborn, up
Glay's len road, and into dingy street in
the nci.hborhood of Kings Cross. Here the
pretended solicitor STOPPED at door, which
he opened with latch key.
"Ah." said Carter to himself, II have YOU
now!'
He waited a few moments and then knocked
at the door.
1t was answered 10y dirty, slip-shod girl
Does Nj Williamson live here" inquired
the young man.
mo, hc doesn't
Wasn't that Mr.. Williamson who came
in mst now-Mr. Williamson, of Peter
borough"
NO, it wasn't That was our first floor,
Mr.. Cromcr. You've made n mistake
$50 ! have Beg pardon, I'm sure: and
Garter turned away.
From Kings Cross lie went straight to
Scotland Yard and narrated his experiences.
That night Nh l.ivesry received visit whi"h
caused him some suIrrise-and 50 did MIR.
Cromer No sooner was the latter gentleman
in the hands Of the police than he confessed
the whole matter.
Mr. Mason had known Cromer, who was a
scoundiel with respectable appearance and
a plausible manner, for some time, and had
selected him to lie his tool He had sent poor
Crump 10 the docks on the afternoon before
the morning when the check was missed; lie
had come back TO the Office after the clerks
were gone and had then opened Crump i
safe with his own key and distracted the
blank check This check lie had himself filed
up and signed with the firms signature in the
usual way so there was little wonder that the
cashier at the the hank paid il without any
suspicion lie had, no doubt, calculated that
| the bank would have to bear the loss; but, as
| il was, he had cheated Mr.. Livesey out Of
| g., 600, for, as he himself had hut third
| share in the business, only LOCO out OF the
| 5000 had 20 come out OF his own pocket.
Mr. Mason saved his partner the trouble ot
| irving whether be could make him criminaily
responsible for what he had done; for when
| 90, h., bod