The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-04-29

brOoding; and while i wished mySelf |
far, enough from the scone Of d rivals
triumph, I shrank from the thought Of
going where l should never look upon |
my idol again.
Ono night having forgotten some
thing at the store, procured tho key
from the porter and entered tho buildr
Ing;
glimmer Of n light in tho counting
room; and on approaching 1t cautiously,
thinking there might be a burglar at
work, l was still moro surprised to see
the safe-door open, and my rival seated
on the floor, apparently counting q
large roll of bank-notes.
''Well, this looks like singular night
work!" said I. =.
With a startled cry, he fairly leaped
to his feet, letting the money fail around
him, and turned towards mo ono OF the
mosE ghastiy races over behold.
After looking straight in my face for
few moments, during which he shook
and trombled, and his very lips quiver-
cd, he stammered out:
"Wh-wh-why, is 1t your Wha-wha-
what do you wantp"
Suppose in turn ask you what you
are doing with that open, safe and
money at this untimely hourP''
7 "Oh, thatp' he answered, gfapcihg
down at the scattered bank-notos, and
evidently recovering himself with an
effort '.IIa, har' no affected to laugh.
"Do you know, my dear fellow, / took
you for burglarr'
"Instead of yourself, ehp"
Tho fact is, you SEQ. my dear friend
"Supposo you leave the 'doar friend
outp" l interrupted. 49,.
"Well, then," he coolly went on, "tho
fact is that, after going home. the idea
oalna into my hoad that had made o
mis- stake in my money report; and as
the governor, you know (meaning our
cmployer), is very particular about
trihes, and might discover it before I
| should got a chance to make correc-
ton. thought had botter attend to IL
| at once"
'.And doubtless you found m error.
which you wore about to set right!'
said, with sncer which he seemed not
to notice.
"Oh, yes, think there was an error;
but am not quito sure, because Of your
interruption, I shall havo to 90 oil
over the money again. And now that I
have accounted for my presence here,
suppose you do tho same" he added,
giving me searching look.
"Well, 1 oamo in to GOT" Here II
occurred to me that I, an honest man,
was being interrogated by ono who was
perhaps n thief, and I suddenly broke
off and added; "That Is my business. "
look and leer.
"And came in by tho porter's key
I sharply continued.
"Aha! yes, yes. Just sor'
| "And by what key did you como inp''
the fact that there Is q private koyp" hi
answered.
(Which belongs to tho governor"
. "And which his daughter could ge
for ME"
!, Having overy confidence in your in
tegrity."
"At least sho ought to have in her II,
tVEn my worshippod angel noarly drov,
controlled myself rs we'll as I could
and merely said:
81 hope you will find your money af
ialr all correct and not have to take
away or add anythingr'
! THANK youi I hope I sbnllr" y,
blandly answered.
turnod away abruptly to seek what
l came for and loavo tho BUILDING.
AS was about to depart, in no an.
viable frame of mind, he called ont.
II suppose you will report what Won
have discovered, and as much to NV in
jury rs possiblcP"
| "Probably you are now iudeinp mo
by yourself" I angrily replied; but I
will thank you to understand that I nm
too much of gontleman to be a tale
bearer"
"All right, then, and good-night! he
Being too angry to respond hurried
| out and locked the door without sayino
another word.
- returned the key to the porter; but I
did not mention to him, nor to anyone
else, tho fact OF my having met my fol-
low-clerk in the building, under circum-
stances SO calculated to excite suspicion
OF his being there for an evil purpose.
III this am now certain did wron O..
but was young thon, without expert
onco III tho evil ways of mankind, strict
ly honest and honorable myself, and
possessed too much pride 10 demean
myself to the low condition of q tale
bearer.
! reasoned, too, that If my rival had
originally designed to rob his employer,
he would not to it aftor what had oc-
ourred. and that really had no right to
injurc his reputation merely because he
had been chosen from MI tho world by
tho fair being who was &il tho world to
mo.
, 1t was something like month after
TINS event, that | was ono day fearfully
startled and shocked at suddenly finding
myself under arrest for stealing money
from my employer. f.. - j
Notwithstanding that know mysolf
TO be entirely innocent, tho very fact
that should be suspected Of such a ne
1arious transaction, nearly crushed mo
with shame.
Judge OF my unboundcd amaxement
and horror, thon, on being assured that
marked money had been found in INV
trunk. that the amount OF a thousand
pounds had been abstractcd within the
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