The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-04-22

from your gaping mouth Gro you would
permit 80 fiippanta n mention of SO sacred
u name"
He started, and stared at me, while
walked Indignantly away.
Did he understand my wordsp Did
he comprehend them in their breadth
and depthp
Only so far, perhaps, as a shallow
brain and superficial feeling could
reach, for he was one entity, and / an
other.
From that moment, however, he
ceased to speak of her in my presence,
and 1, feeling that she was lost to me
for ever, only secretly worshipped her
from afar.
So matters drfted on for time, and
l became miserable over my solitary
brooding; and while l wished myself
far enough from the scene of n rivals
triumph, l shrank from tho thought of
going where should never look upon
my idol again.
One night, having forgotten some
thing at the store, l procured the key
from the porter and entered the build
ing.
To my surprise, l soon perceived the
glimner of light in the counting
room; and on approaching it cautiously,
thinking there might be Il burglar ut
work, was still moro surprised TO see
the safe-door open, and my rival seated
on the floor, apparently counting n
large roll of bank-notes.
well, this looks like singular night
workr' said /.
With startled cry, he fairly lcaped
to his feet, letting the money fall around
n o,,I Il
most ghaStly faces l ever Dchclu.
After looking straight in my face for
few moments, during which he shook
and trembed, and his very lips quiver-
cd, he stammercd out:
,"Wh-wh-why, is it you? Wha-wha-
what do you want?'
'Supposc i'll turn ask you what you
are doing with that open safe and
money at this untimcly hourpn
"Oh, that?' he answered. glancing
down at the scattered bank-notcs, and
evidently recovering himself with IN
effort "Ha, ha!' he affected to laugh.
"Do you know, my dear fellow, took
you for a burglary
''1nstcad of yourself, ch?n
The fact is, you see, my dear friend
Suppose you leave the dear friend
out?n interrupted.
"Wcll, thcn," he coolly went on, 1.-The
fact is that, after going home, the idea
came into my head that had made Il
mistake in my money report; and as
the governor, you know (meaning our
employer), is very particular about
tri1les, and might discover it before
should get a-chance to make a correc-
ton, l thought I had better. attend to it
at once"
And doubtless you found an error,
which you were about to set right" /
said, with sncer which he seemed not
to notice.
ooh, yes, think there was IN error;
but am not quite sure, because of your
interruption, L shall have to 90 all
oveE the money again. And now that
have accounted for my presence here,
suppose you do the same" he added
giving me n searching look.
''Well L came in to get" Here it
occurred to me that l, an honest man,
was being interrogated by one who was
perhaps thief, and l suddenly broke
OIL and added: That is my business. :"
"Ohon he exclaimed with a peculiar
look and lcer.
"And came in by the porter's kew"
l sharply continued.
"Aha! yes, yes Just sou
"And by what key did you come IMP"
81 suppose you are not ignorant of
the fact that there is private koyP" he
answered.
(Which belongs to the governor"
"And which his daughter could get
for me-"
Having every confidence in your in
tcgrity."
''At least she ought to have in her fu-
ture husband, you know"
This allusion to his coming marriage
with my worshippcd angel nearly drove
me wild.
controlled myself as well as I could,
and merely said:
81 hope you will find your money af-
fair all correct, and not have to take
away or add anythingm
"Thank you! l hope l shallr he
| blandly answered.
turned away abruptly to seek what
came for and leave the building.
AS was about to depart, in no en-
VlaDle frame of mind, he called out:
u suppose You will report what you
nave discovered, and as mucn to my in
| jury rs possibleP"
"Irobably you are now iudoino mo
BY, yourself" 1 angrily replied; .!but I
will thank you to understand that I am
too much OF gentleman to be a tale.
| bearer"
"All right then, and good-nightm he
said. "
| Being too angry to respond | hurriod
out and locked the door without SAVING
another word.
returned the key to the porter; but 7
did not mention to him, nor to anyone
else, the fact Of my having met my fcl-
low-clcrk in the building, under circum-
stances SO calculated to excite suspicion
of his being there for an evil purpose.
In this | am now certain | did wrong:
but was young then, without expert
ence in the evil ways Of mankind, strict
ly honest and honorable myself, and
possessed too much pride TO dcmcan
myself TO the low condition of tale
bearer.
l reasoned, too, that if my rival had
originally designed to rob his employer,
he would not do it after what had oc-
CURED, and that really had no right to