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

had SO large q balance at the mo-
ment. Is there any oneof your fellow
clerks whom you think may have had
a hand in it?" he added, turningto the
cashier.
"No, sir"
"Is there any one who keeps loose
company, or any one who is in the
habit OF spending too much money!
Mr.. Crump thought of Carter, and
hesitated for a moment.
Speak. sir, if you are WISE said
Mr.. Livesey sternly.
II have sometimes thought that
Mr.. Carter spent a good deal on dress,
and SO on; but not more than many
young men," replied Mr.. Crump.
But as he spoke he suddenly remem-
bered Robert Carriers unusually early
appearance on the pre- ceding morning,
and q suspicion arose in his mind.
Without intending it he allowed his
thoughts to appear in his face, so
that his protest. know nothing
whatever against MI. C~arter"-had
but little effect.
Crump was sent back to his desk,
and Carter vas sent for. He came
back to the Clerks room in a state of
great Indignation, having strenuously
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 to prosecute him, he must be
dismissed at once. Asto Carter, they
determined to allow him to remain
where he was, and keep a close watch
on his proceedings.
Poor Walter Crump went home that
day like one in a dream. He was dis
missed as the accomplice of a forger!
And he could not say that, in the cir
cumstances, he had been treated un-
Justly. The check had been entrusted
to him, and he had lost it. 1t was,
apparently, atleast, his fault that the
crime had been committed. HI ealmost
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 daugh-
ter, Annie, could not make him say
what troubled HIM. How could he
tell his children that he, their father,
had been dismissed from his situation
on suspicion of having robbed his en-
ployers of Ed, 900?
About s O'Clock in the evening a
knock came to the old mans door.
1t was Robert Carter. Crump start
ed to his feet in Indignation. Wasthis
fellow, whom he suspected to be the
real criminal, to come and gloat over
him in his misery?
But before he could speak Carter
had come into the room and held out
his hand:
81 came to tell you, Mr.. Crnmp,"
said he, chow 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
a day or two"
The old man stared at him for a
minute or two without speaking and
without taking Carriers hand.
"Begone, sirl" he cried at last. Chow
dare you come here to insult me with
your sympathy? You'll / fancy you
are the one who knows most about it"
Annie turned from one to the other
with bewildered, terrified looks. For
tunately she was the only other INT
of the family in the Groom.
What is it, father" she cried, clasp
ing her hands. What is it you say
Robert knows more about than any
one else? Oh, tell me what has hap
pened?"
"Go to your room, girl" said her
fa+hor o+arplxy seTNha,o 10 tro.,hla
enough without your meddling in it.
Stop he continued, as hegirl slowly
left the room. 'sYou see that young
man. Iforbid you to eehim, to write
to him, to receive any letters from
him. He-you will know enough"
what, sir" cried Carter, his eyes
blazing with indignation. Do you say
that I-that | took the check? Why,
it was an impossibility, even if ! had
wished to do such a thing"
Leave my house, sir" was the old
mans reply, as he reseated himself in
his chair. He had by this time per-
suaded himself that III some unguard-
ed moment he had left his key in the
safe, that Carter had taken an impress
sion of it and had a false key made,
and that he had got some clever for
ger to initiate the firms signature.
But he knew that no one would believe
him, that appearances were all against
him, and that it would be impossible
for him now even to carr 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 maker impossible
for him to refuse to accept him as
Armies husband. But in this the old
man determined he would nev yield.
Carter protested once more against