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

theft must have been committed last
night-or this morning? Could the
safe have been opened before his arriv-
al? He remembered Carter's unusu-
ally early appearance, and threw q
suspicious glance at the young man.
Then q simpler solution of the mat.
ter occurred to him. 1t was very pos
sible that, in tearing out thelast check
he had drawn the day before, he had
torn out two by mistake, folded them
up and sent them off together. This
would, OF course, account for the APP
pearance of the check-book. He de-
termined to write at once to Marshall
d Company, merchants in Liverpool,
to whom he had sent his last check,
and ask whether a blank check had
not been sent TO them by mistake.
Then the question a~rose-should he
mention the circumstance to Mr.. Ma
son? On consideration Mr.. Crump
thought that it was not necessary to
do SO. Mr.. Mason was rather a hard
nan to deal with, and a confession
would ruin the character for careful
ness which the cashier had SO long en-
joyed. And he fully expected that in
two days at most he would get a let
ter from Liverpool enclosing the slip
of paper which had cost him so much
anxiety.
The next day was a Tuesday; and
that day of the week, Mr.. Livesey
made his appearance in the office.
Business had not long commenced,
when everybody in the establishment
was aware that something unusual
had happined. Mr.. Mason was closet
ed with his partner for a few minutes,
and then went hurriedly out of the Of
flee, returning shortly afterward with
Mr.. Jeffreys, the manager of the Lon.
don and Lancashire Bank, at which
the firm kept their account.
Then Mr.. Jeffreys left, and came
back accompanied by one of his cash
iers. Then a bell vas rung and Mr..
Crump was sent for.
With a beating heart and cold sweat
on his brow the cashier obeyed the
summons.
Bring your check-b book Mr.. Crump,"
said the senior partner.
This was done, and a tall man whom
Mr.. Crump had not noticed up to this
time, stepped up to the table and
glanced at the check-book along with
Mr.. Livesey.
81 thought So" exclaimed the old
gentleman. "Here's the place from
which the check was taken; hereis the
| counterfeit. The numbers correspond.
What made you do it, Crump? You
are the last man in the world from
whom | would have expected such
conduct"
"Do what, sir" family uttered Mr..
Crump.
"Do what" echoed his employer with
a contemptuous smile. "Who did
you get to do this little bit ofwork for
your"
AS he spoke Mr.. Livesey tossed a
check across the table. Mr.. Crump
took it up and read: ''The London
and Lancashire Bank. Pay JOS. Beck
man, Esq, or order, three thousand
one hundred and seventy-two pounds
fifteen shillings.-Livesey and Mason"
He looked up bewildered. The tall
man in the frock-coat watched him
narrowly.
"Who is this Beckman?" asked Mr..
Livesey.
81 don't know, SIR"
"You don't know? You see that
check has come from your book"
"Yes, sir"
"Did you give it to any one2"
"No, SIR"
"Did you miss it?'
eyes, sir: l missed it yesterday, and
/ wrote to Messrs. Marshall, to whom
| had sent the one before that, think
ing that / had torn out two by mis-
take"
"That points to his innocence"
whispered Mr.. Livesey to the tall man
at his elbow.
1T may be only q clever plant, sir"
returned the other.
"You didnot put that letter among
the others to be copied in the letter
box put In Mr.. Mason.
Crump hung his head.
us the check" he began, after d
pause.
"Of course it is forged answered
Mr., Livesey.
"And was it paid?"
eyes, it was paid yesterday"
Mr.. Crump shuddered, took q long
breath, and waited.
"Now. Crump, you had better make
a clean breast of it, said Mr.. Livesay
| after a few moments silence. "Tel
us who this man Beckman is; tell us
where the money has gone-it can't
be all spent already-and it will be
none the worse for you"
Mr.. Crump felt a choking sensation
in his throat; but he plucked up cour-
age enough to say, Il have told you
already, sir, that | know nothing
about it. 1t was only yesterday
morning that / noticed that a check
had been torn from the book"
aWhy did you not mention it?'
asked Mr.. Mason.
CT +ho,rbt I bod torn II ort mvsalt