Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-27

was to find 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 Just in time. Mr.. Mason was
leaving the foot of the stairs, going up
the street, while well dressed man, was
had evidently just parted from him, who
walking rapidly in the opposite direction
Carter followed the stranger to the man
sion house, and saw him take a Bayswater
omnibus. This suited Carter exactly. He
went round to the front of the vehicle
and got up beside the driver. Then he
clamored along the roof and seated him
self above the door.
At the Holborn Restaurant the man
whom he was following got out and stop
ped to refresh himself, while Carter wait
ed patiently outside. At last he reappear-
ed, and Carter quietly followed him down
Holborn, up Gray's in Road and into a
dingo street into the neighborhood of
Cing's Cross. Here the pretended solicit
tor stopped at door, which he opened
with latch key.
'Ahr' said Carter to himself. II have
you .now!"
He waited a few moments and then
It was answered by dirty, slip-shod
girl.
'Does Mr.. Williamson live here?" in
CURED the young man.
mo, he doesn't"
in just now?"
mo it wasn't. That was our first floor,
Mr.. Cromer. You've made mistake"
$50 I have. Beg pardon, I'm sure''-
and Carter turned away.
From Kings Cross he went straight to
Scotland Yard and narrated his expert
ences. That night Mr.. Livsey received a
visit which caused him some surprise
and so did Mr.. Cromer. No sooner was
the latter gentleman in the hands of the
police than he confessed the whole mat
ter.
Mr.. Mason had known Cromer, who was
a scoundrel with a respectable appearance
and a plausible manner, for some time,
and had selected him to be his tool. He
had sent poor Crump to the docks on the
afternoon before the morning when the
check was missed; he had come back to
the office after the clerks were gone, and
had then opened Crumps safe with his
own key and distracted the blank check.
This check he had himself filled up and
signed with the firms signature in the
usual way, so there was little wonder that
the cashier at the bank paid it without any
suspicion. He had, no doubt, calculated
that the bank would have to pay the loss
but as it was, he had cheated Mr.. Livesy
out of 92,OOO for, as he himself had but
third share in the business, only 81, 900
out of $4,000 had come out of his own
pocket.
Mr.. Mason saved his partner the trouble
Of trying whether he could make him
criminally responsible for what he had
done; for when the police went to look
for him he had disappeared. Probably
he had seen Robert Carter following his
accomplish, and scenting danger had
saved himself while there was time It
turned out afterward that he had been
specializing largely on the Stock Exchange
and was sorely in need of money to pay
his losses.
1t was some consolation to Mr.. Livesey
to think that his dishonest partner had
not profted much by his theft.
AS for Walter Crump, he was offered
his old place, with an apology and a hand
some present to boot; and he still keeps
the books, which he had so long under his
care. He has not quite overcome his preiu-
dice against Robert Carter, and he always
regarded it as hard thing that he should
have to owe his reputation and his deliv-
erance from poverty to that particular
young gentleman.
However, as things were, he could do
no less than inform Carter that he had
done him an Injustice, and that he would
be happy to see him in the evening when
ever it suited him to call. The color
came back to Armies cheek and the light
to her eyes when she heard the good news;
and it was not many weeks before she be-
come the promised wife of the young man
who discovered the secret Of the mysteri-
Gus forgery.