The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-28

on take care OF that" >splied the
stranger; and after a few more words
had passed the two men left the office.
All this time Carter had been stand
ing half paralized, first by fear OF dis
covery and then by astonishment.
But he understood this much, that
this stranger was the mar who had
cashed the forged check under the
name OF Beckman; that Mr.. Mason
knew it, and SO far from denouncing
him to the police was given him
money to hold his tongue. Yes; and
more than this, the stranger was
threatening to split" upon Mr.. Ma
son,
What it could all mean Carter could
not comprehend; but he saw one thing
plainly enough. The important point
was to find out who this man was,
and where he lived. In a 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 whilea well-dressed
man, who had evidently Just parted
from him, az walking rapidly IN the
opposite direction. Carter followed
the stranger to the Mansion House,
and saw him take a Bayswater omni-
bus. This suited Carter exactly. He
went ronnd to the front OF the vehicle
and got up beside the driver. Then
clambered along the roof and seated
himself above the door.
AT the Holborn Restaurantthe man
whom ha "aS fo)1pwino not r,,t ,r1
stopped to refresh himself, while Carter
waited patiently outside. At last he
reappeared, ard Carter quietly follow
ed him down Holborn, up Gray's Inn
Road and into a dingy street in the
neighborhood OF Kings Cross. Here
the pretended solicitor stopped at a
door, which he opened with a latch
key.
"Ah." said Carter to himself, 81
nave you now
He waited a few moments, and then
knocked at the door.
1t was answered by a dirty, slip
shod girl.
Does Mr.. Williamson live here?"
inquired the young a
"No, he doesn't"
WASN'T that Mr.. Williamson who
came in just now-Mr. Williamson, OF
Peterborough"
"No, it wasn't. That was our first
floor, Mr.. Cromer. You've made a
mistake"
80 have. Beg pardon, Imsure""
and Carter turned away.
From Kings Cross he went straight
to Scotland Yard andnarraued his ex-
periences. That night Mr.. Livesey re-
ceived a visit which caused him some
surprise-and so did Mr.. Cromer. No
sooner was the latter gentlemanin the
hands OF the police than he confessed
the whole matter. !.
Ar. Mason had known Cromer, who
was a scoundrel with a respectable
appearance and a plausible manner,
for some time, and had selected him
to DO 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 Crump's safe with
his own key and distracted the blank
check. This check he had himselftilled
up and signed with the firms signature
i'll the usual way, SO there was little
wonder that the cashier at the bank
paidit without any suspicion. Hehad,
no doubt, calculated that the bank
would have to bear the loss; but, as it
was, he had cheated Mr.. Livesey out
OF two thousand pounds, for, as he
himself had but a third share in the
business, only one thousand out of
the three had to 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 disap-
peared. Probably he had seen Robert
Carter following his accomplice, and,
seeming danger, had saved himself
while there was time. 1t turned out
afterward that he had been s~peculat-
ing 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 dis
honest partner had not profited much
by his theft.
AS for Walter Crump, he was offered
his old place, with an apology and a
handsome present to boot; and hestill
keeps the books which he had so long
under his care. He has not quite
overcome his prejudice against Robert
Carter, and he always regarded it as
hard thing that heshould have to owe
his reputation and his deliverance
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 whenever it suited
him to call. The colorcame back to
Annie's cheek and the light to her eyes
when she heard the good news; and it
was not many weeks before she be-
came the promised wife OF the young
MAJ who discovered the secret OF
The Mysterious Forgery.-Whltehall
Review.
Fate of a Bad Woman.