The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-12-04

lie confirmed Mason story COM
pletely. As for the note, he believed
he took it of bookmaker named Flash
Dick, at Doncaster, OH the previous
"Leger day"-a tall, blackeyed man
with splendid teeth.
felt puzzled again. Certainly bet
ting and the note had had some con-
neCtion, but not according to my theory.
So home went, told Mr.. Dale what l
heard, and found hlra evidently very
doubtful of my prospects of doing HIM
any good. He seemed thoroughly
worried, said he should not speak to
his nephew that night, but should take
some choral and go to bed early, and
so he did.
Now l had had a curious fancy or
recollection of something read formerly
that occurred to me when, as | said
just now, | found him proving about
the house at small hours, and that was
of man robbing himself when walking
in his sleep. This might be SO here,
or, which was far more likely, Mr.. Len
ton (whom still suspected) might
having seen his uncle take his sleeping
| draught, think it fine chance to do a
little wide-awake walking on his own
account.
Anyhow, l resolved after the house
was quiet to watch. was piqued, l
| confess.
Well, hid myself in the cupboard
which commanded view of the safe,
and wretchedly cold it was, besides
most cramped position to stand in. l
got sleepy and disguised, when noise
caught my ear, very slight but enough.
There was somebody about. | was
alert-all eyes and ears in a minute.
| N'ozO at all events, l should discover
something. And then a faint light
cleaned through the door opening into
bank, and came round the corner to-
wards the glass room, and the figure
carrying it was Mr.. Dale. You could
swear to his blue dressing gown any
where, for he would sometimes smoke
in it, and-but- why was it pulled over
his head?
And here, as the figure stopped be-
fore the safe, the dressing gown was
thrown back from the head, and showed
a head of flowing brown hair and pale
beautiful face, the eyes full of terror
the face of Mrs. Dale
l saw her from her shapely head 10
the bare white feet that peeped under
the blue edge of the dressing gown.
Like fashit passed through my mind
How clever it was to wear her husbands
dressing gown, knowing how he some
times prowled about. Of course she
took the nights when he slept tired out;
and of course she had his keys at her
command. But who would have
thought it.
She stopped, opened the safe, took
out some notes, selected one, relocked
the safe, and gave long, shivering
look round. Meanwhile, for dutys
duty, blew the light out and snatched
the note from her hand. She gave a
scream that shall never forget, and
tainted. | was sorry as | ran up to
her husbands room, but If hadn't called
his own eyes as evidence he'd never
have believed me. reused him showed
him the note, told him the thief was in
the back parlor, and begged him to
come down. He threw his clothes on,
glanced at his wife's empty place, then,
with look of such agony as touched
even my tough heart, he ran down
stairs.
She was lying there, the keys clenched
in her hand. He frantically kissed her,
dashed water in her face, and revived
her. Then the kneeling, shivering,
sobbing, miserable woman told all. She
had robbed the safe, and no one else
knew of it. The notes were sent to
her only brother-a thorough scamp
supposed to be dead, recently turned
up, but idolized by his sister, and a
mere gambler-ln fact, the very Flash
Dick Mr.. Phillips knew.
| left husband and wife together.
The next morning poor Mr. Dale made
the fullest apology to his nephew and
Mason, and resigned his appointment.
No one knew the secret but myself,
and didn't need his entreaties, when
he gave me my handsome fee, to re-
spect it. And he and she sailed for
Australia, Tor his private means were
good. Whether she was good wife
to him afterwards | don't know
anyhow, she ought to have BEEN
BeLeyasia.