New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-09

days he came through and paid me the money.
Would it be too much to ask you TO name the
sum p
Not at all-two hundred
How paid p
In four fftics
Did You take the numbers OF the notes : =.
He laughed at that, saying notes didn't usually
stay so long with him as to require such pre-
cautions.
/ looked disappointed.
But I'll tell you what, he said, after pause
/ shouldn't wonder but the sknfnt 70 whom }
"assed them over docs that kind OF thlng lie :
he sort OF fellow. Come over to his Office and
CO.
The 'slinhint was a middlc-aged, cadavcrous
individual seated behind desk. with spectaclcs
on his nose, which he looked at us scru-
tinzingly as we entered My business Delng
stated. and seemingly pronounced inwardly not
numbers of The notes read of without hesitation.
They coincded precisely with those IN my note
book
So far, so good As I travelled homeward /
IDENTIFY been forged, and Mr.. Austin had known II
to I've so, though he had withdrawn his statement
TO that effect at the bank. But how TO prove
that? Lowe might say he got the money from
Mr. Austin TO pay the debt. What took place
after Mr. Austin got home on June 30? Did he
tax Lowe with the fraud? Was that the 81 cret
# the loud words heard by the houScliceper on
he following night, proceeding from Mr. Aus
tins room? Lowe might have left and Horace
gone IN while she was away from the door. Lowe,
| said t. myself must have scaled the window in
posture, and taken away the valuabcs TO throw
everybody of the scent. But how did hc get ont
md in at tie hohSc-doorS without being seen or
heard? Stop-hc might have gone into Mr.. Aus
ms room hy the door, which. by all accounts,
TODD usually unlocked. But how did he get out
again? He might have got through the dressing
Dom and Horace bedroom but hardly without
detection | had it all pretty distinctly set out
n my mind, but where were the probative facts
II looked pretty dark as yet An unexpected
Ii ght was TO be thrown on the matter that very
evening.
was sitting at tea. enjoying the sensation Of
rest after cXcrtion, when | had again a visitor
from Ards House This time it was not Horace
Sine the event which first brought me in CON
tact with this lady had seen and spoken to her
several times On the first or the first two occasions
She seemed merely PROSTATE with grief and hoi-
ror. hut afterward had exhibited nervous cx-
element PAINFUL 20 witness. The burden Of her
talk with me had been: Had no trace been yet
got of the criminal or the stolen art ho hro MaS
in by the window? What were people saying
and SO on. , -,
When She lifted her veil as ! entered the
room into which she had been shown was shocked
20 sec how i'll she looked. Cheeks pale ana sunk;
lips contracted as if in pain, eyes weary-hlle and
vet restless. , ,...
She rose. and laid morocco-bound, brazen-
claspcd volume on the table.
There. She said, 1 cannot hide it longer let
he worst come of IT, -,
NY dear young lady, I said laying my hand
upon the book what is this :?
I will tell YOU. \ few days after-after that
bappcncd. | found it in of my grandfathers
private drawers. recognized IT at once as Wnat
he called his diary in which he was IN the hahIt
of iotting something almost every night. knew
il we'll for | often saw him writing IN II. ane ne
frequently referred to II when any question arose
rs 70 the date Of particular domestic occurrences.
7 took IT, TO my own room. promising myself
ead sort Of pleasure in looking over some OF ms
simple entries. 1t opened, when nnchNpcd IT,
1T the last written page. II was dated AT top
Iulv l. the very night before hiS-hls death
| turned back leaf tn June 80, and BEGAN to
read What I read shocked me very much, but
il was not for day or two that began 70 CON
meet il with my erdndia'hcrS dreadful cnH.
q GRADUALLY, however, the horrible idea Of tins
crcpt into my mlnd and lhcn began
Struggle which has nearly torn me TO pieces. lou
stranger, but ! have no one else 10 speak 70
except Horace, ard | could not slcak ON thiH
matter to him. Twenty times | have had thaJ
book in my hand to stroy II. but always seemed
withheld by an unseen power rs oitcn have !
rcsolvcd to give it up 10 you but my ImD' aN
we'll as my heart failed me- pcg'n 10 nav
grandfather urging me TO something. and always
some else, whom you will find named there
struggling witt, him and dragging nm away
At length I could bear it no longer; There i J.;
let the worst come of IT. | cannJ' help H. Read
il: perhaps, she added, wistfully. You may think
here is not much in it, after all
| opened the book, and tins j. what | found:
juno So have received great shock TO-
lay. II is always painful 10 discover that yol
nave been deceived by those You nave trusted
nd benefited. In any ease, II would have been
, great grief TO me find that Gerald Lowe was
4 base fellow; il i, the grief Is perhaps moro,
but il is tenn cred by the feeling OF d4ns' -
.apcd was about to give him my dearest Florence.
What a mercy that he is found out before and
not after! | never liked him from the heart.
v hen at the bank TINS morning fonnd that
my name had been forged to cheek Tor 200
rcpudIated the transaction, but after hearing
IL wds Gerald who presented It / drew back,
pretended 10 recollect myself and admitted
Igtttf - Sf..Iga ~ ON
from my book and the signature was well im,
tated. nut II was not mine. Horace ana Gerald
are the only persons VINO have access to my
IN the course Of the afternoon made mp MY
mind what TO do | took an opportunity OF
speaking to him privately. tod HIM what
had discovered. lie made an att mpt at denial
but ! showed him II was useless. He then p.cId
for forg> cnes>. said II was to pay d debt Of
honor and save him from dissrace ana /, that he
had intended 10 pay II bacl, with FlorCnccs
money :. | said that ! would not only r'fan
from prosecuting hum, but fulfill NY promise 81
starting him in business If he would rehn9uish
for good and all. lie fatty refused to do this
Florence loved him. and he would not give her
up. She would stick TO him whatever | did.
told him Florence would never marry HIM when
bis conduct Was made known to her. i gave HIM
a day to think OF H. and he LEFT me IN Sullen
an tired. and must be of to bed.
July /. Gerald is still stubborn. lie seems 70
think that in the affection of Florence he has !
a manstay Of safety. In pressing that point hc
showed himself in worse light than ever Ills
past life must have been different from what
thought. | tried to show him that her love
was founded on a dcluson; that when she saw
iin he my prohibition of the marriage |
would b. unnecessary. again put the alter |
native before him-to give up Florence, or be /
publicly prosecuted for forgery | am afraid / /
ost my temper and spoke loudly; he did the |,
amc. At the end he asked another DAY and /
consented Florence must be saved at all |
lazards 1t is her wealth. and not herself be /
; so much in love with Horace has Just been |
n 10 say goodnight ! was strongly moved |
0 tell him all. but relranod'
The importance of this evidence in the hand |
writing of the deceased (which could no doubt |
,c sworn to- ! at once. but 10 soOthc MISS !
n illoughbys feelings made somewhat ght OF 1t. /
My dear young lady 1 said 1 must, OF course.
etain this but ] may tell YOU ! had already /
whence of the forgcry-w5s, in fact, IN London /
o-day about it-so, whatever happens, you need !