Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-03

tried in vain to calm my excitement before
arrived at the house where Macairidis
lived. The cabman did not know the
street, and oddly enough l could not direct
him; all the strange instinct that before
guided my steps there seemed to have
deserted me, and we Numbered about the
streets a long time before we arrived A
severe-looking landlady opened the door,
Mr.. Macairidis-do you want? He is
gone these four days"
"Gone? Where to-? But he must be
coming back, for | have an appointment
with him."
"He amt a-coming back here, then. He
paid his bill and took away his things.
Said he was leaving England. Going to
the Continent, | suppose; he's a forrin
gent, and comes from those parts. No. he
didn't say anything about you. Didn't
leave any address, either"
For minute | was dumbfounded The
shock was so great that landlady, front
door and cab horse all seemed to waltz
before my eyes. What was | to do now?
Here | had been wasting 4 whole week in
the country, keeping my imagination nice
and blank, all TO no purpose. | do not
often use strong language, but on this
occasion-well, the landlady hastily shut
the door and the cabman grinned. |
jumped into the cab again, and told the
man to drive to my office, vowing | would
never trust Greek again. My brother
in-law did not seem in the best of tenn
pers.
Where have you been all this time? You
| 10, Ill I
friend William Pitt does not agree with
you. What have you been doing? Sitting
up late at nights and playing blind hooky'
with him?"
William Pitt?" | replied stifiiy.
What do you know of William Pitt
William Pitt does not play blind hooky'"
'Well, at any rate he seems to have got
lot of money out of You, whatever his
little game may be. And really, Tom,
now am on the subject, l must say that
you are somewhat irregular in your pro-
ceedings. Why on earth could you not
have told me the other day that you in
tended to draw on us so heavily ~
'Draw on you? What do you mean 1
never drew on YOU"
My partners face turned to CHASTITY
pallor, and his jaws dropped. Heaven and
earth, man! you don't mean to say that
bill was forged? No, it is impossible, there
was your letter of advice that came by that
mornings post. Here-you, Jones-bring
that letter and bill and show them 10 Mr..
Puncheon. Look here, Tom, you don't
mean to say that it is not your writing?
Just look at the letter. Isn't that your
writingw
| looked at the letter-it was mine; but
when or how could | have written it? 81
beg to advise"-"favor of William Pitt
"two thousand pounds payable at sight"
the words swan before my eyes. took
up the bill. Yes, that was mine also |
no mistake. But how-when? My heart
sank within me, for | remembered the i'm
aginary ink on my fingers.
"Did you meet it ?" at last stammered
out
"Did we? Why, d-n it all, SIR
roared out my brother-in-law, his face
white with passion; ''will you tell me or
will You not? Is that your handwriting
and signature ?"
Yes it is. | wrote it."
"Thank Heaven and he fell back on
an office stool and mopped his forehead.
Now, my very dear sir, will you kindly
tell what it all means and why you pre-
tended ignorance of the transaction ?'
Explain ?" | cried in a sudden fury.
"Why should l explain? | drew the bill
at least | suppose did-and the money is
paid. That is all know, and that is all
you need know | don't know what the
deuce you are making such fuss about.
At any rate | am going to catch my train,
so good morning. | put on my hat and
flung myself out of the Office. do almost
hate my brother-in-law.
Two thousand pounds! two thousand
pounds! Yes, the money was gone-and so
was Robert Macairidis. William Pitt, in
deed! So Robert Macairidis was something
more than a Demosthenes-he was also a
William Pitt.
No, the suspicion is too horrible. | can
not bear it. l much prefer to think that it
was the embodied spirit after all, only very
much embodied, and with a pocket to put
the money into. Was not that unscrupu
lous conduct even in a ghost? Is it a
scrupulously honest thing for a gentle
man like Mr.. Pitt to make me draw
bills in his favor while another man held
me in a trance? And what possible use
can he make of the money, | should like
to know? One consolation at least | have,
if he has expended it in bribery down
there the money will melt in his clients
pockets W. f. Hubbard in Belgraria