Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-12-25

The next day he took me after break
fast into the glass s-panelled room where
he sat, and through little peep-hole
scraped in the ground glass, l recon-
noitered the bank staff. There they
were, all scratching away with indus
trious pens, and shoveling out money to
the customers, of whom, being market
day, there were many.
Now / don't know why, but / didn't
seem inclined to notice any one in par
ticular but Mr.. Lenton (Mr. Dale's sis
ter's SOM aud Mr.. Mason, the clerk
who bore so admirable character.
They sat side by side IN the hank, and
were evidently on very friendly terms
Lenton was handsome young fel-
low, with what you call ''dashing"
look about him; the clerk was just the
contrary, being very quiet and demure
"a thoughtful young chap, too thought
ful, L fancied, if he had only the ordi-
nary bank business on his mind.
As sat looking out, the old cashier,
Mr.. Mitley, came in, looking perplexed.
Seeing me. he hesItated. Mr.. Dale told
him 1 was a friend, and he might speak
before me.
well, SIR" said the old man, hand
ing the manager sheet of paper. "this
note account is wrong There is
twenty-five pound note less than there
ought to be-"
Nonsense" said Mr.. Dale, peremp-
torily; then. noticing the hurt look of
the old cashier, he said, carelessly, II
beg your pardon, Mitley; SO there is.
Oh, remember. 1 paid one away on
my private account. Debit my account
with it,"
The old man withdrew satisfied.
| Then Mr.. Dale, with an angry look,
turned to me.
"Another one missing since yester-
day, Staining, even since you've been
here. They were all right, as Mitley
says, last night
l said nothing, but thought much;
but L wasn't going to commit myself.
When the bank closed (by the way.
besides Mr.. and Mrs. Dale, their three
| female servants, boot boy, and the
two nephews, were the persons who
slept in the house, while the keys were
In Mr.. Dale's room, though that didn't
prove much, for sometimes 'notes"
went in the day-timel L took a
stroll. ostensibly to look at houses for
| sale; really to follow Messrs. Lenton
and Mason, who went off for walk
together. 1 followed them along a
dreary country road. with about the
worst flnts that ever cut their London
boots, till they came some two miles
out Of the town to a public house, the
Blue Lion. 1t was an ordinary place
/ enough, and the landlord, a stupid sort
OF fellow, but he had some good beer,
which is favorite 'vanity'' of mine.
So lit my briar root, drank my beer,
and studied the prospect while trying
10 hear what l could of Lenton and
| Mason's conversation, who were qui-
city drinking glass of a!e each III a
very harmless way, in the window. OF
course neither of them had caught sight
of me in the bank, and as for strangers.
they were always plentiful in Moreton.
Detectives are said, by people who
| write about them, to fit facts to their
own theories. Perhaps they do, some
times. Anyhow, / did on this occasion.
when l found the object of my two gen
tlemen's visit to the Blue Lion was TO
see well-known sporting paper, which,
with so strict view as was taken in
MoretoD of banking people, they
| couldn't have gone 10 town public
house to see, or bought or borrow d
without the chance OF row; for More
ton is a place, big as it is, where every
body knows everybody else.
The two pored over this paper as if
they had something big" On the next
big race, and l began TO think | could
guess where the notes went. Not that
| endorse the humbug talked about
betting whenever young fellow comes
10 grief. There are many things quite
as likely to be the causes of It; but IN
this particular instance l thought il
more than probable had got something
I fln 70 ha
After time the young men retired,
having had long and subdued conver-
sation, and was left TO digest what
had heard-not much, certainly, but
something.
said nothing to Mr.. Dale, stayed Oh
in my capacity of investor who couldn't
fni any investments to suit hun, and
kept my eyes open. Several days
passed, and no more notes were missed.
Mr.. Dale 60, rather more tranquilized.
and Mrs. Dale ventured to play heI
piano to him in the evening, which for
snme time he had been o lrTitaIe tC
listen to, much 10 her surprise, a.
neither she nor any one else had been
tod of the missing notes, ana he was
generally very goUd-tempered with her,
though short-tempered with most peo-
pie.
But one day discovery was made,
not through me, though for my credit:
sake | had spoken or my suspicious oi
the party concerned to Mr., Dale
namely, young Mason. 1 told him
fancied he was in some way connected
with sporting matters, and got for my
pains an incredulous laugh, and g
nasty remark about detectives acute
ness. This nettled me, so l just told
him about the scene in the Blue Lion
He was enraged then, 1 could see
both with me and the two young Eel
lows; but just as he WAS going to Say
something about 1t in came old MItley
as usual, with a bundle OF notes thai
DIV cashed OF paid IN. Mr.. Dale raI
his eye carelessly over them--paused
stared, consulted his pocket book, ano
thea said, with all affectation OF miif
ference:
"Wrere did this five-2ound note com'
from. Mltley? It's very greasy"
MIR. Mason asked me to change 1t
SIR he replied.
''Mr. Masonl Very good. You car
go'
The door closed, and the manage
tn ned TO me, b face mixture
regret and anger.
| II owe you an apology, oIanuAus, ~
laughing at you about Mason. L an
most grieved, but this is one OF TN
stolen notes. Still, that doesn't prov
his guilt, and his changing it here look
like innocence.
s'Or like cleverness, sir, in playing
bold game to disarm suspicion"
"Well, I'll call him in Step Int
that cupboard; you can see and bei
without his knowing it ;"
In came Mr.. Mason, quiet as ever
He stood waiting for Mr.. Dale L
speak. with an unrufIied air of indiffer
anca He was a cool hand