The Arizona sentinel., 1890-06-28

advantage of herself or Fountain, 1t was doubly SO Besides, to open himself to the high official would be to prove treach- erous to Tom
 So. without revealing any of his thoughts, he left and went his way to his office. He dismissed all further con- sideration of his duty in the matter with the thought that he was so involved by circumstances that he could not do what seemed to be an obvious duty without doing greater harm in other directions and let his mind run on the joys of his walk with Annie on the previous even. ing and her charming qualities of mind and person.
 Thus engaged, he reached his office As he opened the door of the outer room. with more than usual vigor. he was star tied by loud crash. A clerk had 50 placed a ladder that one leg was imme- diately in front of the door. He had mounted it 80 as to gain access to 8 row of high shelves surrounding the office. on which were kept green wooden boxes, the figures of past years, the names of clients and of estates whose affairs the office had in charge being lettered in white on them.
 When Holbrook had hastily swung open the door it had struck leg of the ladder, nearly toppling over the clerk and causing him to drop one of the boxes to the floor, upon which it fell so heavily as to burst open.
 This was the crash which had startled him. Several of the clerks sprang to save the box, and as they lifted it up it fell apart, scattering it's contents.
 What papers are they?" asked Hoi- brook, viewing the wreck he had caused.
 ''Old ones, should judge," replied Clark, the managing clerk, bending over to pick one of the packages up. "They refer to Sampson, Hurcomb & O., 8 concern that has been out of existence these ten years. Their affairs are all closed up"
 Among the papers was small tin box.
 "What Is that?' asked Holbrook.
 II don't know" said the clerk, picking 1t up. Look for the key" finding it locked and the key not in the lock.
 The office boy paved over the papers. but could find none.
 Holbrook took the box and turned 1t around and around. On one end he saw the letters "C. P. ".~--- ~--------.~.-'
 ''What can it be-" he said, struck by the initials. Bring something to break it open"
 He carried it into his private room. and there they brought him a hammer and broken dining knife.
 With these. he broke open the box and found it filled with papers.
 The first one he lifted from the box was a note long since overdue.
 It was drawn to the order of Charles Pierson and signed "A. P. Duncan" :.
 Ut is as 1 supposed" he muttered Ut belonged to PierSo1 and escaped the boys when his papers were returned. It must have been misplaced in that box"
 He lifted out other papers. They were all overdue notes, drawn to Piersons order and mostly signed by Duncan.
 Holbrook did not know and did noG care who Duncan was.
 He turned the contents of the box out on his desk
 At the bottom was large blue envel- ope tied with red tape, and sealed with red wax back and front over the tape.
 The tape was wound around the nar. row and then the long way, so that it could not be opened without the seals being broken.
 On the back was inscribed:
 Private papers of Charles Pierson Not to be opened unless upon the writ ten consent of Charles Pierson, or after his death. and then only by Judge Hark. ner"
 But Judge Harkner died before he did," said Holbrook, talking to himself
 He balanced it in his hand.
 Should he open it2 Who was to stop him. and who was there to say nay And was he not the executor of Judge Harkuer?
 He broke the seals. To open the en velope he was compelled to destroy it. It had been fastened with glue. The en- velope was one of the kind lined with muslin.
 He tore 1t open and took out written paper. Itwas sheet of legal cap writ ten on both sides.
 The contents of the sheet had been penned by tho same hand as had writteu the inscription.
 It was signed Charles Pisrson."