Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23


refreshed, found sprigsins standing by my
bedside.
Sorry to disturb you. old fellow" he said,
"but am fairly bursting with intelligence Che
meant Information; the other thing was In
credible). There's been such q scrimmage at
the office as was never heard Of Jones has
bolted.''
''Bolted? The manager? Then he's got
away?''
Well yes, for the present. though I don't
think the firm will be so gratified about that as
you seem 10 be. However, he missed his tip
this time as regards the swag-"
DO. FOR heavens sake, speak English. What
tip? What swag2'
been talking about nothing else for the last
three hours. There are defa!cations-f5o.O 900
they say extending over long series OF years.
but there would have been 10 900 more gone
all negotiable securities-but for their opening
the safe where they were found neatly made up
to go in his bag this very night; you remember
his black bag?" / nodded eagerly, but with II
sinking sensation, too; 1 knew more about
Jones than Spriggins did; the catastrophe
seemed to have something personal as well as
shocking about it. As 1 sat up in bed saw
the bag living in the corner of that gorgeous
room. al Horton Hail: heard the clatter of
talk from the dining room; saw the ladies
trailing their fine dresses up the stairs. and
heard once more Jones house keepers con-
temptuous voice saying: "Oh. from the ofice!"
They found it out while he was at lunch
and the detectives sat In his room with the
warrant for him. only he never came back.
The old fellow smelt rat. 1 suppose"
l think this highly probable. think he
| read something he was looking for in my face
| that morning, and coupling it with my unusual
| disappearance (for he had asked for me it
| seemed1 had decided as he sat over his chop at
| the eating house that he had better be off at
once. To take the bag away with him at that
| early hour would have brought suspicion. if
| suspicion there was, to head Immediately
| Tie did not dare to risk it, and in his case the
| better part of valor had certainly been discre-
| ton, for five minutes of such courage would
| have cost him five years penal. He was never
| seen again in England.
| Ten days atterward or SO I was summoned
| from my desk to the partners parlor. 1t was not
| generally pleasant invitation. but rather re-
/ sembled what is called at Cambridge being
| convened to guilty conscience It meant
| something very serious. but though my con-
science may be though. peculiar it was not a
| guilty one.
There were four partners whom l scarcely
| knew by sight and Mr. Apsley. who completed
| the quorum and was the speaker.
| Mr.. Ac6ers. We have sent for you to con-
| graduate you upon your conduct the other
| night with respect to our late manager. You
| showed yourself aware of what was due to one
| who had held position of trust with us for
| many years and also to your employers inter-
| este You said neither more nor less than YOU
ought to have said. Ii nothing wrong with
| him you did him no harm; if there was any
| thing amlss you put us on our guard. 1t is
| owing to you that certain very grievous losses
! incurred through this mans dishonesty, and Of
/ which We had had hitherto no clue. have not
| been very seriously increased | am instructed
| by the firm to thank you (here four most re-
| spectacle heads bowed to me affabiy). 1t is
| very unusual to find so young man endowed
| with such discretion. You will take Mr. Rob-
| erts place as third clerk in this establishment
| Good morning"
| 1t was very pleasant quarter of an hour
| What | have often thought of since was the
aStuteness with which that excellent old gen.
| tleman concealed from me that night the sus-
| picions which | myself had awakened He, of
course. perceived the necessity of not arousing
| those of Mr.. Jones by communicating them to
| me. Another thing which has always puzzled
| me Is my own behavior on that occasion: my
| conscience was clearly commendabls since its
workings were 50 well rewarded, but how very
| near it was to going wrong in-so to speak
both WAYS.
| About Miss Apsley and her conduct as have
described 1t, with relationto the absconder? Oh,
| | can make that clear if the reader feels any
writing how l went to her house few evenings
| after my interview with the firm / had dreamt
| of her by night and mused of her by day until
| l had good reason to regard myself as half
| daft lover when one morning l found on my
| desk a neat, square, femninely addressed en-
| vslOpe, bearing mark of having passed
| through the mail. | opened it. and read that
Miss Apsley would feel honered by the presence
! of Mr.. Acker'' at a small and informal dancing
| party to be given at her residence on all even
ing half week ahead 1 rubbed my eyes, and
| read 1t through several times No; was not
dreaming. Miss Apsley really invited me to be
| guest.