Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-20

~ am almost glad 10 hear that she Is mol
the hciress people said she 1odS. "
And now a matter has TO be recorded
which will 90 far to convince many of our
readers that Capt. Lane was even more OF
an old fashioned prig than he has hitherto
appeared TO be. After leaving the Vincents
late on the previous day he had come to his
rooms, and sat there for fully two hours in
the endeavor TO compose brief, manly let
ter addressed 20 Vincent pere, 1t was moth
ing more nor less than the old style of adj
dressing a gentleman of family, and re
auesting permission to pay his addresses Ia
his daughter Mabel a very difficult task
was the composition OF this letter for ouI
frontier soldier He was desperately IN
earnest, however: time was short, and If
ter several attempts the missiye was com.
pleted His first duty in the morning was
to send that letter byan orderly TO Mr.
vincent's office Then lac turned to his
sergeant and asked for news OF the de
serter. Not word had been heard-not a
single word.
~ have been everywhere | could think
of, sir" said the sergeant, and both the
men have been around his customary
haunts last night and this morning max.
ing inquiries, but al TO no purpose. The
detectives came and burst into his trunk,
and there was nothing In Il worth having.
He had been taking away his clothing,
etc, from time 20 time in small packages
and secretiug them we don't know where.
One thing heard, sir, that ! never knew
before, and that was that after he had
gone to bed at night he would frequently
steal out Of his room and go away and
never reappsar until breakfas, time in the
morning. And now will the lieutenant
the captain-pardon me for asking the
question. are the check books all right,
sirs"
"what put that idea into your Leadf'
asked Lane.
well, sir. some of the men tell me that
he was always writing at his desk, and
once Strauss said that he had picked up a
scrap Of paper that he hadn't completely
destroyed and the handwriting on Il
didn't look like Iaintor's at ali; he said il
more rcsembled that of the captain, and it
made me suspicious | never heard this
until late LAST night
A sudden thought occurred 10 Lane
Taking out his cheek book he carefully
counted the checks remaining and com
pared them with the number of stubs, and
found to his surprise and much TO bis dis
may that ut least five or six checks were
missing.
"Send for a cab at once. | must 60 down
to the bank. You stay here, and when
Lieut. Noel comes give him my conpli-
meuts and ask him 70 sit down and wait
awhile aal ae2l tae morning paper. Ill
be back il a very short timc.n
Following The castom established by bis
predecessor, Capt Lame had always kept
the recruiting funds n the First National
bank. His own pgiV.te fands he preferred
TO keep in an entirely different establish
ment-the Merchants Exchange,
The cab whirled him rapidly 70 the build
ing indicated. and altAough it lacked bali
an hour Of the time Of opening he mad,
his way into the ofica and asked to see the
paying teller,
"Will you kindly tell me il any checks
on the recruiting fund have lately keen
presented for payment he eagerly asked
The captain was referred to the book
keeper, and that official called him within
the railing
mo less chan four CHECKS were brought
here yesterday for payment, and they came
half past and O'clock in the af
tcrnoon," was the bookSeeper's report
"There seemed to Us something wrong in
the simultaneous presentation OF the four,
and was on the point of addressing note
to you this morning to ask yoa to come
down TO the bank Everything about It
appears in proper shape and form. except
that three of the checks have been ildorsed
payable to your clerk, William Taintor,
who came in person and drew the money
Let me see the checks. if you please. "
said the captain.
They were specify produced. Lane took
hem to the window and closely examined
hem.
II could not tell them he said. from
my own handwriting; and vet those three
checks are fOcgeries. believe That the
on the back are equally
iorgeres. Now, can take these with me
% the Office OF the chief Of police, or do you
iesire that the detectives should be sent
iere2 Taintor deserted last night, and all
races have been lost. " hat is the amount
hat he has drawnsn
Zone check. payable to the order of Will
am Hayden for board furnished to the re.
,ruiting party, is to the amount Of $3.50
The second, payable to James Freeman.
and indorsed by him to William Taintor
As was the first. is for the rent OF the build
ing occupied by the recruiting rendezvous,
precisely similar in form and amount to
the previous checks, slr the sum Of 500.
The third cheek is payable to William
faintor himself, marked for extra duty
pay as clerk at the recruiting Office for the
past six months The fourth is made pay
able to the order OF Sergt. James Burns.
extra duty pay as non-eommissionedo officer
in charge of the party for the six months
Jan. and ending june 3d."
This check, too, had been indorsed pay
able to the order of William Taintor All
four checks. amounting in all 10 the sum
of about one hundred and sixty dollars,.had
been paid to the deserving clerk during the
afternoon of the previous day.
HAD YOU no suspicion Of anything
wrongg" said Lane
Il knew nothing about it, said the book
keeper. "They were presented to the pay
ing teller at the desk, ana it was not until
after bank was closed. when we came to
balance up cash, that the matter excited
comment and then suspicion. Taintor has
come here before with drafts
and checks. and if you remember, sir, on
one or two occasions he has been sent for
new check books when the old ones had