San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-11
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But the otter waved him off. zeno
Trappe bowed humbly and rode away
feigning an eX 2rcssion and bearing a regret
and despair W. ich he did not feel. Could
this trump car ! fail to VIM
Mr.. Ho.3on.oe was decidedly glum at
.ea, irresponsivEto FORESTS bright sallies,
Angles brigbiAr smiles and his wife's gen.
tie questioning, He sent Angie off to her
room early, bus himself did not leave his
creaky rocking chair on the back porch
until almost midnight. His guinness had
next day developed into irritability of a
marked type He kept Angie by his side
continually; called her to find his hat when
she and Richard went TO the piano, but in
stead of using, the hat when brought. he
had her sit down by him and put new
band on it. When they started to walk to
the spring he summoned her to sort out
his paper All the time he ignored For
rest, as far as that amiable young fellow
would let any one be ohlivious to him. He
was cross alL-Gay to mild tempered Mrs.
Holcombe. trying hard in his soul-but
generously fai!ing-to throw on her all the
blame of this Undesired heart affair and of
Trappe's authorship.
When she sweetly asked him in the morn
ing if he was, going to ride down to see the
bottomland corn he gruffiy replied that he
supposed he'd run the farm all right.
When, in the afternoon, she anxiously in
quired if he did not think it best to drive
into town and deposit that money in bank
he snared ont that if other folks. would
mind their own business he'd attend to
his This answer was really TO Zeno Trappe,
though it seemed to be to Mrs. Holcombe.
In his heart he knew that she was right;
they ought not to sleep another night with
$4,000 in the house, for this was time of
frequent and skillful burglaries. At 3
o'clock he even ordered his buggy brought
out, and told Angie that she might drive
him into town. But, stubborn pride con-
queriug reason, he ordered the buggy back,
determined TO set at defiance Trappe's low
suspicious.
After another night of restless tossing
and broken s,eep good judgment tri-
umphed, and scarcely less glum next morn
ing butlmore sensible, he made ready to
go to the bunk.
Angie, radiantly pretty under her big
hat with its wraathed pink roses, already
sat in the buggy smiling at Richard, who
stood by holding the lines. Mr.. Holcombe
looked out tn. window at this peaceful
picture, AID Immediately became more
uncomfortable, He hurriedly caught up
his hat and unlocked the secret drawer
where he had put the great roll of bills.
Thereupon his discomfort climaxed hide
ously, for the packet had Disappeared
Nf Of l,a
Farm. No trace of thief or money could
be discovered Clearly it was no common
burglary. No lock had been broken. And
how could any one enter the farmers bed
| room, and, during II night of only restless
mapping, take the keys from beneath his
head, unlock the secretary close by, find
| the hidden drawer, ascertain the combina-
| ton, and then, refastening each lock, re-
| place the keys between mattress and feath-
err bed, and yet awaken neither husband
nor wife? 1t could not be; so said the de-
tective; so said Squire Trappe. And then
both detective and squire looked keenly at
Richard Forces, who, reddening with in
| dignant desire to thrash both of them,
turned and walked away.
THAT younG man." said the detective,
| leaning toward the farmer and pointing a
significant lingr at the retreating figure,
"must be watched he must not be allowed
to leave the Place"
Mr. HolCambe frowned and stormed up
and down the room many times.
For" continued the official, "he alone
of the household, you say, besides yourself,
wife and daughter, knew where the money
was kept, had toyed with the combination
lock, and understood where the keys might
be found at twilight, at noon, in the early
morning. Yes, sir; it is a very plain case
to my mind"
Zeno TraDpe stood by, darkly sullen over
the loss of he money, but eXultant that his
judgment had been sustained and conf
dent that Angie and the rich farmer would
yet be his.
Holcombe glanced at his crafty face,
where these igGoble emotions held divided
sway. 1t fired him. But the detective
spoke again:
"Yes, Mr.. Holcombe it is a case without
peer for clearnass. The young man had
both the in formation and the opportunity
to serve his turn. His needs no doubt are
great, for he is without visible means of
support, Mr. Trappe tells me. He has inn
posed himself on you on the slight claims
of distant relationship. He uses every
endeavor t. win your daughters young
affections; succeeds to a certain extent, but
is not sure Of your consent. VIII make
himself absolutely safe on this other point,
and''- But a big cane trembling sus-
piciously in the farmers brawny hands,
coupled with an emphatic command to
him to leave the house at once puts an end
to the detectives calm eloquence.
"Mr. Trappe, you can go with him, sir.
You needn't either of you return. My
family shan't any longer be degraded by
the presence in this house of men who in