News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-09-17


The detectives glance followet
mine.
"Sit down Ned" he said, rathe
+ sternly. "We'll have to give Mr.. Pen
staff the whole business. The briefe
the better"
Mr.. Herbert lit cigar and sa-
down. The detective took a hug,
bite at a plug of Gravely, and a mo
; mentary silence ensued in the room
as the wind shrieked sharply around
the cornices and the rain dashed sui
lenly against the panes.
The detective shivered slightly anC
remarked as he glanced at the win
dow:
!A nasty, bitter night. By the way
have you any pressing engagement
for tonight -? "
Tonight ! " l cried.
eyes," with one of those sudden
unInasked battery looks; Eyes, Mr.
4 -Penstaff to night. The service is ar.
duous, Mr.. Penstaff, the night very
nasty one, and there's some personal
risk in the matter | will not disguise
it from you, but on the other hand
oIelC 10 eAClutulcnC III ~, yOu Oh
romantic"
Not a bit so ?" l disclaimed.
ooh, well, then, there's lots of mon
ey in it for you-that suits you, eh %
'Right down to the ground"
"GOod, practical man, Mr.. Pen
staff, and | like practical men. My
friend Ned here is of the other order.
Romantic to degree, though splen-
did business man when he's not in
love, eh Ned ?"
Ned groaned and began again his
restless walk.
Nov, Mr.. Penstaff," !" began the de-
tective in a manner so suddenly seri-
Gus and solemn that | looked at him
in genuine wonder. "You are d man
of honor, [ take it, and all l ask is
your word never to divulge q word of
what am about to tell you until cir
cumstances sufficient to your sense
of Justice remove the seal from your
lips"
Rather ambiguous, but you have
my word"
"Good again, even if you refuse the
commission of tonight"
bowed assent.
"AIl right now; | will tell you the
whole story" and without further
preface he began:
"Some months ago the firm with
which Mr.. Herbert here was connected
in a responsible fiduciary capacity be-
gan to miss certain amounts of mon
ey. Mr.. Herbert had unlimited con-
L L. L .~f L.,
partners ever thought of interfering
with his management, save Franz
Auer, the youngest member, and he
only occasionally. 1t was Mr.. Auer
who first made the discovery that
something was wrong with the cash,
and he naturally questioned Herbert
about the matter-though he did not
at that time report it to his partners
saying thatsit was doubtless some
clerical error. Herbert was much
vexed and greatly surprised. He
spent hours going over the books in
vain endeavor to ascertain where
the error was-but the figures were
laODseinesle, esnd dssaite his ses..atirlJ,,
he could not tract a deficit of some
$400. Soon after this, Mr.. Auer,
whose insight into the books was GER
tainly remarkable, again discovered
an error in the petty cash, | believe.
THIS time he grew stern and spoke
sharply to Mr.. Herbert about care
less bookkeeping, accounts all in con-
fusion, etc. To be brief, Herbert con-
vinced himself after days and nights
of arduous labor and vigilance that
a thief was Systematically at work,
and without consulting with his su-
periors he called me into the case,
more as a friend than in my profess
sional capacity. | went to work.
The result of my Investigations | will
not for the moment disclose. But to
conclude, will tell you that the thefts
became so frequent and so large that
Herbert notified the firm of the mat
ter, something he should have done
in the very beginning"
"By jove ! P" cried Mr.. Herbert, as
he paused in his mOnOtOnous striding
to and fro, F'if l only had that de-
spicable scoun--"
"Im doing this, Neddy," broke in
Mr.. Wright, firmly if pleasantly.
zone at time is a good rule. Well,
Mr.. Penstaff, the firm were amazed
and indignant aC Herbert having
kept the matter quiet so long. In
vain he demonstrated that Mr.. Auer
| had been the first one to notice the
discrepancy in the cash. Mr.. Auer
replied carelessly y that he did seem to
remember having detected an error
in the cash, but after reprimanding
Mr.. Herbert for carelessness the mat
ter had passed from his mind; that
he had such perfect confidence in Mr..
Herbert, etc, all of which told against
Herbert and left him"
"In a deucedly uncomfortable fix,
egad!" broke in the young man.
soft and easy goes far in a day."
quoted the detective. ''Just keep
quiet, while | 90 ahead. Well, mat
ters did not mend after this and the
upshot of the matter was that last
week Mr.. Herbert was discharged
from his position and given a week in
which to refund the amount missing
some $S,OOO-or his arrest and
prosecution would follow"
The detective paused suddenly and
turned his head slightly toward the
door in the attitude of one listening
intently. The pause was brief the
movement slight, but neither escaped
my attention. | was about to ask
him if he heard anything, for once in
q lull of the storm without thought
| had heard a stealthy footstep on
the landing without, but had paid
little heed to it, although at that
hour the building in which my office
was was generally untenated.
But the big man seemed instructive
, ly to divine my intention, for he gave
me a curious glance and went hurried
ly on with his narrative.
''The week is up tomorrow noon
: and unless Herbert cashes up Or"
Again he paused.
corr" Iqueried.
"Or unless the real thief is discover.
ed Herbert will go to Jail.
"DO you suspect any Oue?"
81 do; and it rests in great part
with you to prove my suspicious cor
rect"
GAS how?"
'I'll tell you all in good time. AT
the office there is n young man named
Frank Lord, distant relative of the
senior member of the firm. This
young man has been reared and edu
. Gated by Mr.. Lord, and occupies q
responsible position in the house; in
deed, he was second only to Herbert
: in management and was looked upor
by every one as future member o
? the firm and the inheritOr of all his