Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-10-21

small microscope carefully examined the
leaves of the book. Here was what l
sought. The numbers stood out plainly,
and | carefully copied them into my own
pocketbook. So much of the difficulty be-
ing solved, l next turned my attention to
the safe
The question had still to be answered.
"How had the thief opened the safef" |
obtained as good light as Ipossibly could
and made a minute examination of the
safe. There seemed to be no marks of
rough usage. and it was evident that it had
not been forced open. a duplicate key
then must have been used. But as moth
ing further seemed capable of being found
out from the safe itself | locked it and
proceeded to examine the desks of Richard
son and Hall, which were I'm an adjoining
room. In the latter | found a few loose
slips of paper-"Nightshade 90 to l. Ever
ett;' Eagles Wing, 30 to L." etc. What
did these meanY Evidently it was con-
nected with betting. | folded them up and
put them in my pocketbook beside the
number of the notes There seemed to be
nothing else which would throw any light
on the affair in either my fathers room or
that of the two chief clerks, so turned out
the lights and went home
The next day Hall was brought up be-
!
the detective having been given, lie was
committed for trial to the assizes, bail be-
ing refused He reserved his defence and
was removed to Jail. asked for and OBJ
tanned permission to see him. He seemed
very much cast down and troubled by the
thought of the pain his arrest must have
caused to his mother and sweetheart.
Bat, Mr.. Meredith" he said to me, II
am utterly innocent of the theft | hope
you, at any rate, will believe me- The
matter of the money standing to my credit
in the bank can be easily explained, though
| felt that | could not urge it in my de-
fence today. In fact my solicitor advised
me not to bring it forward, as at present
there is only my own unsupported evidence
for it. The assizes come on in week, and
by then | hope further corroboration will
be available.
81 received certain information about
fortnight ago t ~ Nigh, hade, a rank out
slider, as he va- consider. l. stood ou1
chance for the st. Legcr. know that l
was foolish FOR betti.g on tie race but
events pro = that | was +. :ht informed.
1t was my bet, and shall ne my last.
Everett, t. reat betting /. IN in one of
the local c.lbs, offered to lay 20 to
against Ni-htshade and backed the horse
for twenty pounds. On Thursday last he
paid me 800, the greater part of which
banked on the next day"
Immediately called to mind the Slip Of
paper in my pocket, on one Of which was
"Nightshade 20 to |. Everett" 1t seemed
clear to me that Hall was speaking the
truth, and | promised to do all could to
obtain the evidence of Everett on the
point and to supply him with good
counsel at the trial.
The 'Xt day was called away IT, leeds
on business Ct Importance connected with
the firm, and on returning in the evening
found myself in company with Mr.. Nelson.
a Manchester merchant, we'll known to
me. We were alone in the compartment
and could converse freely He had seen
the report of the robbery in the papers.
and opened IA conversation on the subject.
l spoke freely to him and told him the
main facts of the case. When had fin
ished he said rs this Richardson's name
Henry" 1T is" replied.
as he native of Bury, in Lancashire:"
Il believe so, as he has property there"
what firm did he come to you FROM"
was his next question.
When gave him the name of the firm
he sat in silence for a second or two and
then began: "Well, it is rather serious
thing to say, but Richardson must be the
same man who as a boy was dismissed
by my father for dishonesty. He had
posted numerous business letters and kept
the money he received for stamps At last
complaints reached us of letters arriving
without stamps and the culprit confessed.
This was not the only case of his dishon-
esty, and he was summary discharged"
Our conversation then branched off to
other TOPICS but from Manchester to Liver
pool | had much food for thought. The
fact that Richardson was standing nearest
my father when he locked the safe might
be merely a blind intended to throw su,-
picion on Hall. He would have sufficient
time to change the papers and go to my
fathers side before the safe was locked.
1t evidently needed investigation.
On the following morning | made my
way to Bingley s-private office, and asked
to see the man who had watched Richard
son.
why, what do you want with him?"
said Bingley. "Do you suppose that it was
put up job between Hall and him?"
II do not" | replied. but am rather
inclined to think that Hall may be en-
/ tirely innocent and Richardson the sole
culprit." And then ! told him what had
come to my knowledge, both with regard
to Halls betting and Richardson's shady
past.
He merely raised his eyebrows, and then
after bordering over the matter for few
seconds said, "Well, you may be right,
and will do what | can to find out the
truth"
BY this time Rawlins, Bngley's assist
ant in the business, had put in his appear
ance, The only fact of Importance we
/ CLEANED from him was that Richardson
had been to Bury On the Saturday. Dis
covering that the latter had properly in
the town he had attached little importance
to the visit, especially as both he and Bing-
ley had all along regarded Hall as the
probable culprit | fancied | could detect
a shade of annoyance on Bingley's face,
perhaps caused by the fact that he had
possibly arrested the wrong man, and per-
haps little piqued that he had to thank
me for the information, though had
gained most of it accidentally.
Two or or three days passed, when one
evening as | sat with my father in the din
ing room Bingley was ushered in. He
had prosecuted his inquiries about Rich