Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-01
TWO MARRIAGE EYES

| lhat owen my pTOpcTty-Or, more
accurately, my escape from dcstruc-
tonic an accident, chance. mira
Gle. Stand up and look at that piece
OF paper let into the over-mantel.
Have you crcr observed it bcfore9"
Yes. said. rising and examining
faded document under glass panel
in the oak ~ have now and then no.
ticed it. but have never been able to
make out what it is"
What do you take it for2"
well. it looks like half sheet of
business note paper covered with in
distinct figures that do not seem ordi-
nary
Yes" he said, gazing with half
closed eyes at the paper through TIE
smoke of his cigar. They are not or
binary. nor is their history"
at is not possible to make them ont
they are so blurred and faint. Are
they very old?"
Twenty years. They are much
faded since first saw them" said he
crossing his legs. Now you may as
well know the history OF that half
sheet Of business paper, and what it
has to do with me and your Hates
mother. Sit down and viii tell it to
yon.'
dropped brc3; into my chair.
Our Kate is nearly 10. rs no doubt
! you are aware. 1t is the night before
your marriage. You. thank heaven,
run no such risk rs ran the night be-
fore my marriage. There is no date
on that blurred copy of figures. but if
there were you would find it origin
atcd on the night before was to be
married. twenty years ago. You are
| short CT 30 now; ! was short of 80
then. lon are now in what should
| then have considered aiilucnt crcum-
stances. am going 10 give you to-
morrow orr only child and a fourth
share in the business of Strangway.
f! MaEii Il CO.. of which am the sole
surviving partner. aud that fourth
share ought To bring you thousand
to twelve hundred Il year. The night
that document over the mantcl came
into eNistcmre | WAS accountant to
Strangwav 4 Co. ut q salary Of Gl5y
| per annum.'
My iathrr-in-Iaw paused and knocked
the ash oil his cigar.
y, that fine he went on. rcs,irn-
ing his story, "the business OF Strange
| way " Co. was in Broad street. We
had warehouses on the ground floor
| and in thc cellars. THE Offices were on
Ike first floor am! warehouses filled
from cyer the first floor II the states.
The Offices closed At g. bat rs | was
hnNion> TO pEt Mp everything in the
finest order before starting on ny
honeymoon. was not able to leave ct
that hour. In addition to the book
keeping ! did mos, Of the routine COR
respondcnce, and | had some letters
To write. When they We're finished
| should lock mp the place. put the KEYS
in my pocket, leave them at Mr..
Strangway'> house on Chaplain Com
mon, and 20 on to my lodgings in
/ WandSwortt. and from my lodgings
TO my sweetheart Mary, home in
! Wandsworth. too.
As was working away, writing
letters AT the top Of my speed and
/ quite alone in the Office in The whole
house stephen Grainly, one of our
travellers. rang the bell and. much to
my surprise and annoyance, when
! opened the front door walked up
stairs. following my lead through the
unlighted passages. never cared for
stephen GRANNY; no one in the Office
1 liked him except Mr.. Strangwav HIM
| self. GRANNY VA, an excellent man at
! his work, bat. to my taste. too smooth
and good too swce, to be sound.
What May.ied. he cried. work
/ ing away sti,l. Why. when saw the
light made sure ii must be Broad
wood (our assistant accountant. who
was to take my place while ! was
away. and rs h;.i yoodi>h bit of
money thought I'd better bank here
than in my own home in Hoxton: |
am not satisfied it Is safe to stow $500
in cash in my humble home.
".ill right. said /; but wish YOU
had come earlier The safest place to
bank money is in the bank He did
not know was going to be married
the next day. and was glad Of it. for
the man always made me feel uncom-
Portable. and did not wish him to
touch my little romance even with Il
word.
BE here at 1 O'Clock" he cried.
My dear fellow, couldn't do it. How
could |? Why. didn't get to Kings
Cross until aquarterto six. Here you
are. He produced his pockctbook.
'Ion needn't give me more than two
minutes. Checks. five hundred and
scvcn,v-four. eighteen six. Notes. two
hundred and forty-ii,e. Gold, forty
eight
"'llave you taken the numbers of
the notes. asked.
NO said he.
Il made lis, myself Of the numbers
on sheet of paper.and pushed checks
notes and gold up to the flat, middle
part Of my desk. did not want to
take any of the account books that
night, and when had finished the let
tiers he was gone. should put the
money in the safe in the back ROOM
The memorandum of the numbers |
should leave with the keys at Clap
ham. and the whole transaction would
be dealt with by my assistant. Broad
wood, in the morning.
Making out the list had taken a lit
| tie time, rs the notes were all small
and no two in a.sequrnce: they had
been collected for minor accounts in
the country.
81 put my list of notes on the desk