The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-10-07
One morning Mr.. Morton entered the


Office in some haste
'lt's all arranged, she heard him say,
"aud l find must leave at once.
ave your certificate filed out, auc.
JelIeve you said the funds were ready
You can give them to me to.day, sup
pose"
''No, Cannot" returned Mr.. Allison,
who was at the moment deep in the con-
fonts of private drawer at the safe.
They are not in town, and i must first
sell some Government bonds now in the
safe deposit vaults at Boston. l will try
and have the money for you in the course
OF forty eight hours"
Morton made no reply, but Millie
,banced to look up just then. and she.
vas much startled at the reflection of
lis face, presented by mirror hanging
On the opposite wall.
Plainly Mr. AliisoR's words had not
pleased him, for the expression on his
lark features vividly illustrated rage
md disappointment.
When Mr.. Allison sat down sgain
Morton had fully recovered himself to all
outward appearance, and after little
more conversation IN too low tone for
her to understand it, he went away.
In the afternoon Mr.. Allison astonished
his clerk by asking if she thought she
could take sole charge of the Office for a
day or two. He was going to Boston at
i've o'clock, and could not tell Just when
he should return.
Had she dared she would have tried
10 dissuade him from going, for she was
iure the result of his journey would be
% put large part of his property in
Morton's hands. She did not speak
ihen, but she was so uneasy she deter
mined to watch for an opportunity of
doing so.
BY and by he happened to look up
md see her eyes resting on him, with an
expression which caused him to leave his
desk and come to her side.
"What is it, Mil-Miss Thorndykc2"
nc asked in tone she had never heard
him use btfore; "you have something to
say to me-"
"l-l--yes," she stammered, and then
stopped short. She had not yet over
come habit Of flushing up whenever he
addressed her-a habit not at all uu-
painfully confusing to her.
While he was waiting for her to re-
cover herself the Office door opened, at
which he stepped back with an air OF
annoyance, and, turning, confronted
Morton. Miles chance was lost, for
Morton stayed until train time, and the
two gentlemen went out together.
81 will leave the safe for you to
lock-" said Mr.. Allison, in giving his
final directions. "You know how-shut
the door hard to, turn the handle that
works the bolts until it is square across,
and then turn the knob two or three
times toward the left"
After he was gone she reproached her
self more than ever that she had not
spoken the warning that had been at her
tongues end. 1t could have done no
harm, and would at least have put him
on his guard. Bat regrets were useless,
and she could only hope, rather for
lornly, that all might turn out we'll.
Being in u somewhat disturbed state
of mind, and having no work to do, she
tried to compose herself with a new
book left in the Office by Mr.. Allison,
and she found it SO interesting she was
OF c,os.ng: 2nsaerssupper ysoa,a s nosve- uSS,
ready before 80, and her quarters at
present were comfortable and quiet, she
determined to stay while longer, first
taking care to lock the door that she
might be secure from interruption.
AS she was about to settle down she
thought of the safe. She never before
ho1 ho1 ncnacinn n Loot cofo lonr
and she carefully followed Mr.. Allison's
directions.
"Oh, how heavyl" she exclaimed,
tugging at the pondcrous weight, as she
drew it back for a long swing. "He
said must shut it hard to-" and exert
ing all her strength, she closed the door
with bang. Then she shot the bolts
ard turned the knob until significant
little click told her all was secure
"Therc; now everything is fast," she
said.
Aud so it was, even more so than sht
thought, for in turning away quict
tug at her gown caused her to look
down, when she saw with dismay she
had shut into The safe part OF one O;
the folds Of her skirt.
One or two Intellectual pulls showed
that the iron monster could not be made
to give up its grip until its jaws were
forced apart-in other words until the
door was opcncd-which, as she neither
knew the combination nor had the nee.
essary strength, was of course out of the
question.
Had her gown been an old one she
might have freed herself by tearing the
cloth, but, it being new aud very
pretty garment, she was unwilling hasti
ly to offer it violence. She thought
calling for help, yet what would i
serve2
While she was trying to devise som,
means of drawing herself out of her di
lemma, she heard sound of approach
ing footsteps, which stopped outside the
door, and were followed by the rattle O
key in the keyhole.
Then she remembered with consterna
tion that she had locked the door and
the key was in the lock to the exclusion
of any other.
"Was ever anything so stupid9" sb,