The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-12

y
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, anu ] was glad of it, for the
man always made me feel uncomfort-
able, and / did not wish him to touch
my little romance even with a word.
BE here at four o'clockr he cried.
My dear fellow, couldn't do it. How
could /? Why, l didn't get to Kings
cross until quarter to six Here you
are He produced his pocketbook.
You needn't give me more than two
minutes. Checks, five hundred and
seventy -four. eighteen six. Notes, two
hundred and forty-fve. Gold, forty
eight
Have you taken the number of the
notes?' asked
"'No,' he said.
81 made a list myself of the numbers
on a sheet of paper, and pushed checks,
notes and gold up to the fat, middle
part of my desk. did not want to take
any of the account books that night,
and when had finished the letters he
was gone. ] should put the money in
the safe in the back room. The memo
randum of the numbers l should leave
with the keys at Chaplain, and the
whole transaction would be dealt with
by my assistant, Broadwood, in the
morning.
Making out the list had taken lit
tie time. as the notes were all small
and no two in a sequence; they had
been collected for minor accounts in
the country.
Il put my list of notes on the desk
| before me, and went on with my let
ters, several of which were now ready
for the copying-press.
"When my batch of letters were
ready, seeing half an hours work still
before me, held them out to him and
said: When you are going l. should be
obliged if you would post these, as am
not nearly finished here yet
Certainly said he, taking the hint
and rising.
Anyone in the place who could
show me out? All the gas is turned off
below, and l have never gone down in
the darkness said he, moving away.
| There is no one but ourselves here.
I'll show you the way / said, with
alacrity, delighted to get rid of him.
| Il had led him through the long,
dark corridor and half down the stairs
when he suddenly cried out: My stick!
/ left my stick above. / won't be a
minute, Mayfeld. just wait here for
me-
HE ran upstairs to fetch his stick,
and was back with me in the darkness
in few seconds.
=" 4 found it all right, said he; 1T
was just at the door, got it without
going in at all
| II struck a match to light him, and
presently he was out on the asphalt of
Broad street, walking rapidly towards
Cheapside.
when got back to the counting
house the checks were on the fat top
Of the desk. The gold and notes were
gone!
II had taken the number of the notes
on a sheet of paper and left the list on
the sloping part of my desk to dry be-
fore putting it in my pocket
| The paper on which had taken the
numbers of the notes was gomez
| AS my father-inlaw spoke l rose to
my feet and tapped the glass over the
document let into the oak above the
fireplace, saying: And this is the pa
per with the numbers of the stolen
notes on it."
And that is not the paper with the
numbers of the stolen notes on it" said
James Mayfeld.
| My father-in-law finished his glass of
port and resumed his story:
Here was l, on the eve of my mar
riage, simply ruined.
"Grainly had my receipt for the f29S
cash, and he had the a293 cash also,
and Grainly was a thief who enjoyed
the favor of his employer, while l was
in no particular favor with the firm. l
believe up to that time l was supposed
to be honest.
| ut was plain there would be no use
in following Grainly, even if l knew
the way he had gone when he gained
Cheapside. 1t was plain no marriage
could take place tomorrow morning.
1t was plain my course was to go with
out the loss of a moment to Mr. Strang-
way and tell him what had happened
Whether he would believe me or not,
who could say? Not l, anyway He
might reasonably order me into Gus
tody. Very well; if he did | must not
grumble or feel aggricved. Our we'd
ding was fixed for eleven o'clock next
morning. BY eleven tomorrow might
be in Jail, charged with stealing the
money or being an accomplice in the
robbery.
Il locked the Office, telegraphed to
Mary that had been unexpectedly de-
layed, jumped into hanson and drove
to Strangway's house in Chaplain.
when he heard my story he was
grave enough. Two hundred and
ninety-three gomez said he, frowning.
" Gone, said !.
And the numbers of the notes gone
with the money! said he, looking me
full in the face with a heavier frown.
No; trace left of the paper on
which took the numbers
"'Are you sure no one but Grainly
could have entered the counting house?'
Perfectly sure. All the doors COM
municating with other parts of the
house were shut-had been locked for