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

| Intended to proceed to Oldham and several
other surrounding towns before returning
home. However, | made what haste
could and reached Liverpool about p. M
| drove rapidly home, and found my father
In the dining room, pacing from one end to
the other, as was his habit when anything
troubled or perplexed him.
81 am glad to see you, lad" he exclaimed,
greeting me in his hearty, affectionate
manner. Something has happened in the
office which has caused me the greatest
uneasiness. Soon after you went away I
drew from the bank about 97OO in notes. l
placed this in the safe in my private Office
and locking it in came home. The next
day-Thursday-1 opened the safe and
found, to my establishment, that not a
penny of the money remained. informed
the police of the affair, and it has been
placed in the hands Of man named Bng
! ley. He seems a shrewd fellow enough
but so far has reported nothing to me.
expect him there this evening 1t is not
so much the loss of the money that mind
as the fact that | must have about the
office an Enthusiastically servant. Who it
is, must confess, have not the remotest
idea"
"But surely, father, you took the num-
Der of the notes" Iqueried.
That | did" he replied; "but here is
one of the strangest parts of the whole
affair. On referring to my pocketbook the
next day found this slip of blank paper"
and he held out to me a thin sheet of such
paper as had observed him using on pre-
vious occasions for the entry OF the num-
bers of bank notes.
And who saw you deposit the money in
the safef"
"Thcre was no one in the room except
old Richardson and Tom Hail." he an
swered "an} to suspect either of them
seems impossible"
Where did you enter the numbersy"
was my next question.
'As sat at my writing table"
ION what did you place the paperP"
"As well as can remember, on my pock-
etbook," he answered Stay, now ca |
it to mind, there We're several other pieces
of paper exactly like it lying on my desk.
After entering the numbers doubled up
the paper and 1.-THE money into the safe. :"
Leaving your pocketbook on the desk
presumed"
Yes" he replied.
"Then that is one step gained. The thief
took the numbers away and inserted one of
the blank sheets of paper"
face. To accept the truth of my inference
was to believe in what he had declared i'm
possible of credence.
"Who was nearest the table" was nv
next query, while you placed that money
in the safeH'
Tom Hall stood within about three
yards of the table, and Richardson was
close to me when | locked the safe!" an
swered my father in Il shaky voice. st
looks black for Hail." he went on more
slowly. Il almost wish l had not called
in the police. | would rather lose the
money altogether than break his poor
mothers heart"
Just at tnls moment stranger to me
was announced and entered the room. He
was indeed shrewd looking fellow and
well known in his profession as skillful
tracker of criminals.
ANY news?" asked my father when the
detective was seated
Yes" he answered. 81 must confess it
was rather puzzling case, but it is clear
enough now AS you placed the matter in
our hands with Instructions to prosecute |
have arrested Tom Hall and he is now in
! Dale street safe enough"
You must be mistaken, Bingley," said
my father. Hall cannot have done such
thing 1t will kill his mother"
unfortunately, sir" the detective re-
piled, 1.-The evidence is only too strong; and
as to his mother-well, criminals are not
given to thinking of the feelings of their
relatives till the crime has been discov-
cred"
| begged my father to be seated, that we
might hear fully what the evidence was
upon which the detective had arrested
Hall.
at added to the difficulty of my task that
the numbers of the notes were missing"
the detective went on. However, /
Swallowed Hall, and Richardson was
watched by another member of the force.
On Sunday evening met Hall with his
sweetheart, and noticed that she wore a
splendid diamond brooch which had evil
IDENTIFY been given her by Hall, as they
were talking about it, and walking behind
them ! overheard every word. She was
urging him TO be more careful of his
money, and he laughingly replied; oh
never mind, there's plenty more where
that came FRONT Yesterday obtained a
search warrant and found this"
He handed to my father a handbook
which showed that Hall had deposited
nearly f400 in one of the local banks on the
| L Tludy pItCeuihs'
But 9400 is not the amount taken
calculated my father.
But it is part Of it," replied the detect
i've, land the rest may be elsewhere. When
charged with the theft, Hall seemed dunn
founded, and on receiving the usual eau
ton, simply replied, i am perfectly limo
cent He will be brought up tomorrow
and probably committed for trial to the
assizes."
The detective then took his leave and
my father and ! remained silent, thinking
for some time. At last ! said: "Will you
let me have your pocketbook, father, and
the key of your private Office and safe?
shall probably be there for some time, 81
do not sit up for me"
My father complied with the request
and in less than half an hour was in tn,
office. Certainly there did not seem much
hope of Hall being innocent, but ] was de
termined to probe the matter to the ve,l
bottom. had known him from lad, anC
in fact in our boyhood we had been schoo
fellows in the Liverpool institute. OpeI
as the day. though somewhat reckless. h.
saamed the last man a turn ont "a thief