The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-12-29

response to the latter assertions
concerning the bonds and the receipt
believed to be in his possession. But
he referred significantly to 1.-The young
clerk and his GRAND.
eyes, Mr.. Aspin was here for few
moments. don't like to suggest any
suspicion against him"
The manager hesitated. Mr.. Price
followed up the thread.
"It is somewhat suspicious, sir,
that Mr.. Aspin was actually alone in
this room for nearly half a minute,
having entered by this door, from be.
hind the counter, at the very moment
you were standing on the other side
of yonder door opening on the outer
office, while g. customer asked you a
question"
"That is perfectly true, Price.
had not thought of that. Moreover
now that come to recall the circum.
stances-young Aspin was STOPPING
over the open safe in o. most suspi-
cious manner, when l re-entered the
room"
Subject to your approval, sir, !
will question him before you take any
steps toward announcing the loss.
He is a very respectable youth, and
may be perfectly innocent.
II don't like to think for a moment
that he is otherwise, Mr.. Price. Bring
him here at once"
II will do so-unIess he has gone
out. One O'Clock is his dinner time. "
Mr.. Price advanced to the door, but
the manager stopped him.
"Wait a moment, Price. The sus-
picion is very serious one. Let us
omit no precaution. We will make
one more search"
Mr.. Price assented. Going on his
knees before the open safe, he turned
out each and every paper within, land
replaced it in turn. The bonds were
not there. He went round the room
likewise. The bonds were not to be
seen.
Enough" at length exclaimed the
manager. "Fetch Mr.. Aspin, and be-
fore you bring him in give instructions
to your next in command that no Of
ficer is to leave the bank on any pre-
tense whatever till give permission
to the contrary"
"Yes, sir; it will bejust as we'll to do
so without further loss of time"
AS soon as the manager heard the
door close he looked around him to
make sure that he was alone. Then,
taking his keys from his pocket he I'M
locked softly the drawer beneath his
writing desk, wheeled back his chair
@ few inches, unlocked the safe, and
paused.
He appeared to listen for an in
slant. There was no sound of ap-
preaching footsteps; there was no
shadow on either of the ground-glass
doors of any one about to enter.
With q rapidity and stealthiness that
denoted both fear and determine
ton, he distracted parcel from the
drawer, stepped across to the safe,
slipped the packet between the leaves
of a ledger within the safe, put the
keys in his pocket, drew up his chair,
and returned to his former position.
But some popularity of the packet
had been noticed by him notwith-
standing the rapidity OF the action.
"There is surely one missing. There
ought to have been eight"
Some two minutes had elapsed when
the cashier returned alone. The man.
ager still sat in the same attitude.
Apparently, he had not moved during
Mr.. Price spoke to him.
II am sorry to say, sir, that young
Aspin went outimmediately after you
noticed his suspicious presence in this
room. There is nothing to be done
but to wait till he returns at 2
o'clock"
"What if he should not return?"
said the manager
"If lie is innocent, he will return as
a matter OF course. And, if he is
guilty, he will return to allay suspic-
on. His failure to return would be his
condemnation"
"Do you think so?"
~ am sure of it,"
"But, consider" said the manager,
"Messrs. Bulling & Co. will come for
their bonds at o'clock No explain
alton which we can at present give
will reconcile them to the temporary
loss of their property"
Mr.. Price reflected for awhile. He
seemed to be more ready of resource
than his superior officer.
"You, sir, had better go yourself
Immediately to Scotland Yard to give
notice of this robbery to the police.
! will receive Messrs. Bulling, and ex-
plain to them that you have been
suddenly summoned thither on ex-
tremely urgent business. I will ask
them to call again an hour later"
"AdmirableI" exclaimed the mana
ger appreciatively. "By 8 o'clock we
shall have discovered something either
from Mr.. Aspin or otherwise.
Il hope So"
"By the way, Mr.. Price," added the
manager finally, "here is the key of
my writing table," He detached it
from the bunch which hung on a chain
secured round his waist. "Please
look through every drawer, and salts
fy yourself that the missing bonds
have not merely been mislaid."
II will do so, sir" And the man.
ager buttoned up his tightly fitting
frock coat and clapped on his high
hat, Mr.. Price involuntarily reflected
that the last documents could not
have transferred themselves miracu-
lousy to the managers pockets with
out the fact disturbing the admirable
cut of that gentleman's garments.
"No official may leave the bank on
any pretext whatever till / return
from Scotland Yard" said the man.
ager.
Mr.. Price bowed acquiescence, and
in moment more the manager left
him.
Presently the cashier summed up
the situation. "Tve turned out the
safe twice and seen it locked. / can
affirm that Messrs. Billings bonds
are not there. I've turned out the
drawers of this writing table. The
bonds are not here. The manager has
not got them. l didn'ts take 'em.
Young Aspin must have done it. Will
he come back? He's nearly due now"
Two o'clock struck, but Mr.. Aspin
had not returned. Messrs. Bulling sent
q trusted messenger for the bonds Mr..
Price made the necessary excuse and
requested him to call at $50. Half
past came, but no sign of Mr. As