San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-04-14

! RED OH ana III rev seconds MI. Strang-
way entered smiling. He 10 doubt
thought my anxiety to see him was con.
nected with my marriage.
when he heard my story he was
grave enough. Two hundred and nine
ty-three gone? 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.
"'Not a 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 the
night. had not been outside the count
| ing house since luncheon
For a few moments he reflected
| The awkward part of it, Mayfeld,' said
| he, lis that you are to be married tomor-
| row. Of course your marriage must go
| on. But III tell you what think would
be best for you. Suppose you attend the
Office as usual tomorrow morning; you
could leave for couple of hours later,
get the ceremony over and come back
"'Oh,' said, with this hanging over
me? half expected to be locked up to-
night. But l could not get married until
the money is found, Mr.. Strangway.'
"'FOund! Found! The money can
never be found. Why we have nothing
to go on! Anyway l shall not take steps
tonight. Perhaps it would be best to
postpone your marriage. Yes, it would
not do to marry under the circumstances.
l am very sorry for you. But all that
can be done in the interests of justice
must be done. Keep the keys and be in
Bread street at the ordinary time in the
morning."
My father paused here. His cigar was
smoked out, but he had not finished his
story. He did not offer to move and l
sat still. After few moments he went on:
Il will be merciful to you and tell you
nothing of the scene at my wife's place
when | called later. Her father and
mother were then living. told my story
to ali three as l have told it to you, and
all agreed that the best thing was to
postpone the marriage for a month.
"Well, I'm not getting on as fast as
promised, but shall not keep you much
longer.
when l reached the office in the
morning had another good look around,
but nothing whatever was to be discov-
cred. l turned the whole place inside
out. Nothing, absolutely nothing, con-
nected with the case turned up until, to
my establishment, Stephen Grainly
walked into the Office. Until his appear
ance had, in dim way, made up my
mind that all would be cleared up and
my innocence established by his alb
scOnding. His arrival showed that he
meant to brazen the thing out with me,
and felt from that moment helpless
and paralyzed.
'Grainly,' said l, as soon as l could
talk, when you came back for your stick
last night did you notice the money you
gave me on the desk where put it'
No, my dear Mayfield. l did not
cross the threshold of this room
You did not see or touch the money
or the piece of paper on which l
had taken down the numbers of the
notes.
No, certainly not. l could not see
your desk from the door, and | was not
farther than the door. You do not seem
well. l sincerely hope there is nothing
the natter
" The cash you brought in last night
the G293-has been stolen, that's all
said |.
" 'Stolenr he cried, falling back.
You don't mean to say that?
AYE, and stolen within an hour
within half an hour-of our being here
together last night
50 L cannot-I will not-believe such II
horrible thing. Stolen! And in the
very office too
Il never saw better acting in all my
life than his Indignation and horror and
establishment. l could hardly believe
my eyes and ears. l had spent a Steep
| less night and was half dazed and
wholly stupid and in despair. For
awhile felt that, after ALL he might be
innocent, and that l, in a moment of ex-
citement and haste, had placed the
money and the memorandum in some
place of security which could not now
| recall.
Mr.. Strangway, on reaching the
| Office half an hour earlier than his
usual time, gave orders for another
search. 1t was quite unavailing. No
tale or tidings of the cash came that
day.
No secret was made of the affair in
the Office, and as the hours went on l
became confident that in Mr.. Strang-