Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-01-19
&c @
SAFE,

| wv ny not! asked the CASHIER WIFI
surprise.
'dThey are gone already"
"Gone. What do you mean?"
'They have been stolen. You had
better see Tor yourself. Here is the
key"
Mr.. Price opened the safe and made
q careful search. In two minutes he
convinced himself that the bonds
were missing from the safe, and IN
five minutes more he convinced him
self that they We're not in the room;
unless, indeed they were locked in the
managers desk-an alternative which
was instantly dismissed from his
mind.
81 am entirely at loss," he began.
$50 am l, Mr.. Price broke in the
manager. II nave not left the room
since you deposited the bonds in that
safe. 1t is true, ths door ofthe safe has
been standing open most of the time.
But, on the other hand, l have
received no visitors; not a soul has
entered the room but yourself"
you forget, sir, that one OF the
clerks, young Mr.. Aspie, brought
you a slip from me about the second
batch OF securities which are to be
withdrawn from the custody OF the
Bank OF England tomorrow, Satur-
day-e1O, 900 worth, the receipt for
which is, | believe, in your posses
sion"
The manager made no remark in
response to the latter assertions
concerning the bonds and the receipt
believed to be in his possession. But
he referred significantly to 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.
at is somewhat suspicious, sir,
that Mr.. Aspin was actually alone in
this room for nearly half minute,
F 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 a customer asked you a
question:"
"rhat is perfectly true, Price. l
had not thought OF that Moreover
now that | come to recall the clrcum.
stances-young Aspin was STOPPING
over the open safe in most suspi-
cious manner, when l re-entered the
| ROOM
"Sublect 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 moment
that he is otherwise, Mr.. Price. Bring
him here at Once'
Il will do so-unless he has gone
out. One O'Clock is his dinner time. F."
Mr.. Price advanced to the door, but
the manager stopped him.
'Wait moment, Price. The sus-
piclon 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, and
replaced it in turn. The bonds were
not there. He went round the room
seen.
"Enough!' at length exclaimed the
manager. "Fetch Mr. Aspin, and be-
fore you bring HIM in give Constructions
to your next in command that no Of
ticer is to leave the bank on any pre-
tense whatever till l give permission
to the contrary"
eyes, sir; it will beiust as we'll to 90
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 mis- keys from his pocket he I'M
locked softly the drawer beneath his
writing desk, wheeled back his chair
q 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 a rapidity and stealthiness that
denoted both fear and determina-
ton, he distracted a parcel from the
drawer, stepped across to the safe,
slipped the packet between the leaves
OF 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
the others absence. He started as
Mr.. Price spoke TO him.
81 am sorry to say, sir, that young
Aspin went out Immediately after you
noticed his suspicious presence in his
room. There is nothing to be done
but to wait till he returns at
O'clock"
"What if he should not return?"
said the manager
eff lie is innocent, he will return as
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?"
81 am sure OF it,"
HRut consider aaid the nanooor