The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-14
HOW 1 WON HER.

foremost colleges in this country, I
was considerably in debt, to enable
me to liquidate which and obtain the
means for prosecuting my legal
studies resolved to teach for a few
years. as, at the time of my gradua-
ton was only 20 years Of age.
l secured a position as principal of
the high school in W, a thriving
New England village, where, among
those whose acquaintance I formed
at an early date was one James Brent,
about my own age, the popular, eff
cienC, trusted book-keeper and teller
OF the local bank.
had been in the place somewhat
less than year, when the cashier,
called to the bank at an unusually
early hour in the morning, found that
it had been burglarized to the extent
of nearly $4,000.
The hour for opening the bank to
the public arrived and James failed
to appear at his post of duty. In
Quiry at his home revealed the fact
that directly after supper the pre-
ceding evening he had gone from the
house, requesting his folks not to sit
up for him as he might not return
until late hour.
'sHe did not come to his breakfast
and l went to his room, expecting to
find him there sick,'' said his mother,
in tremulOus tone, to the messen-
ger sent to learn concerning him.
Instead of that, | found that his
bed had been unoccupied, and I fear
something worse than sickness has
happened to him, as he never is away
from home over night when in the
place." she continued huskily, the
tears coursing down her cheeks.
His father and his sister have gone
to search for him.
A natural inference-entertain
with reluctance and regret-was that
the missing man was responsible for
the burglary
The bank at once scattered circu-
lars far and wide, giving a vivid de-
Scription of the teller and Offering a
reward of $1,000 for information that
would lead to his apprehension, of
$50 for information that would
tend to the recovery of the stolen
funds, and summoned a skilled de-
tective to aid them by wire.
His father and numerous friends,
who would not for an instant harbor
the thought that he was guilty, con-
jointly offered reward of 81, 900 for
information concerning James.
Two days glided away and no clew
hDl ko le 10
efforts OF the detective or of the town
officers.
have natural fondness for inves-
tigating the mysterious, which, dur
ing my earlier years, rendered me in
terested in Observation-Disclosures
stories and puzzles and, later, in
duenced me to solve all the intricate
mathematical problems that came in
my way; thus enabling me to secure
high rank as mathematician while
in college.
had often thought I should like
to be a detective, whose business
is wholly in the line OF the mysteri-
Gus. Here was an opportunity for
me to test my ability in this direc-
tion, and | resolved not to let it pass
unimproved.
Going to the bank, in his private
Office I held an interview with the
cashier, with whom was on the
most friendly terms. as he had son
in my school, and asked:
.sCan you, who have known him
from his boyhood, call to mind any
thing which James ever did, prior to
the burglary, which would stain his
character?"
Il cannot" was the reply. His
has always been model life"
$50 far as you know, has he ever
speculated in stocksp"
Il know that he never has; that
every cent of his savings he deposited
IN this bank. :"
.sYou think he robbed the bank?'
The circumstantial evidence points
in that direction, yet cannot bring
myself to regard him really guilty. -
HAS the detective examined his
books?"
HE has not nor made any mention
of them
with your permission, should
like to do So"
Such a permission was readily &C
corded me and, when l had carefully
looked through the books l said:
Judging from the comparative
freshness of the ink, l should think
all the writing in them during the
last four days therein represented
was done at one and the same time. >
..Quite likely" the cashier re-
sponded. james was kept SO busy
last Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday as teller that he had
scarcely any time to devote to the
books
MAY he not have come to the bank
Wednesday evening to work on the
booksP"
Possibly, though l never knew
him to do SO before"
Had he come here to perpetrate q
crime he would not have been likely
to touch the books?"
..No," and the monosyllable spoke
volumes.
Naturally" l observed, 1--WE must
then consider him innocent, in which
case he is doubtless the victim OF foul
play. ;"
After q momentary silence he
crasped my hand saying:
sYou are, by far, more shrewd