The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-01


been much neglected 1t was Of little
consequence TO me that he was peculiar
in his dress and manner, for we never
met except on rare occasions, in any
other place than my chambers.
Now, Bowser," said / when / had
mixed IA glass OF whisky for Scroggie
and had resumed my seat by the fire.
''now, Bowser, put that bag of gold
into your pocket and listen to me. lam
Yoing to explain your scheme to Scrog-
gle and show him how very unsatisfac-
tory l consider your conduct. Now.
Bowser, for goodness sake, sit down."
Bowser bestowed upon me a half
amused, half mpatient'glance, and Civ
ing his bag a parting toss dropped IL
into his pocket and sat down away from
the fire, in the shade, beyond the read
ing lamp, and with his arms folded on
the table. He was a large, powerful
man, and remember thinking how gi-
gantic his shoulders looked in that semi
sarkness as he leaned forward to listen.
1.-The facts Of the case" said /, "the
facts Of the case are somewhat as fol-
lows: My learned friend has fallen In
love, if am not mistaken"--
Bowser nodded.
HAS fallen in love with young
lady named Darell"-- Thought Scrog-
gle had spoken. He had started and
muttered something beyond doubt when
/ mentioned the name of Darrell.
Nothing" said Scroggie, returning
with quick glance the inquiring look
which gave him.
"And, moreover, then resumed,
eff / am not mistaken, my learned
friend and Miss Darrell are engaged. "
Again Bowser nodded.
"But, / said--"but there is a clause
in the engagement Miss Darrell has lost
her father, who met his death under
circumstances of very painful nature.
In word, Miss Darell's father was
murdered.
At this moment / happened TO be
looking straight at Scroggie, and a dark
shadow seemed TO gather over his face
The expression startsed me and van
ished.
STAY" said Bowser as was about
TO continue LET me tell the story as
/ heard it from Alice Darrell. "
i said, "By all means, " and leaning
back in my chair / waited for Bowser
to proceed
"Miss Darell'ss father" said Frank
Bowser, twas chief cashier at bank in
n large market town in the north OF
England. He lived on the premises, and
his daughter Alice lived with him. His
position was an arduous one. He was
frequently engaged over tho cash or in
examining the ledgers until late into
the night, especially on evenings pre-
ceding market days.
''It was part of his duty to weigh or
count over and check off in the bullion
book the various bags of gold, large and
small, before they were handed over or
distributed among the cashiers. And so,
night after night, the clink of gold
might be heard in the iron room beyond
the back parlor for night after night
Mr. Darrell sat there weighing the gold
in the scales, or counting il, or shovel
ing it into the bags-clink, clink, clinkl'
Here Bowser paused, and taking his
own bag of gold out of his pocket placed
III OH tut tdDlS DcloAb uilu.
Scroggie was sitting in an attentive
attitude, but his eyes Were never raised
from the fire, and worn look, which
had not observed at first, had settled
upon his face Bowser moved nearer to-
ward US, coming within the circle OF
light under the lamp, and emptying ont
of his bag quantity of bright sovereigns
he continued in an impressive voice:
Zone night, 4" he told us-"one night,
between IL and l2 o'clock, the cashier
is seated III the iron room under shad-
ed lamp-as l am seated now--weigh-
ing the gold as usual and filling the
bags one after another, entering them
in the bullion book, tying them up and
casting them aside.
He is deeply engrossed in his occupa-
tion. Is he thinking-this honest, in
dustrious cashier-is he thinking, as he
looks upon this glitter and listens to the
clinking and ringing of this gold, what
hateful thing money is, or-who shall
say?-who shall say but what, with q
desire for his daughters happiness pass
ing through his mind-who shall say
but what, for her sake, he is wishing
that the sovereigns were his own?
''He is working, working now, solely
for her, and If he is dreaming of riches
what more natural on earth?
But whatever his thoughts may be he
is so absorbed that he hears no catlike
footstep moving stealthily toward the
spot where he weighs the gold-clink,
clink, clink!-he sees no shadow cross
the light in the outer room, within a
short distance of where he stands. He
hears nothing, observes nothing, until
an arm is uplifted swiftly behind him,
and stifled cry escapes him-no time
for more.
''He falls, beaten and crushed by a
heavy blow. What's happened9 A muir
derl Committed in the dead of night"
When Bowser had uttered these
words, there was silence between US
for some minutes Scroggie was the
first even to move in his chair. i had