Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-04-05
THE OLD MILL MYSTERY.
By ARTHUR " MARcHMoNr, 3. A..
uthor "nfiser
Whose &C.,
the

been touched SO that he is led to thinl,
this OF your
"IIow could they be touched, as you
call IL. when no one could get TO them
except myself That's what puzzles
me-"
You've no idea yet who can have
stolen that money!"
mot a ghost Of n thought. How
could havc7'
"You could not have taken II with.
out thinking, could you?"
"Whnt a woman's question TO nsk!''
he said, little in banter but more in
anger Take thirteen pounds with.
out thinking what | was doingl DO
you think I've grown suddenly rich2'
Have you wanted money particular.
ly rccently2" asked Mary, her heart
beating little anxiously us she grew
nearer the questions she wanted TO put.
"Whut do you mean, Mary2 DO you
want TO know what I've spent every
day for the last twelve months?"
mo, Tom; Of course I didn't want 10
ask such questions as that. | only ask
II II Is true that you have been want
ing money recently Have you?" And
she looked again into his face.
well. II I hadn't wanted to spend
some ! should have had money In the
savings bank, ! suppose. and then
shouldn't have had 10 borrow yours
and give you the right TO come qucs.
tioning and cross questioning Inc as TO
what spend. don't like the qucs-
tions, Mary, and ! would rather you
didn't ask them. II you want 10 be
sure that your money is safe you need
not feel Mt all afraid"
II was an ungenerous thing, unlSnd.
ly said; and IL stabbed the girl to the
heart
II did not mean anything OF that
sort" she said, gently and sorrowfully
You nre cruel"
"Then why question mo In such n
why? II you didn't doubt me You
wouldn't put such questions. have
had TO spend the money, and there's
an end Of IT, Surely cnn spend il ~
please"
"Ncs. Of course you can, Tom. OF
myself, and for my own knowledge.
should never have asked question"
What do you moan2" he cried out al
this. "For your own knowledge? Who
II there who has put you on TO me tu
asl, such qucstions?"
The girl sighed heavily She had
meant all she said for the best; but the
more she rnid, the greater seemed to
bc tho Misunderstanding
81 did not mean what you seem to
think hhould never think Of cominr
to question you for the bcacnt of other
people. Nou know that. mean that
have heard this said by other people. |
that they are making II the ground 81 |
cruel charges against you; aud that |
wanted to be able to deny them"
What do they say, and who ARE the |
other pcoplc?" he asked
Reuben GorriDgc has told"
"Confound Reuben Gorringc" OK |
claimed Tom, almost passionatcly
What do you want to go holding So
,rct consultations with him about me
Tor? Is he in league against'mc. and
are you with him .oo?"
lyon are tallSing wildly and at ran.
lom.' said Mary what has hap.
pcncd Is this: ! had to get money TO
bring you to-day, and could only get II
advanced from Mr.. Gorringe ON the Sc.
,urity Of my savings bank deposit. lie
gave me bank note, aud this passed
from me TO you, and from you to Muir.
stone. Murstone then took Il back To
iorringc to know how II had come into
your hands, and at the same timc
poke his belief that another ten
pounds was missing from the sick
fund, In this way Mr., Gorringc knew
had given you the money His story
Is that at the time OF Murstono's inter.
view with him he believed the whole
Thing to he q cock and bull story, but
afterwards he thought that ho ought
10 look into all the cash matters at the
mill"
She had been growing gradually
very nervous, fearing TO tell him OF
iorringc's accusation.
well! Go on. It's quite interest
ing" he said, laughing angrily.
what does he say he found? That
had been stealing money there, Us well
is from the sick fund.-"
The girl grew silent Suddenly
Toms manner changed. and he grow
terribly in earnest.
DO you mean, Mary, that thcy nrc
yoing 10 vamp up another tale
against mo at the mill? Tell me
you heard, Quick, for
Gods sake, don't keep me in this sus.
pcnsc' What did the man say?"
"llc told me that he had heard that
You had been spending moncy lately;
that you hnl been In some sort Of
doubtful company ('''rhats lie" IN
Icrruptcd Tom vigorously; that he
had noticed some sort Of change IN
you; and that when he examined the
books and papers ut tho mill there wa,
a certain aiBSGnt OF money mis7iur"
by heavens! | n haSu bis life II lac
lu~cg 10 ,prea tholc lies about ,ac.
The gpwarlly liar" III, vchcmcncc
and ngi,Ntion ~0rp almost ALARMING IN
look at lie strobe cNvitclly about the
room, clcnching his G3t3 ana gbp'ing
Ihcm at imaginary enemies, nnd VOW
Ing vongcancc Rgainst all who wore
thuH against him
Whom does he mean 10y bad com
rany, ! wonder, Whose charac,cr
docs he wunSto destroy toAdos mine.
should like To hnow2"
81 think he means Savannah" mn.
5werod Mary,
"Ill cram tho wurls down his IN.
shaped throat" he cried. savnyely
'Tho oowaraly hound; 90 got You th,r.
and enacavor 10 sot you againlt the
poor girl in that way. rs well as ngains,
mol Hut he shall answer Tor II, take
my oath he shall, and heavily. too
Did he say any morc2 Ave thcre no.