The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-10

baT0 Teen diill more 10 the dark ~ 10
paul NEliti0Ts rgAtant Tor coutng
down toWn so early that Monday mora.
Ing Il he could have seen the young
man thgaW tie tNo copies Of tue
Gotham Gazette iato the hrsi ash-carE
no passed alder no EaI gu, Of the range
Of The poriers yiS.ou.
Pool wa, not the only member Of
Whittier, Wkeaicroil < %. 70 arrive At
tho oilcl early that morning. Mr..
MbrsteT9ii vas usually punrtua!, tax.
Ing he scat o. his deck !li. q, The clock
struck hsli.pasi nine, On this Monday
morning he ea,ciel the store a little DO,
lors nine,
AZ 10 walked back to the Office ho
lacked over a. tie dsiEs oithu clerks ~
iAongh he WAi seeking some ons.
A. the door OF tue oltiee he INST Bob,
Hasn't tho major come down ye,Y
no asked shortly.
No sir" the office boy answered.
"lle don't never get nero till nine"
Him gruuIed tho junior partner.
"When he does come, toll him want
10 zee him a. once At once DO you
undersland?
II aiu'E deaf aud dumb aud blind"
Bob responded, IN steer him into
yoa soOnsl ever he shows up,
But, Tor wonder, tho Old Duokkeeper
was ialB thar morning Ordinarily no
was a, model OF Oxactltude. Yet tho
clock slCnCk nine aud hali.DaSt and ten
before he appeared iu tho G,ore,
Before lie changed his coat Bob was
at his side.
"Mr, Mhnatcrott, he wants to SEQ you
now in Il hurry SAID tho boy,
Major Wan H'adt paIed swiftly and
sseadIei hlmseLi by grasp OF the rail.
ing,
Does Mr.. Whoptcroit wlsh to soc
met he asked family.
"HOu bet hu docs, the boy answered,
IAN in hurry, too. lie come bright
an early this mornin' a.purposo to SEQ
You, an he's been a.waitin' for two
hours; An lgHess he's got his mad up
nowl'
When tho old bookkeeper, with his
blanched face and his laItering step.
entered the private office. Mr. Wheat.
croft wheeled around in his chair,
"Oh, it's you, is isH' he cried. "At
IastW
~ regret that l was lato this morn
ing, MIR. Wheatcroit," Van Aandt be.
gan.
That's no matter!' said hiR em.
ployer| "At least want to talk TO you
about something else"
about something eiseR' echoed the
old man feebIy.
YES" responded Mr.. Wheatcrolt.
"Shut the door behind you, pleaie, so
that thRt red.headsd cub out there can't
hear what Pm going to say, And take
a chair. Yes. There is something else
I've got to say TO Won, and want you
10 be frank with me-"
Whatever 1t was that Mr.. WheAtcroit
had to say to Major Van Handt it had to
DO said under tue eyes OF the clerks on
the other side oil the glass partition.
And it took long timo saying, for it
was evident TO any observer ot the two
men as they sat there in the private
office that Mr.. WheatCroit was trying
to force an explanation oil some kind
from tho old bookkesper, and that the
major was resisting his employers en-.
treaties as host no could. Apparently
tho matter under discussion was OF an
Importance so grave as to make Mr..
WheRtcroft resolutely retain his self.
control; and not onco did he lot his
voice break out exploIiyely as was his
custom.
Major Van Zandt was still closeted
with Mr.. Wheatcroft when Mr.. Whit
tier arrived. Tho senior partner stop.
ped near the street door to speak to a
clerk; and he was joined almost imme.
diately by his sou.
"Well Paul" said the father, '"havs l
got down here before you after all, and
in spite OF your running away last
night?
NO." the son responded. ~ was the
first to arrive this morniuC-luckily,"
"Lnckilv?" echoed his father. ~
suppose that means that you have been
ab.O to accomplish your purpose-what-
ever it WAS. You didn't tell me, you
know"
ppm ready to tell you now, father"
said Paul, since haye succeedod."
Walking down tho alore together
they came to the private office.
AZ the old bookkeepcr saw them he
started up and made as though to leave
Tho office.
keep your seat, major" cried Mr..
Whentcroit atornty, bnt not unkindty.
keep your seat, please"
Then he turned TO Mr.. Whittier ~
have something to tell YOU bo'h.' ho
aaid, "aud want the major here while
tell you. Paul, may Trouble you TO
400 that that door Is closed so that We
nrc out Of hearing"
Certainty" Paul responded, as he
shut the door.
"Wej, Whoa,croft," Mr.. Whittier
asked, "wha; is all this mystery Of
yours now"
Tho junior partner swung around in
his char and facrd Mr.. Whittier.
"Thu mystcry?' he cried. "lPs tho
mystery that puzzled us all--and I've
solved il"
"Nhat do you mean?" asked the
senior partner
"What mean is that somebody has
boen opening that safe there in tho cor.
nor aud reading our private ett0r.book
and finding out what wo werc bidding
on important contracts, What | mean
is that this mRn has taken this nformN.
ton ii,chel from us and has sold IL 10
our connection. who wcrO not too