The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-10

/ Office early that morning. Mr Wheat
! croft wa usually punctusl, taking his
seat at his desk just as the clock struck
hali-past nine ON this Monday morni &
! he entered the store a little before nj 4.
rs he walked back TO the Office he
looked over al the desks of the clerks as
/ though he was seeking some one.
AT the door of the Office lie met Bob.
"Hasn't the Major come down yet, ="
| he asked shCrsly.
"No. sir the office boy answered.
"Hc don't never get here till nme.
! Him. grunteG the junior part ner.
"Whcn he does come, tell him want TO
see him al once! At once! do you under
/ star d?'
81 amt deaf rnd dumb and blind, -
| Bob ro. ponded "pll steer him into you
| soon as ever he shows uD.
But, Tor wonder, the Old bookkeeper
was late that morning. Ordinarily he
| was nodci of cNagtitude. Yet the clock
struck nine aud halt-pasl and ten before
ne appeared i'm the store.
| Before he rad changed his coat Bob
was at his side.
"Mr. Wheatcroft he wants to see you
1 now in a hurry. said n boy.
Major Y n Zandt raied swiftly and
| stead lied himself by grasp OF the rail-
1 ing.
HDoes Mr.. whcatcroft wish TO see me"
| he asked family.
"You BET ne docs, - the boy answered,
san Ia hurry too, ~ came bright an
|, eaTir this mornin' a-purDose TO see you,
AM he's been a-waitin for two hours.
| An guess he's got hts ma up nowl'
Y hcn sthe old boOkkCeIer with his
blan ned face an1 his tlltering step ca
! tered the private Office. Mr.. Wheatcroit
wheeled around in has chair.
"Oh it's you, Is II he cried. sat
! lastl"
! ~ regret that was l7:e this morning,
4 IA
! ~ hats no luatter! said bis employer.
| "At ienst l want 20 ak 10 you GbCut
! something else >,
( "AbouC something else echoed IL, o j
man. feet IT,.
"Yts." responded IIr. wheatcrott
"Shut the door bchrd you, please, so
that hat red-headed cub out there cant
AR what I'm going To gay. And take
a chair. Yes. There Is souetninE else
I've got TO say TO YOU. and / want you
/ 10 be frank with me.
Whatever ii wus that Mr.. Wheatcroft
! had TO say 70 MAJOR Van Xandt il had TO
! be said under the ewes OF the clerks on
/ the other side OF the glass part N. And
/ u took long time say ing 60 ii was evil
! dent 10 any observer OF the tW, men as
they sat there IN the private Office that
Mr.. Mneatcroft was trying TO force an
/ explenHtion OF some k'rd from he cid
boot il' epcr, and lhif che Major was re.
: sistins his employer cntreat,cs as best he
cuuld. Apparently she matter under dis
cuss on wa OF al I'M g0riaHce so grave as
10 make Mr. Whoatcroft reso utely con-
tau MS sei-control, and not once did he
lei his voice hiSaS out oxr losiveiy as Aas
mis- custom.
Major Van zaDdt was sill closeled
with Mr.. Mheatctolt tEen Mr.. Whit or
arrived. The senior partner stopped near
the rect door to speak 10 a clerk and ne
was joined almost Immediately by his
ton.
"well, Paul, !" said The father, shave |
got down here before you after ell, and
in spite OF your running away last night
"No, the son responded. 81 as the
first TO arrive this morning luckily"
Luckily" echoed his father. ~ sup
pose that means that, you have been able
10 accomplish your purpose whatever ii
was. Ycu didn't tell me, you know
I'm ready TO tell you now, father"
said Paul, "since have succeeded
Walking down the store together they
came to the private Office.
AS the old bookkeeper saw them he
started up and made as though to leave
the Office.
Keep your scat, Major" cried Mr..
Wheatcroft, sternly, but not unkindly"
Keep your seat, please.
Then he turned to Mr.. Whittier. "t
have something to tell YOU both" he
said. land want the Major here while
tell you. Paul. may trouble you to
see that the door is closed so that we
are ont of hearing
Certainly" Paul responded, as he
shut the door.
"Well, Wsatcrott," Mr.. Whittier
asked, what is all this mystery OF yours
now?'
The junior partner swung around in mis-
chair and faced Mr.. Whittier.
"My mystery" he cried "It's the
mystery that puzzled US sll-and I've
solved il.
"what do you mean" asked the senior
partner
"What | mean Is that somebody has
been opening that safe there in the cor
ner and reading our private letter books /
and finding out what we were bidding on |
important contracts. What / mean is |
that this man has taken this information |
hlched from Us and has sold il to our 1
competitors who were not too scrupulous /
as 10 be unwilling 10 buy stolen goodsl" /
1--WE all suspected this, as you know"
the elder Whittier said. Have you any
thing new now?'
Haven't II returned Mr.. wheatcroft
I've found the man, that's sllv'
"You. too, eiaclated Paul.
"Nho Is he?' asked the senior partner.
walt minute" Mr.. Wheatcroft beg
ged. Don't be In a hurry and IN tell /
you. Yesterday afternoon / don't know
what possessed me but felt drawn down
AVWh ANi 0Vlls ItdHpn. NNEtel 10 see IN
anything was going on here. I knew
We had made that bid Saturday. and |
wondered II anybody would try TO get at
u on sunday. SO came down about
Tour o'clock-and saw a man sneak out
OF the front door OF this Office. i followed
him ls swiftly as could and rs quietly.
Tor diou't want 10 give the alarm until
] knew more. The man did not see
me, and as he turned TO go up the steps
OF the elevated milraod station at the
corner / saw hs face -
49,, pa you recognize him" asked Mr..
Whittier
les, was the answer, "And he
dld not see me. There were tears roll
ing down his cheeks-perhaps that's tho
reason. This morning l called him i'm
mere ana ne has finally confessed the
whole thing.
who who is IT, asked Mr.. Whittier
dreading TO look at the old bookkeeper.
who had been In the employ OF the firm
Tor thirty years aud more
II is Major Van Zaudtl~ Mr.. Wheat
croft declared.
lhere was moment OF silence: the-
the voice OF Paul Whittier was heard
Ii