Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-08-07

had been heard to boast that be had
in his concern the three finest young
men in the city. There was his own
son, Charley--he was certainly fine
young man, and his father was more
than little proud of him. Then there
was Evan Jones, the head bookkecper,
and thirdly-a sort of head clerk and
general manager, who made himself
felt everywhere. and of whom even his
employer was half inclined to stand in
aTe-Walter Sterne.
Sterne had many peculiar ways OF
his own. He owned the very respect
able house he lived in, and neverths-
less he was accustomed to make the
fact that he supported his mother,
who was also his housekeeper, IN ex-
cuse for all sorts of unnecessary econ
omies; though not only Abel Leon
ard, but his fellow clerks, were we'll
aware that Walters bank account had
been steadily climbing upward from
the very hour, ten years ago, that he
had entered the establishment. And
yet Sterne was q welcome visitor at
the house of his employer; for he
could be entertaining in many ways.
Three very fine young men were
these, and undoubtedly Abel Leonard
was justified in being proud Of them !;
but the time had come, IN the natural
course of human events, when the old
gentleman must necessarily be puz.
zled. For forty years he had had no
partner in business, and for half that
time he had accustomed himself to
look upon his daughter Belle as girl ;
but now two important facts were
slowly dawning upon him. One wae,
tnat he must speedily assign the
charge of his business to younger and
more active management; and the
other wns, that two OF his very fine
young men were rivaling each other
in wcll-directed efforts to establish
even o nearer connection with him.
self than that Of partner in business.
Abel Leonard had always pretended
to keep sharp eye after his books and
balances, but of late years this had
been little more than pretense, I'M
til, now that he seriously contemplated
u change in his arrangements, he once
moro made o pratical reality OF his
formal examinations.
Perhaps the old gentleman was not
as quick at figures as he had once been.
and there were some accounts that
puzzled him sadly. At all events he
went over them again and again. Still
he called no one to his assistance,
though, as Charlie was cashier, Evan
Jones head bookkeepcr, aud it WIS
Walter Sterne's duty to 60 over things
after them, he could have very easily
had everything explained. TO be sure,
Walter had been absent for two or
three days, just before the worst Of
the puzzle came. That night Leonard
went home with clouded brow, and
q good deal less of pride than usual in
his heavy step.
"There can De no doubt of it;
there's deficit in the cash account,
and it was well covered up. too; false
entries and false footings, and what
not; but they could not deceive old
Abel. I wonder how long this has
been going on ?"
And then, as somebody whispered to
him, there came the thought of Wal
ter 'Sterne's comfortable bank account,
so large for a young man with his
salary and expenses.
81 hope not" said Abel. "I won
der what Belle thinks of him?''
After dinner that evening Abel called
his daughter into the library and un.
folded his terrible news. So absorbed
was be that he hardly noticed Bellies
sudden change of color when he dimly
limited his suspicious.
"But, father, may you not be mis-
taken?"
''No, not about the deficit"
''But who could have taken the
money!"
"Any two of them could, if they
worked together, or may be one OF
them could have done it alone. They
have chances every now and then, but
Walter has the most. "
She could say little more, but the
whole thing seemed impossible.
cavalier will be back tonight, said
the old gentleman, ''and l will say
nothing about it till he has hal q look
at the books.
The next day old Leonard sent down
word that he was i'll, ard did not make
his appearance on that day, or the day
following, SO that the three fine young