The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-11
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know what had become of him. I've
| found out since that he was a tramp
for weeks and that he walked most of
the way from Colorado to New York.
This fall he turned up here in the city.
| ragged, worn out, sick. l wanted to
order him away. but I couldn't l took
him back. and got him decent clothes
and told him to look for a place, for l
knew that hard work was the only
thing that would keep him out of mis-
chief. He did not find a place-per-
haps he did not look for one. But all
at once l discovered that he had money.
He would not tell me how he got II. l
knew he could not have come by 1t
honestly: and SO l watched him. l
spied after him. and at last l found
that he was selling YOU to the Tuxedo
company"
But how could he open the safe?"
| cried Mr.. Wheatcroft. You didn't
know the combination"
Il did not tell him the combination
l did know" said the old bookkeeper
with pathetic dignity. And | didn't
have to tell him. He can open almost
any safe without knowing the combin-
alton. How he does 1t. | don't know
1t is his gift. He listens to the wheels
as they turn and he sets first one
and then the other; and in ten min
uteS the Sl1e Is open.
'iHow could he get into the store ?"
Mr.. Whittier inquired.
He knew | had u key" responded
the OIL boolikeeper. land he stole 1t
from me. He used to watch on Sunday
afternoons till Mike went for walk
and then he unlocked the store, and
slipped in and opened the safe
Two weeks ago Mike came back uneX-
pectedly and he had just time to get
out Of one of the rear windows of
this Office
Yes Paul remarked as the major
paused, Mike told me that he had
found window unfastened"
Il heard you asking about it," Major
Van Handt explained, land knew that
II You We're suspicious he was sure to
be caught sooner or later. So begged
him not to try to injure you again
offered him money to go away. But
he refused my money-he said he could
get 1t for himself now and l might
keep mine till he needed it. He gave
me the slip yesterday afternoon. When
| found he was gone. came here
straight. The front door was unlocked:
| walked in and found him just closing
the safe here. | talked to him and
he refused TO listen to me. | tried 10
get him to give up his idea-and he
struck me- Then left him. and | went
| out. seeing no one as I hurried home,
| That's when MIR. Wheatcroft followed
me, | suppose. The boy never came
back all night. | haven't seen him
since; | don't know where he is-but
he is my son. after all. my only son.
And when Mr.. Wheatcroft accused me,
confessed at last. thinking you might
be easier on me than you would be on
| the boy"
My poor old friend" said Mr.. Whit
/ tier. sympathetically, holding out his
| hand, which the major clasped CRATE
| fully for a moment.
/, Now We know who was selling us
to the Tuxedo people. We can protect
ourselves hereafter declared Mr..
Wheatcroft. And in spite of your try
| ing to humbug me into believing you
| guilty. major. I'm willing to let your
son off easy"
II think / can get him a place where
| he will be out Of temptatioD because
| he will be kept hard at work always"
| said Paul
The old tool,keeper looked up as
| though about to thank the young man.
| but there seemed to be a lump in his
| throat which prevented him from
| speaking.
Suddenly Mr.. Wheatcroft began. ex-
plosively: That's all very well!-but
what / still don't understand is how
Paul got those photographs"
Mr.. Whittier looked at his son and
| smiled. THAT Is a little mysterious,
Paul" he said, "and I confess I'd like
| to know how you did it,
! Were you concealed here yourself?"
asked Mr.. Wheatcroft
NO" Paul answered. "If you will
look around this room you will see that
there isn't n dark corner in which
| anybody could tuck himself"
''Then where was the photogra pher
hidden" Mr. Wheatcroft inquired with
increasing curiosity
I'm the clock, responded Paul.
I'm the clock?" echoed Mr. Wheat
croft, greatly amazed. "Why there
isn't room in the case of that clock for
a thin midget, let alone a man"
Paul enjoyed puzzling his fathers
partner. II didn't say had a man
there or midget, either" he explained.