The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-11-13

pursuit. But Mr.. WISE needed neither
rabbit nor dog. His gaze was riveted
on the place from which the rabbit had
jumped. Thus for a moment or two.
he stood. then, with peculiar smile Oh
his face. he wheeled round and walked
briskly home Some three days later
Richard Starkie was summoned to his
chiefs presence. He went. trembling.
fearing be knew not what
''Starkie," said Mr.. WISE. '.you have
been in my employ longer than anv
other of my clerks. therefore | think i.
only right TO make YOU my spokesman
TO them. | wish you. then. to tell them
on my behalf that | attribute the dis
appearance of my cash box TO none of
them. that am quite convinced of their
innocence"
Richard Starkie paled slightly Had
his scheme to ruin young Acland failed
miserably after all? 1t seemed so. Bui
he replied, with apparent frankness:
Il am very pleased to hear that Rober:
Acland has cleared himself. sir
HE has done so most completely" re
Joined Mr.. Vyse. Il have a very high
opinion of Acland. Starkie'
so have |, sir" he returned glibly.
while he inwardly cursed the man tn
whom he spoke thus laudingly. 1T
has caused me great pain TO think that
he could possibly he n thief
rs it possible that this man l. inno-
cent after all? wondered Mr.. WISE.
IF not his hypocrisy is simply astound-
ing; but l shall soon know the truth
And a grim smile passed over his face
Just one thing more" continued Mr..
Nyse, looking straight into his clerks
eyes, which met his own unflinchingIy.
''and this is for your ear alone. Starkie:
in the theft of my cash box have sus-
tanned far greater loss than anyone
but myself is aware of. II is a box Of
peculiar construction-in fact. ii had
false bottom, and in that false bottom,
Starkie, there were notes to the value
of 700 l had placed them there only
two days before | was robbed
''Of course, you have the numbers,
sir?''
why, yes. / have the numbers. Star-
| kie; but an expert thief-and imagine
from the coolness and audacity of the
| robbery that / have been the victim of
one--finds no difficulty in changing
stolen paper. He knows where to take
it and obtain a good price"
When Richard Starkie went back
TO his colleagues to give them their en-
| pioyer's message, his breast was torn oy
| two emotions-baffled spite and greed
| of further gold.
Il will destroy him yet" he thought
| of Bob Acland. Hes escaped me for
awhile. but il shall not be for long.
Elsie Nenner shall never be his wife |
am good plotter, friend Bob. and
though YOU wriggle out of my hands a
hundred times. l viii have YOU the hun
dred and first
Poor old buffer"-his mind re-
verting to the man whose presence Ee
had just left-'-you little guessed tha:
in making confidant of me YOU were
telling the thief how TO further enrich
himself. Well. 500 guilds Will come IN
very handy just now-and suppose the
commission would not be more thau
f20o. Markbv's getting very restive
for his money, and l could pay him and
still have n nice little balance in hand
You're in luck's way, Dick, my boy; for
tune favors you"
If to he standing in the dark on the
brink of a precipice without knowing
ii is TO be in luck's way. then Richard
Starkie was, indeed. in tina: enviable po
sition.