Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-27
A LOVERS JEALOUSY.
From Tit-Bits.)


neck and face as he took in the meaning
of the words.
Il swear to you, sir" he cried passion
/ ately, that you wrong mel swear II
by my SOUL
Il wish l could believe you, Robert,"
Mr. Vy5s replied. "ior l like you; but
unfortunately appearances are too much
against you. What, may l ask, were
YOU doing a. o'clock yesterday evening
in my private room? You had no right
, or business to be there"
'Nor was l." returned the young fell
low proudly, drawing himself up to his
full height. Il nave never been in this
room in my life except when you have
sent me. Has anyone told you that
was here last evening, sir?'
Yes. Robert, your comrade, Richard
S,arkie, assured me Of II not ten min
uJes ago"
Richard Starkier' exclaimed Acland,
in great wonderment. Why, he must be
mad. What can have possessed him to
tell so wicked falsehood? We have
always been GOD friends. be and I. Why
should he thus Try TO ruin me?"
The words, the tone, were those of an
innocent man. Mr.. Vyse began TO waver
in his opinion as to Acland's guilt.
Robert" he said more kindly, will
YOU swear to me before God that you
are innocent?"
Raising aloft his right hand, 81 call
The God before whose Judgment throne
we both shall one day stand to witness
that I am guilJless," he declared SOL
emmy. Surely sir, you will believe me,
now?"
Mr. WISE held out his hand. eyes,
Robert, l believe you," he said, and l
beg your pardon for having doubted
YOU. But what Starkie's motive in ira
ducing YOU has been, am at loss to
understand"
so am I. sir" answered Acland
His conduct is quite incomprehensible"
well Robert" wound up the old
gentleman, as ne dismissed his clerk
YOU must promise me one thing-that
YOU will treat Starkie just the same as
il nothing unusual had occurred. 1t is
my wish"
II will try sir. but il will be a hard
task Acland replied as he quilted the
room.
Lett alone, Mr.. vyse, a hale, active
man of 65. lay back in his chair and
gave himself up to thought But the
more he puzzled over the disappearance
OF his cash box the further he seemed
from a solution Of the mystery. 1t was
gone, but by whose hand il was diff
cul, 90 say.
OF course the news that their employer
had been robbed ran Ike wildfre
through the small community. 1t was
Richard S,arkie who first made public
the III news-for no official intimation
OF it was given, but TO his fellow work
ers he dare not try 10 incriminate young
AcIaui for Acland was a favOrite with
his colleagues and Starkie knew we'll
that any remark sugge sJive of his guilt
would be received in stony silence-the
silence of sheer disbelief.
That evening Bob Acland went to see
Elsie Nenner The girl Of his heart. There
was no actual engagement between them,
but Elsie understood quite we'll that Bob
was only waiting for q raise Of salary
before a-king her 70 be ais wife. He
had intended to tell her nothing about
what occurred a. the office during the
day, but the Quick-witted girl soon saw
that something was amiss and taxed him
with il. And after a little hesitation on
his part and little pressing on hers
the whole story came out.
Il cannot think, darling" finished
Bob, what has induced Starkie to 90 it."
Shall | til you?" said Elsie demure-
lg: ..rou,
Yes. I. can. you ksow." And then
SJarkie had a few days before asked her
10 marry him, and on her resusal. Ho7vr
into a violent rage, not only heaping
dna,hemaS on her mead. Ou- also OnboJ s..
And YOU believe that he has al
tempted 10 lay the theft at my door TO
blac6en my character in your ewes?
VIII, scoundrel the fellow must be"
If YOU had seen the look on his face
when he left me- replied the girl. YOU
would think as l do, that he is capable
Of anything"
Next day Bob Acland repeated 10 Mr.
Nyse the conversation he had had Win
Elsie Venner.
Meanwhile Richard Starkie was in a
very unhappy frame of mind. He had
just sufficient manhood left to be able
10 appreciate the unutterab,e currish-
ness Of mis- own conduct. But that did
not tend TO make him sorry for what he
had done. No. It rather embittered him
still more against his rival. A mania
for gambling, inherited from his father.
who had bet away a large estate during
his life, dying only just in time to save
himself from actual starvation. had in
The first instance made him short of
money.
In order to retrieve his position he
bet still more heavily, and again lost.
III luck pursued him from day TO day,
TIL at last, unable 10 meet the demands
made upon him, exposure stared him in
the face; and exposure, he knew, meant
prompt dismissal from Mr.. Vyse's SER
vice. In this dilemma he stole the cash
box. and it was only when glOat,ng over
its contents that the idea OF saddling
Ac,and with the theft occurred to him.
IrresOlute in this. as in everything else,
ne wayered some time before finally de-
Gliding 10 commit this last act OF viii
lainy. but his evil genius, as always, pre-
vailed.
Curse the fellow" he ground out be-
tween his cliuched teeth. IF only can
3 ruin ham, What is he that he should
g. steal her from me? III win her yet IN
spite of him."
IL was Mr.. Vyses custom to go for
,ENT CASE