The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-07-21
Drummond, and am Sydney Drum-

plain yourself more clearly. In what
way can this watch be connected with
your hrother?"
And Tony said that, perhaps, Mr..
Claremont would not have forgotten
that poor Sydney had lost a sum of
money at cards ut Sir LogElen O'Mea-
ra's house, in Ireland.
No; certainly; Mr.. Clarem mont had
not forgotten that; remembered very
we'll, he replied. that Mr.. Sydney
Drummond had lost, comparatively, a
large sum of money. Knew. too, that
there had been a deficiency i'll Sydney's
accounts with his firm, and that the
unhappy young man had been charged
with robbery.
All of which was uttered, Tony
thought, very innocently and very pity
ingly.
My poor brother did not stealw
Tony cried, eDphatically. 1T was he
who was robbed; but, luckily for the
innocent, the real thief left piece of
evidence behind him."
And Tony brought from his pocket
the broken seal which had been found
by Sydney, as Glare mont was now
told, at the foot of the cupboard which
had contained the chest from which
the hundred and twenty-five pounds
had been stolen.
The two broken pieces of the seal
reunited perfectly, as Stanley saw
and he was pale and silent; for few
moments, not longer, most utterly
confounded.
And Abraham Mailer was wishing
that, instead of being behind those
window curtains, he was far away in
Australia, or anywhere, so that he
might know himself in safety, which,
just now, was far from being the
case.
For Stanley, the peddler had no
doubt, Would make himself secure by
sacrificing at any cost, the man whose
ill-1uck or careleSSnesS had brought
about the present dilemma.
How often had the peddler Won
dered when and where he could have
lost that portion of the seal, which was
now, perhaps to be his utter ruin!
Now, he reflected that. most prob
ably, when hurriedly opening the cup
board the door had struck against the
breloQueS of the watch, and SD bad
broken that peculiar and unmislaka-
BILE seal.
To think that he had been revealing
i'll such fancied security. and that fate
had held in reserve, to crush him, that
broken seal and Anthony Drummond!
And Abraham sat behind those win
dow curtains in shivering and silent
dread for he dared not even send
forth IL mean to relieve his overbur-
dened heart.
Stanley ClareEnont felt himself driv-
in corner: gladly would he have CIV
en- his associate to the mercy of the
laws, but then, the peddler would be-
tray his former employer, and how
fight his way free CT such accusations?
In short, Stanley was as greatly
afraid of the peddler as the peddler
was Of Stanley
81 shall rely on your assistance, Mr..
Claremont," Tony said, ''for the capt
ure and conviction of Ehe rascally
thief for whose crime my poor brother
has been made so terribly to suffer!"
And Stanley replied, very coolly:
upon consideration, | think / shall
refuse to have anything to do with the
matter"
''Refusev exclaimed Tony, greatly
surprised. 'Why refuse?"
''rhat is my business" replied STAN
ley, as coolly as before.
':Well, if you do refuse" said Tony,
II shall believe"
believe whatever you think proper!"
interrupted the other.
Adding, as he beheld Tony's amazed
look: ''Only take my advice, and
make not too much noise about
this
'But just now," cried Tony, ''you
recognized the watch, So
Exactly; but 1 now find that
know nothing about it ~
''But this seal, which has so nliracu-
lousy placed me upon the robbers
track?'
Especially the seal!' replied Stan
ley.
And Abra ham did not at all relish
the way in which the baronets neph-
ew was proceeding; for denying that
the watch eve. belonged to him, was
to give the lie to all the peddler's as
sertinns to the jeweler. In short,
Abraham saw himself about to be
made scapegoat, and he was likely
to be the only sufferer, where there
had been two scapegoats.
Looking Stanley full in the face,
Tony said: 'You do not understand
what would be the consequences of
such a denial?'
And, unflinchingly returning Tony's
gaze, Stanley coolly replied: "Oh, yes
perfectly wellp'
ITO seek by your silence to shelter
the thief is to II axe yourself his ac-
complete"
"My good fellow" began Claremont,
''you are now talking
Like a man who is speaking the
truth interrupted Tony, ITO one who
is utterins cool and deliberate false