The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-11-05

path. Du4 hin fAvorito dog, half pointer,
half rstriever, aocompanbed him. IA
tAs middle Of the plantation Dot sud
denly aniffed the cir, then bounded In
among the brushes, and pointed.
"Doti Doti" called hin master. 'sHsre,
good dog, cone back" But Dot had
evidently found something. and refused
TO be shouted on.
Mr.. vyse made his way TO where the
dog was standing. Up sprang . Ane
rabbit and dashed away, Dot in hot
pursuit. But Mr.. vyse needed neither
rabbit nor dog. His gaze was riveted
on the place from which the rabbit had
jumped. Thus for moment or twn,
he stood, then, with peculiar smile on
his face, he wheeled round and walked
brfskly home. Some three days later
Richard Starkie was summoned to his
chiefs presence. He went, trembling,
fearing he knew not what.
''Starkie," said Mr.. vyse, "you have
been in my employ longer than any
other of my clerks, therefore think IL
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 arm quite convinced Of their
innocence"
Richard Starkie paled slightly. Had
his scheme to ruin young Acland failed
miserably after all? It seemed so. But
he replied, with apparent frankness;
"I am very pleased to hear that Robert
Acland has cleared himself, sir"
HE has done 80 most completely" )" re.
Joined Mr.. vyse. II have very high
opinion Of Acland, Starkie."
$50 have I, sir" he returned glibly.
while he inwardly cursed the man to
whom he spoke thus laudingly. 'It
has cansed me great pain to think that
he could possibly be q thief"
''Is it possible that this man Ia inno-
cent after ALP" wondered Mr.. vyse.
"If not, his hypocrisy is simply astound-
ing; but I shall soon know the truth" /"
And grim smile passed over his face.
"Just one thing more, /" continued Mr..
vyse, looking straight into his clerks
eyes, which met his own unflinchingly,
'and this is for your ear alone. Starkie;
in the theft Of my cash box have sus-
tained q far greater loss than anyone
but myself is aware Of. It is q box Of
peculiar construction-in fact, 1t had Q
false bottom, and in that false bottom,
Starkie, there were notes to the value
Of e7OO. had placed them there only
two days before was robbed"
"Of course, you have the numbers,
sir?"
"Why, yes, I have the numbers, STAR
kie; but an expert thief-and imagine
from the GOODNESS 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 q good price,"
When Richard Starlsie went back
to his colleagues to give them their en-
ployer's message, his breast was torn by
two emotions-baffled spite and greed
Of further gold.
II will destroy him yet" he thought
Of Bob Acland. "He's escaped me for
awhile, but It shall not be for long.
Elsie Venner shall never be his wife.
am good plotter, friend Bob, and
though you wriggle out Of my hands q
hundred times, l will have you the hun
dred and first.
poor old buffer"-his mind re-
verting to the man whose presence he
had just left-"you little guessed thac
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
e200. MArkby's getting very restive
for his money, and could pay him and
still have a nice little balance in hand.
You're in luck's way, Dick, my boy; for
tune favors you."
If to be standing in the dark on the
brink OF a precipice without knowing
1t is to be in luck's way, then Richard
Starkie was, indeed, in tina. enviable %.
sition.
Bending down amid the bramble and
brush wood which formed the under
growth Of small plantation, cropping
among the briers and grasses, Richard
Starkie was searching for the cash boz.
II know flung it somewhere here"
he muttered. fiercely. "Where can the
thing be-? Ah!" and his hand at last
alighted on some metal. "here you art!
l was just beginning to think that jad-
ish Fortune had served me a scurvy
trick. Well" clasping the box to his
bosom. you've been good friend to
me, and I'll treat you as lightly as pos
sible. Come, let's away-merciful pow
ers! What's that?"