The St. Johns herald., 1896-11-28

Luke to little Joe, her office boy, were devoted to her. They would not trouble ''the missis." But Parker, the book keeper, was hostile to her and resented her appointment as treasurer in hel husbands absence. Parker was an un' tried man, the trusty old bookkeepe1 having died year before MT. Sterns' departure to England. Preston, too, the manager, was against her and friendly to Parker. Moreover, Parker was neph- ew to the wife of the president of the corporation, Edward Starkey. Starkey was not pleased with Sterns' lack of confidence in his relative as shown by the latter's choice of assistant treasurer. Sterns had signed Starkey's notes. To what extent Mrs. Sterns did not know. That way might lie ruin. She would do her best, she replied to her husbands letter, but she must know for what amount he was on Starkey's paper. Il am confident that Parker is dishonest, " she continued, though cannot detect any fraud. But I am continually on the alert and shall unearth it if any ex- ists. ''
 The next morning at Mrs. Sterns was at her desk. She opened the morn ing mail and passed the orders to Par ker for entry, with the letters that must be answered. She receipted the bills that had been paid and placed the checks in the handbook. Looking up just then, she saw Moore, the foreman of the polishing room, standing by her and waiting.
 ''I can't get them air chambers off today, Mrs. Sterns," he said. "Jim's out. He's sick with the copper dust. It busted his lungs, and they're bleeding. He'll be all right tomorrow. Nobody can do them so good as Jim. ,"
 "I'm sorry for Jim," answered Mrs. Sterns; "but, Moore, we must send the large air chamber today. It goes into a great ocean steamer that sails from New York Friday, and it will not get there a moment too soon. y
 ''I'm doing that one," Moore said.
 Don't hurt your lungs, Mike"
 'No, look out for mesilf I wears wet sponges, he said as he left the office
 The other foremen came for orders. They would net take them from Parker if tley could avoid it nor report to him. Parker was unpopular with the men, chiefly on account of his curt way of speaking to them.
 So the day went. Soon after o'clock Parker returned from the bank with the money to pay off the men. Mrs. Sterns had previously signed check, which he had cashed. He threw on the table before him the heavy bag of silver and bills, which he proceeded to count and place in the pay envelopes. While he was doing this Mrs. Sterns noticed 8 peculiar hutter of the eyelids. It oc- cured to her that she had been careful ly excluded from the work of the pay roll. She turned her chair round to her desk and inwardly debated what course to pursue in order to get this business into her own hands in way that would arouse no suspicion on Parker's part. She knew that she must be wary.
 After Parker had finished paying off the men he was obliged to go out of the city on business for the company. Be- ing hurried to catch the train, he inad- vertently left the pay roll book out of his desk, which he carefully locked be- fore leaving.
 Shortly after he had gone Don came in to ask her to have some files ordered. When she had made memorandum of the sizes and kinds, she inquired:
 ''How much are your wages a week, Donoghue?"
 Eighteen dollars, ma'am," he an- swered.
 "Can you give me list of all the mems wages per day, Don?"
 "Yes, ma'am.
 "Will you keep dark, Donoghue?"
 ''Yes, ma'am, glad to. '"
 ''I depend on you, Donoghue, said Mrs. Sterns, looking keenly at the fore man.
 You're safe, a'am," replied the foreman and respectfully touched his paper cap.
 Mrs. Sterns put the pay roll book into her black satin handbag, and as she was leaving the foundry Don placed ill her hand the daily wage list Then she went homeward.
 Kaiser was on the piano looking se- rious. It was the swill gatherers day, and he and the swill gatherers were at feud. Kaiser objected on principle to any one that removed so much as feather from the yard. He frightened up as he saw his mistress approaching and marched majestically down the walk to greet her.
 Good fellow, Kaiser" she said lightly as the dog sprang joyfully up to her face. Have you been kind to the pussies today?'
 After dinner Mrs. Sterns compared the wage lists. Don reported himself as receiving $3 per day. Parker's record showed $3.75. According to Don's list, every employee received from 75 down to 20 cents a day less than Parker's book showed On computation Mrs. Sterns found that Parker professed to pay out $200 weekly more than Don's list called for. She was astonished and at her discovery. Her heart beat rapidly. That night she telegraphed the facts of the case to her husband and asked instructions Reply came: "Use your judgment for present Have writ ten. |"
 The next morning Parker was visibly disturbed and remarked:
 ''I cannot find my pay roll book, Mrs. Sterns.' ''
 Gro BE CONTINUED