, 1897-04-19
A LOVERS JEALOUSY

oo>Ats 'tA L. v , SO SloN4 , Shk-
ing fixedly at the young clerk, II have
no doubt that it is you who have robbed
me-"
The hot blood flooded Robert Aclaud's
neck and face as he took in the meaning
Of the words.
Il swear to you, SIR he cried pas
%siorately. that you wrong mel swear
it by my soul!'
II wish l could believe you, Robert"
Mr.. Vyse replied, "for l like you; but,
unfortunately. appearances are too much
against You. What, may 1 ask, We're
you doing at 8 O'Clock yesterday evening
in my private room? You had 40 right
or business to be there"
Nor was l, returned the young fell
low proudly, drawing himself up to his
full height. 81 have never been i'll this
room in my life except when you have
sent me. Has any IL told you that l
was here last evening, sir?"
eyes, Robert. Your comrade, Richard
Starkie, assured me of it not ten mill
utes ago."
Orchard Starkie!' exclaimed Acland
in great wonderment. "Why, he must
be mad. What can have possessed him
to tell so wicked IL falsehood? We have
always been good friends, he and L.
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, twill
you swear to me before God that you
are Innocent"
Raising aloft his right hand, II call
the God before whose Judgment throne
we both shall Ii day stand to witness
that I am guiltless," he declared SOL
EMMY. "Surely, sir, you will believe
me now?"
Mr.. vyse held ont his hand. eyes,
Robert. l believe you" he said, 'and l
beg your pardon for having doubted
you. But what Starkie's motive i'll ira
ducing you has been I nm at u loss to
understand.
$50 am l, SIR" answered Acland.
"His conduct is quite incoInprehensi-
ble."
"Well, Robert" wound up the old
gentleman as he dismissed his clerk,
-'you must promise me one thing-that
you will treat Starkie just the same as
if nothing unusual had occurred. 1t is
my wish"
II will try, sir. But it will be n hard
task" Acland replied AZ he quilted the
room.
Left alone, Mr.. Vyse. a hale. active
man Of G5, lay back i'll his chair and
gave himself up to thought. But the
moro he puzzled over the disappearance
of his cashbox the farther lie seemed
from u solution Of the mystery. 1t was
gone, but by whose hand it was difficult
to say.
or course the news that their en-
ployer had been robbed ran like wildfire
through the small community. 1t was
Richard Starkie who first made public
the ill news, for no official intimation
of it was given, but to his fellow work
ers no dare not try to incriminate young
Acland, for Acland was Il favorite with
his colleagues, and Starkie knew well
that any remark suggestive of his guilt
would be received in stony silence-the
silence of sheer disbelief.
That evening Bob Acland went to see
Elsie Venner, the girl of his heart.
There was no actual engagement be-
tween them, but Elsie understood quito
well that Bob was only waiting for q
rise Of salary before asking her to be his
wife. He had intended to tell her moth
ing about what had occurred at the Of
fee during the day, but the quick witted
girl soon saw that something was amiss
and taxed him with it. And after II lit
tie hesitation IN his part and u little
pressing ON hers the whole story came
ont.
II cannot think, darling" finished
Bob, "what has induced StMkie to do
it."
"Shall 1 tell you?' said Elsie de-
murely.
E, "You?"
eyes, I. 1 can, you know" And
then she proceeded to relate how Rich
ard Starkie had II few days before asked
her to marry him, and, on her refusal,
flown into Il violent rage, not only heap
ing ana hemas on her head, but also on
Bob.
"And you believe no has attempted
to lay the theft at my door to blacken
my character in your eyes? What a
scoundrel the fellow must be!'
'.If Won had seen the look Oh his face
when he left me-" replied the girl,
'.you would think, rs l do. that he Is
capable Of anything"
Next day Bob Acland repeated to Mr..
WISE tho conversation he had held with
Elsie Venner.
Meanwhile Richard Starkie was in a
very unhappy frame Of mind. He had
lust sufficient manhood left to be able
to appreciate the unutterable currishness
Of lis own conduct. But that did not
tend to make him sorry for what he had
done. No, it rather imbittered him still
more against his rival. A mania for
gambling, inherited from his father,
who had bet away q large estate during
> his life, dying only just in time to ave
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.
tll At last, unable TO meet the demands
made upon him. exposure stared him in
he fsce, and exposure, he knew, meant
peompt dismissal from MI. vyse's serv-
ioe. In this dilemma he stole the cash
boz, and 1t was only when gloating over
u contents that the idea Of saddline
Aclsnd with the theft occurred to him.
Irresolute in this, a. in everything elae,
- vayered some time before finally de-
~sAs.. - .orruik this last niece Of vii.