The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-01-01

That he should steal her from me? II
win her yet IN spite of him"
1t was Mr.. Vyse's custom to go for
walk, unless the day was very wet, be
tween the hours of 10 and l., He usually
went down the high road straight out o.
| the town for mile, returning home
over the fields and through small plan
tation. A few days after the loss Of
the cash box, he took the accustomei
path. Dot, his favorite dog, half pointer
half retriever, accompanied him. In
the middle of the plantation Dot sud
denly shifted the air, then bounded in
among the brushes, and pointed.
dot! Dot!" called his master. "Here,
good dog, come back" But Dot had
to be shouted off.
Mr.. Vyse made his way to where the
dog was standing. Up sprang a fine
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 a moment or two,
he stood, then, with peculiar smile OH
his face, he wheeled round and walked
briskly home. Some three days later
Richard Starkie was summoned to his
chiefs presence. He went, trembling,
fearing he knew not what.
'StarSie," said Mr.. Vyse, "you have
been in my employ longer than any
other of my clerks, therefore 1 think j.
only right TO make you my spokesman
to them. wish you, then, to tell them
on my behalf that 1 attribute the dis,
appearance of my cash box to none of
them, that I am quite convinced of their
innocence"
Richard Starkie paled slightly. Had
his scheme to ruin young Acland failed
miserably after all? 1t seemed so. But
he replied, with apparent frankness;
81 am very pleased to hear that Robert
Acland has cleared himself, sir"
''I1e has done so most completely" re-
Joined Mr.. Vyse. 81 have very high
opinion of Acland, Starkie.'
$50 have I, SIR" he returned glibly.
while he inw7ardly cursed the man to
whom he spoke thus laudingly. at
has caused me great pain to think that
he could possibly be thief"
SIS it possible that this man is inno-
cent after ALP" wondered Mr.. Vyse.
"If not, his hypocrisy is simply astound-
ing; but 1 shall soon know the truth"
And 4 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 I have sus-
tanned far greater loss than anyone
out myself is aware of. 1t is box Of
peculiar construction-in fact, it had Il
false bottom, and in that false bottom,
Stnrkie, there were notes to the value
of eTOO. | had placed them there only
two days before was robbed"
"Of course, you have the numbers,
sir?"
"Why, yes, have the numbers, Stai-
llie; but an expert thief-and 1 imagine
from the GOODNESS and audacity of the
robbery that I have been the victim of
one--1nds no difficulty in changing
stolen paper. He knows where to take
it and obtain good price"
When Richard Starliie went back |
to his colleagues to give them their en-
cloyer's message, his breast was torn by
TWO emotions-baffled spite and greet |
Of further gold.
81 will destroy him yet" he thought |
If Bob AcIand. Hes escaped me for |
while, hut it shall not be for long. |
elsie Venner shall never be his wife. ! |
in a. good plotter, friend Bob, and |
hough you wriggle out of my hands
times, will have you the hun
Ircd and first.
Poor old buffer"-his mind re-
erting to the man whose presence he
iad just left-"you little guessed tina:
n making a confidant of me you were
Cling the thief how to further enrich
-imself. Well, 500 guilds VIII come in
cry handy just now-and suppose the
would not be more than
200. Markby's getting very FESTIVE
or his money, and could pay him and
till have n nice little balance in hand.
'ou're in lucli's way, Dick, my boy; for
une favors you"
Ii to be standing in the dark on the
rink of a precipice without knowing
, is to be in luck's way, then Richard
tarkie was, indeed, in tina: enviable po-
tion.
Bending down amid the bramble and
rush wood which formed the under
rowth of small plantation, cropping
nong the briers and grasses, Richard
tarllie was searching for the cash boz
81 know l flung it somewhere here"
e muttered, fiercely. "Where can the
ling be? Ali" and his hand at last
lighted on some metal, there you arcl
was just beginning to think that jad-
h Fortune had served me a scurvy
'ick. Well" clasping the box to his
'sorl, you've been a good friend to
c, and I'll treat you as lightly as pos
lilo Tofna 1at'c |