The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-07-01

lA Ss17,- with a preoccupiet
MSNz5SSTs-7SA--- face. He had beef
SAMMY aiNlaNl heard to refuse
"sHtst AlllN' Lord Damer's chal
lenge to billiard
match. He had distinctly stated tina
he should not join in the hunt tina
Colonel Hungerford had arranged
What was the matter? Lady Caravel
was, as usual, bright, beautiful an'
graceful; but those who knew her bes
saw that she was engrossed by some
thought.
The earl rang for his footman.
When Mr.. Blantyre comes, SHOW
him into my study" he said; and ther
he went over to his wife. "You do mo-
feel nervous at the task you have un
dertaken?" he questioned.
NO." she replied, calmly, "but
fancy that Mr.. Blantyre will feel ner'
vous before we have done with him.
The earl smiled. If this trusted ser.
want of his had deceived him, the
sooner he was unmasked and punished
the better.
81 think" said Lady Caraven. ait
would be quite as we'll if we looked
over that balance sheet before Mr..
Blantyre comes-it will shorten the in
terview"
He acquiesced at once, and followed
his wife to the study.
She went to the table, and took her
seat. Her husband stood at some dis
lance from her. Silently she bent her
head over the papers.
you have seldom, suppose, looked
over one of these balance Sheets" she
said to the earl.
NO" he replied, II do not remember
that l have ever examined one"
Then I will look over them" she
said, quietly. Before long she added,
Twill you look at this, Lord Caraven?
All this is quite wrong-several en-
tries are incorrect, and the reckoning
Is falsified."
The earl was slightly embarrassed.
II do not think, to tell you the truth,
Hildred, that am very clever at &C
counts he stammered.
But surely you can see whether this
is correct? Believe me, child could
see it."
Then l am not so wise even as a
child he said, ruefully; but, leaning
over her shoulder, he tried to under
stand what she said.
1t was indeed easy enough-the
whole sheet, as she pointed out, had
been got up to meet the eye.
"And you have never noticed this?"
said the young countess.
mo, indeed" he replied, 81 have
never even thought of it."
"Then you have been a very easy
master to please" she remarked. II
need hardly say, Lord Caraven, that
the man who falsifies his accounts is
rogue. You know it,"
II know that much. l am afraid to
think whether all the balance sheets
he has prepared since he has been my
agent have been like this"
"You have never looked into one, I
imagine"
mo, never"
They were interrupted by the en-
trance of the agent himself-the man
whom from his face Lady Caraven sus-
pected from the first of being dishon-
est.
John Blantyre was a tall, gentleman
ly looking man of specious manner and
good address. rogue from liking as
much as anything else he would not
have cared to be honest If he could.
He had contrived to ingratiate himself
into the favor of Lord Caraven from
the conviction that he could do as he
liked with the easy, indolent, pleasure
loving nobleman. He had done so.
The result was irretrievable confusion.
John Blantyre had laid aside a fair for
tune for himself.
LET the worst come" he said to
himself; eff am caught there will be
only a few years imprisonment; then
can go abroad and enjoy my saw
ings."
Yet he relied implicitly upon HIS
good fortune that he should not be
caught.
He entered the room smiling, with
his usual bland, obsequious manner.
His face changed when he saw the
Countess of Caraven looking over his
balance sheets. The earl pointed to
a chair; the detected thief sat down.
The young countess eyes were rails
ed to the bland face of the agent; they
seemed to burn him. The earl left
the discussion to her, as he had said
he would. Words could not have ex-
pressed the proud, cold contempt of her
face as she spoke to him.
you are we'll aware, Mr.. Blantyre.
that this balance sheet is worth moth
ing? The accounts are all falsified."
81 am not aware of anything Of the
kind, your ladyship. There may be
few mistakes-it was hurriedly made