Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-05-21
MISSING MONEY.

had swooped down upon the legal barn
yard and captured the geese that laiC
the golden eggs be made money. Al
soon as be found himself in a condition
to marry be took TO himself wife She
was energetic and ambitious, and while
wife she was at the same time inflamed
by a strong desire to acquire wealth on
her own account.
Her husband was all that woman
could desire, and she had nothing to
complain Of on that score. He was even
generous and showed it by giving refuge
in his comfortable home to his wife S
brother Charles, who had proved him
self incapable Of retaining any position
which his friends had procured for him..
He was a good looking, agreeable young
fellow, but lacked those staying quail
tiles which make one good man of
business. In society he was all right
and favorite with the families where
he visited. He had no vices so far as
known by his family, except smoking
can be considered such, and when he
was out of funds his sister always man
aged to supply him with money enough
to enjoy that luxury.
Erastus was devoted to his profession,
and often after quitting his office for
the day continued to transact business
during the evening at his home. The
house was an old fashioned one, with a
back piazza and an alley at one side,
leading from the front to the yard in
the rear The front and back parlors
were originally separated by folding
doors, but a dainty curtain. tastefully
festooned, had been substituted for the
doors.
One evening in August a client called
to pay Erastus 81, 500 on a real estate
transaction, and, as the back parlor was
dark and the front parlor sufficiently
lighted by the setting sun for the work,
Erastus and his client seated themselves
at a table therein, while Mrs. Twopeny
sat near the window Though she was
chiefly occupied in Watching the pass
ersby and the children at play i'll the
street, yet she could not help hearing
what passed between the two men at
the table. Presently her brother Charles
came down stairs and glanced in at the
door. His sister arose and spoke to him,
and both at the same time looked to-
ward the table ON which could be seen a
small parcel Of greenbacks, with a thin
slip of white paper around them.
Charles quilted the house and soon
afterward Mrs. Twopeny arose and stood
between the window and the lace cur
tain, looking ont. In few minutes the
men at the table arose and MIR. Twopeny
accompanied his client to the door. I'm
mediately afterward Mrs. Twopeny
heard a slight noise and turning saw the
curtains between the front and back par
Tors moving. She thought nothing Of it
at the time, fancying that it was the re-
suit of draft occasioned by her hus-
band closing the front door.
The house was only few steps from
the cross street, and as the client came
down the stoop and turned toward the
corner Mrs Twopeny followed him with
her eyes. To her surprise she saw her
brother just turning the corner and
wondered what could have delayed
him. While still at the window mus
ing she was startled by her husband
exclaiming;
"Why, Bertha, what can have be-
come of the money left on the table?"
Become of it," She replied. Why
it must be there, Of course, if you left
it there.
"Well, I can't find it, " her husband
said. Il left it right here in front Of
these papers. They are all right, but
the money is gone.
ooh, that is absurd, " she said.
Light the gas, and then you will find
it, no doubt.
While she pulled down the blinds
ErasJus lighted the gas, and then both
set to work to look for the missing
notes. They were not on the table, nor
could they be found anywhere about the
room or in the hallway.
Look il all your pockets, " said the
wife, You may have inadvertently
put she money into one of them.
"No, no." was the reply I've
searched every one Of them already
1t gone. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, buU
whero:'
"There's no one in the house but our
solves, " the wife said, II allowed the
cook and Nancy to 40 out Immediately
after supper Brother Charles went out
while you were at the table with your
client, and there isn't even a cat in the
house to blame for it. -
Then they made another search, but
it was as yain as the others And there
each Of them stood, looking this way
and that, as one viii do when one loses
anything and foudly hopes to discover
1t in some unexpected spot,
"You re sure your client paid youf'
Mrs. Twopeny said.
"Oh, yes, and gave him a receipt,