The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-01-21
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lsved for a month, but it was sure to
come. unless he had FL 900 in hard cash,
and that amount he knew he could not
get. Of course if exposure could nave
been STAYED off for some years every
thing might come out all right; old
Monckton might die and young Monck-
ton come into the business.
Old Monckton, Grants employer, was
a hard-hearted skinflint who would
have no mercy when investigation
showed that his assistant was de-
faulter. He was hard, even to his own
son, and it wasn't likely that he would
show mercy to one who was no relative
of his.
On the other hand Stillman Grant,
who was a calculating young fellow,
had many times helped young Monck-
ton when in trouble of a monetary ma
ture. He did this not because he liked
the young man particularly, but be-
cause he was his employers son and
would some time come into the busi-
ness.
Young Monckton owed Grant money,
but even if he paid it all that night it
was not enough to cover the defalca
ton, and so was useless.
Grant had taken the money, not in
any momentary weakness but because
he calculated he could make himself
rich man by the use of it. These cal
culations turned out to be erroneous,
and for months Grant had been exercis-
ing his ingenuity to stave off exposure
He had not deluded himself with any
false views as to what would happen
when exposure came. He had made
up his mind. There should be no trial
with Imprisonment at the end of it. He
knew an easier way out of the difficulty
than that. He had bought a quantity
of morphine which he knew, when the
time came to take it, would insure him
a swift and tolerably easy death. He
knew that six or seven, or perhaps ten
years Imprisonment was the penalty
for his offense and he had no desire or
intention of facing such a punishment.
He walked that night to his rooms
overlooking the Thames embankment.
He went to a cupboard and spent some
time in choosing with particular care a
bottle of wine he intended to drink. He
poured out a small draught of the bev-
erage and taking the paper of morphine
he opened it carefully and sprinkled
the white contents on the surface of
the wine. He watched it as it slowly
settled and finally disappeared in the
( liquid; then he poured another glass of
wine and drank it off. There was no
hurry about drinking the poisoned cup;
he had all the night before him; so he
drew his comfortable armchair up to
the fire and sat down wondering who
would find his dead body in the morn
ing. At last taking up the poisoned
glass he paused for a moment with it
in his hand, thinking he heard a step
on the stair. The next minute his sur
prise was a certainty as someone
raped at his door. Hastily putting
down the glass, he shouted, "Come in,''
forgetting the door was locked; then
he rose hurriedly, drew the bolt back
and opened the door.
'tHullo. Charley" Grant said when
he saw who it was. The son of his EN-
ployer entered with a radiant look or
his face.
''Well, Stillman, have come to Sc
cure my debt to you. l have made III
my mind that you shall not suffer by
my having borrowed money from you.
"Oh, that's all right" said Gran
carelessly, 81 don't need the money"
mo. know you don't need it." salt
Monckton, "but it struck me that i