Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-15

He then went through the same
operation with Thomas-with the same
result. Next, Mr.. Dockfelt examined
the cash-desk, and ascertained that
there were no $40 bills in the drawer.
After instructing Mr.. Thomas to
charge the missing sum to loss and
gain, the merchant retired to his office
to ponder the mystery. How could it
have happened? He had searched
both the clerks, but he could not resist
the conviction that, if the money had
been put into cup, it must have
reached the cashiers office. Either
Mr.. Balfour or Mr.. Thomas was the
guilty party; but to determine which
was no easy task. To be sure, of the
two men, Mr.. Dockfelt preferred Mr..
Thomas; still, he could not help seeing
that his favorite had the better chance,
not only to take the money, but to
secrete it as well.
Again, if Mr.. Balfour wished to
steal, how much better it would have
been to sell the goods and pocket the
money. This was n strong point against
Thomas. The only possible reason
why Balfour should have sent the
empty carrier to Thomas was to create
suspicion against the latter, in case
either was suspected of theft.
Whoever the thief was, Mr.. Dock
felt said to himself, he was certainly
the most daring, as well as the slick
est of rogues.
The very next morning the mystery
deepened. Mr.. Dockfelt was again
appealed to by Mr.. Thomas and Mr..
Balfour, who made the same statement
rs on the previous morning-a bill had
been sent 20 the cashier and had dis
appeared Mr.. Dockfeltagain searched
each of the clerks, but did not dis
cover the missing money, which was,
in this case, twenty-dollar bill.
Mr.. Dockfelt was very much puz-
zled. What bold or clever thief was
this who dared to steal the very day
after the first theft, when he must
know that the proprietor would be
keenly watchful.
When the same thing happeAed on
the next day, too, Mr.. Dockfelt was
perplexed and exasperated beyond
words, for he saw, if this pilfering
continued, that he might be seriously
affected. Yet he did not wish to dis
charge both of the clerks, as this
would surely prevent his discovering
the guilty party.
On the morning of the fousth day,
when he arrived at the store, Mr..
Dockfelt was much incensed to find
the doors not yet opened, although it
was later by ten minutes than the
usual time. He opened the store him
self, and waited, impatiently, for the
clerks to arrive. Soon the shipping
clerk appeared, to his employers
great relief, for he had some ship
ments which he wished to send out
as early as possible. Then the other
clerks began to arrive, and among
them Balfour and Thomas. The for
mer was one OF the first to take his
place, and he soon made sale.
Now, the store was built, as gro
ceries often are, in two divisions, so
that it was impossible for Mr.. Balfonr
at his post to see who was making
change. Mr.. Dockfelt purposely took
Mr.. Thomns's place, just as the car
rier came along from Balfour's coun-
ter. The proprietor was curious to
see whether the money would be there.
He took down the carrier, and found
the tip and bill there, exactly as
would be expected Mr.. Dockfelt
stayed at the cashiers desk for half an
hour or more, and every time that Bal
four's carrier came up, the money was
safe. This certainly looked bad for
Thomas.
The next day the climax was capped
and more than capped. Mr.. Bal
four was down late, so Mr.. Dockfelt
undertook to wait on q customer at
his counter. The gentleman bought
some miscellaneous groceries, and
gave in payment o silver dolnr. The
change for that arrived all right; but
the next customer rendered in pay-
ment SIS bill, and Dockfelt sent it
along to the cashier.
The cup came back empty.
Mr.. Dockfelt lost his temper, md
rushing furiously up to the cashiers
desk, demanded Of Thomas what had
become of bill and check. The
cashier merely replied that he had
received an empty carrier, and so re-
turned it.
Every well," said Mr.. Dockfelt.
"Give me my change and then come
into the Office. Simpson will keep
the cash"
Mr.. Thomas was very sober when
he entered the merchants private
office, and had nothing to say when
Mr.. Dockfelt remarked, pointedly,
that he was sorry the theft had oc-
cured. Mr.. Dockfelt continued:
Erred, have not always been kind
to youp Have I not done my best by
your Tell me, have I ever treated
you meanly9"
"Mr. Dockfelt," replied Thomas,
! "duriaR tho short time / have worked