Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-17

"Brokcn my Uord! Vat porG9' crted
| Vdnderstroom In an,dzcne1lt.
Just run down and give it to my man.
Tell him to drive to the hotel, get his
answer from my wife, and he'll be back
with the dollars before we've time to
finish a cigar.
The diamond merchant executed this
commission with such alacrity and dis
patch that he was back in the Office al
most before the colonel had taken a Sec
ond puff at fresh Villar y Villar.
The American held the closed jewel
case in his hand.
"Lock it up" he cried jestingly, "or
I might be tempted to run away with
itr
The little Dutchman hardly relished
that form of joking. He opened his safe
with surprising promptitude, and the
colonel himself placed the case within
its fastness. The merchant turned the
key and returned it to his pocket
They sat down and smoked. Time
passed, and it grew dusk. The colonel
became fidgety. Vanderstroom was also
getting restless. 1t was time for him to
be getting home to dinner.
After they had sat thus for more than
an hour the colonel rose from his chair
and put his watch to his ear. 1t must
have stopped. No, it was going. Thirty
three hundred pounds was large sum
| to intrust servant with. He wished
ho had gone to the hotel for the money
himself. But-pshawl Nonsensel He'd
trusted the man with larger sums be-
fore. His wife had gone out and the
groom was waiting for her. Yes, no
doubt that was what it was.
Six o'clock and nearly dark nowl An
hour past closing time!
The colonel no longer disguised his
anxiety. Something unusual must have
happened. He would return to his hotel
at once. His wife must have got home
by that time Would Vanderstroom come
with him? Or-how silly he was-to-
morrow morning would do equally we'll.
Even if his man had gone wrong, be
could easily get fresh notes and be in
Hatton Garden with them by 10.
The diamond merchant was really
more anxious about his dinner than any
thing else Reflection had shown him
that there was 10 cause for anxiety on
his part The jewels were locked up in
the safe, and he had e200 as cover for
the setting.
60 ho
the payment might just as we'll be con-
cluded on the morrow as that night
They left each other after one or two
refreshers at their favorite restaurant,
with the appointment standing for 10
next morning. 1t was not kept by either
party. The colonel called hanson as
be waved his one hand to him, and it
was the last glimpse the little Dutch
man ever had of his military Yankee
relative with his distinguished bearing
and his sleeveless coat.
When the little merchant reached his
suburban home that night, it was late,
for he had met friend and dined with
him at his club.
chair before the fire.
my lofe," began her husband apollo
getically.
II know" she answered sleepily. Il
suppose you wanted it in business or you
wouldn't t have broken your word. "
Broken my word! Vat vord?" cried
Vanderstroom in amazement.
"Why, your word that you would
never touch that 800 unless ur-
GENT
"Vere is de dree tousand fife hundret
pounds?" shrieked Cornelius with hor-
rible foreboding. "Speakl Who has got
it?'
"Why, who should have it but you?
Did you not send a man here with this
order? And of course I gave the pocket
book up to him at once. :"
"Gott in himmel!" calculated the
unfortunate merchant as his eyes caught
sight of the memorandum paper he had
written at the dictation Of the American,
requesting the immediate return Of his
pocketbook and signed-actually signed
Cornelius Vanderstroom, his own mis-
guided autograph.
"Done, b. -r' he shouted as the
whole swindle flashed upon him. Then
he rushed to the stables, had horse put
to his carriage at once and made his
man drive at top speed back to town.
1t was past in the morning when he
reached the Americans hotel. The Bird
had flown. With horrible suspicion
that be bad not yet realized the worst
he next drove to the Office in Hatton