The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-09-06
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q TT BIZ RgBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. 80 .
CHA pTER " fCoNrr Nurp. !,

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CHAPTER W fCoNTr NUEp.'
That same night the clerk entered
upon a bout Of drunkenness SO con- n
sistent as to surprise even his intimate % az
acauaintances. He was speedily e3ectsa
from the clearinghouse; deposited ms 1iss
portmanteau with perfect Stranger ''l
who did not even catch his name wan an.
dered he knew not where, ana was q.
last hoye-to, all standing, in hospita y
at Sacramento. There, under the M
penetrable alias OF the number q h w
bed the crapulous being lay ior sonie
more DAYS unconscious Of all THINGS
and Of one thing in particular; that tae
police were after him. Wo lioii1n I.
had come and gone before the consai-
escent in the Sacramento hospltal /" 90
identified with Kirkman, the aDs s's..
ing San Francisco clerk; even tn men.
there must elapse nearly iott @. !, - !
more till the perfect stranger coulu ps
hunted up, the portmanteau reeoseieu'
and Johns letter carried at lenstn =
Its destination the seal still UNFORESEEN Nc
the Enclosure still intact.
= Meanwhile, John had gone upon nis
holidays without word, which was H
regular; and there had dlsa ppeareu
with him certain sum OF loiley'
which was out of all bounds 81 pai!ia-
zion. But he was known TO pc careisss'
and believed to be honest; the manager
besides had a regard for him ana ~
tie was said, although som et hans VIZ
no doubt thought, until the fortnig e..
was finally at an end, and the Ilnle nau y
come for John to reappear. men, n
deed. the affair began to LOOK piaca'
and when inquiries were MADE, anu = Ing .
nenniless clerk was found 70 nave
amassed thousands OF dollars, and Kept
them secretly in rival establishment,
the stoutest OF his friends abanaoneo
him. the books were overhauieda l IS
traces Of ancient and artful fraud, ana
Enough none were found, there still
prevailed a general impression OF loss.
The telegraph was set in motion; anu
the correspondent Of the bank ID Eu 'l3All7
burgh, for which place IT was unu O'
stood that John had armed nimsei !.
with extensive credits, was warned 20
communicate with the police.
Now this correspondent was friend
Of Mr.. Nicholson's; he was Wei ac-
auainted with the tale OF Johns caiah i
itous disappearance from Edinburgh I;
and putting one thing with another,
hasted with the first word OF TINS scan
dial, not to the police, but to MS TREND 'lt
The old gentleman had long Regarded
his son as one dead; Johns place had
been taken, the memory Of his fauits
had already fallen to be one o. those
old aches, which awaken again inde 4as
mon occasion, but which we can al
ways vanquish by an effort OF the Will
and to have the long lost resuscit ated
In fresh disgrace was doubiy pltter.
Macewen, ( said the old man q this
must be hushed up, If possible. Il !
give YOU a check for the sum, about
which they are certain, could you take a $
ii Oh yourself to let the matter res 81
II will" said Macewen. Il will take
the risk Of It." !
@You understand, resumed MT.
Nicholson, speaking precisely, but with
ashen lips. Il do this for my family, not
for that unhappy young man. II u
should turn out that these suspicious
are correct, and he has embezzled large
sums, he must lie on his bed as he has
made it, And then looking up at
Macewen with a nod, and one OF his
strange smiles: "Good bye" said he;
and Macewen, perceiying the case to be
Too grave for consolation, took himself
off, and blessed God on his way nome
that he was childless.