Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-09-28

but knowing equally well that refusal
on my part 10 continue my stealing would
result in an instant betrayal by my ac-
complies.
AT last further conccalmont became inn
possible. a week ago the yearly examina-
ton OF the books took place. The expert
accountant employed was, as usual, Thomas
Chatham, and of course. as usual, his re-
port was entirely satisfactory. Ii seemed.
therefore. as though discovery could be
postponed little longer; when suddenly,
this morning, we were Informed that a
change In the system OF bookkeeping would
be adopted after the LIST OF January. / saw at
once that all was over. The discovery OF
my crime is now matter of hours ! must
be out Of the way before the crash comes
or / am doomed. 1 can already see the
felon stripes upon my back. the Clang Of
the prison gates ring In my ears.
Il am too dazed TO think; but feel that
my only escape is I'm death. And yet / cling
10 life. ] know that the happy days Of the
past are gone forever, and yet feel a sort
OF numb relief at the thought that the
worst Is now certain TO come and TO come
at once.
81 have carefully prepared my flight, so
that / shah have plenty OF time 10 reach
q place Of safety. once there, ! shall be
fTee from pursuit; but ] shall be an exile,
and | shall carry with me 10 the grave the
burden Of my sin.
THE most bitter pang I'm my rcmorse IS
caused by the thought of the great wrong
/ have done you. dear wife. You will now
be forced 10 face the world not only un-
protected by the one whose duty and whose
desire II was 10 smooth the way for you,
but what is worse oppressed by the bur
den OF his sin.
What little money have left in the saw
ings bank have transferred 10 your name
You may use il all with clear conscience;
for every dollar OF IL was honestly mine /
swear have never had single cent OF the
money have stolen. IL has all been drawn
by Henry Seymour, and used / know not
how
AS soon as l am settled I'm the place 10
which am going ! shall try, as far as lies
in my power, 10 redeem my past by a life OF
honest labor and hope 10 be able 10 con-
tribute 10 your support In the near future
"Oh. my wife, my darling wife, Would
that the past could be blottod out and that
| could once more place my hand in yours
an honest man. Though you may ind IL
hard To forgive me now, perhaps in time
you may be able TO think gently OF him who
through all his crime and degradation has
remained
your devoted husband
JOHN W. ARBOGAST
My safety depends upon your keeping
the contents OF this letter secret for at
least three days After that time. please
stI4h l' MI. pAHldpt pItSIdtll OF the MICK
erbocker bank. the inclosed papers. which
will reveal 10 him the full extent Of my de-
falcations.
Il do not hesitate 10 betray Chatham and
Seymour; they did not scruple TO ruin me
l have sent for Chatham. and l shall give
him warning Of my intended flight. II he
sees ft, he can take such steps as he may
choose 10 escape his own richly deserved
punishment
While Sturgis was reading Arbogast's
letter, Dunlap, restlessly pacing the
room. had observed him furtively.
"Well?' he now inquired, stopping
before the reporter. what do you think
of that ,"
Poor woman." exclaimed Sturgis.
feelingly; lit is terrible TO think Of
the suffering brought upon her by her
husbands guilt l ought TO be hard
eaed 10 situation like this; for il
is the inevitable sequel of almost every
crime that is ever committed. But |
am moved every time by the pathetic
expiation of the innocent for the
guilty"
Yes, yes; I know" said Dunlap. in
differently; that it not what l meant.
Did you note the amount which this
scoundrel confesses he and his accom-
plices have stolen from the bank?"
Yes; it is a large sum-"
1.-TWO hundred and fifty thousand
dollars! Why, man, if that is true, it
is enough to cripple the bank-No, no;
! don't mean that, of course; the bank
is rich and could stand the loss of
four times that amount But quar-
ter of million is Ii round sum, for all
of that. II does not seem possible that,
in spite of all our care, they can have
succeeded in making away with SO
much money. But they did. There can
lie no doubt about that for in the pa
perS which Arbogast inclosed for me in
his letter TO his wife he explains Just
how the thing was done. 1t is simple
enough when you know the trick; but
it took fiendish cunning TO devise it.
never would have thought that ras-
cally bookkecper intelligent enough TO
concoct such a scheme"
IF the scheme is a work of genius"
said Sturgis, you may rest assured
that 'X'-who may very well be Henry
Seymour-was the author of it,"
well. at any rate" observed Dunlap,
there is one thing that must e'done
at once; and that is 10 find both Chat
ham and Seymour. 1t is not possible
that in two years these men have spent
a quarter Of a million dollars between
them"
1T is at all events possible that they
may not have done So" replied Sturgis
'for my Investigations show that both
ArboCast and Chatham have been men |
of regular and exemplary habits in |
their private lives. They do not APP |
pear 60 have been living much, IL at |
all, beyond their means. There does |
not seem TO have been, in the case Of |
either man, any room for n double ex-
istence, which might otherwise have
explained the situation. Neither was
a spendthrift or a gambler, and Meth
er was dissipated."
"Then you have not the faintest idea
of the present whereabouts of Chatham
or of his mysterious accomplice?'
LET me tell you exactly what have