The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-09-06
lNTERNArloNAL PRESS ASSOCIATION.
CHAPTER Iv.-tc,oxrrsrrp.,

Ell lN.--ftONTlNUEDsb
That same night the clerk entered
upon a bout of drunkenness so con-
'sistent as to surprise even his intimate
ecquaintances. He was speedily elected
from the clearinghouse; deposited his
portmanteau with a perfect stranger,
who did not even catch his name; wan
dered he knew not where, and was at
last hove-to, all standing. in hospltai
at Sacramento. There, under the i'm
penetrable alias of the number OF MS
bed, the crapulous being lay for some
more days unconscious of all things,
and of one thing in particular: that the
police were after him. Two months
had come and gone before the conval-
escent in the Sacramento hospltal was
identified with Kirkman, the abscono-
ing San Francisco clerk; even then
there must elapse nearly fortnight
more till the perfect stranger could De
hunted up, the portmanteau recovered,
and Johns letter carried at length TO
fits destination, the seal still unbroKen,
the Enclosure still intact.
Meanwhile, John had gone upon his
holidays without word, which was ir-
regular; and there had disappeared
with him a certain sum OF money,
which was out of all bounds OF pallia-
ton. But he was known to be careless,
and believed to be honest; the manager
besides had regard for him; and lit
tie was said, although something was
no doubt thought, until the fortnight
was finally a.. an end. and the time had
come for John to reappear. Then, In
deed, the affair began to look black;
and when inquiries were made, and the
penniless clerk was found to have
amassed thousands of dollars, and kept
them secretly in rival establishment,
the stoutest of his friends abandoned
him, the books were overhauled for
traces of ancient and artful fraud, and
though none were found, there still
prevailed general impression OF loss.
The telegraph was set in motion; and
the correspondent of the bank in Edin-
burgh, for which place 1t was under
stood that John had armed himself
with extensive credits, was warned to
communicate with the police.
Now this correspondent was friend
of Mr. Nicholson's; he was we'll ac-
Quainted with the tale of Johns calam-
ttous disappearance from Edinburgh;
and putting one thing with another,
hasted with the first word of this scan
DIAL, not to the police, but to his friend.
The old gentleman had long regarded
his son as one dead; Johns place had
been taken, the memory of his faults
old aches, which awaken again indeed
upon occasion, but which we can al
ways vanquish by an effort of the will;
and to have the long lost resuscitated
In fresh disgrace was doubly bitter.
/ 1.Macewen," said the old man, "this
must be hushed up, IL possible. II I
give you check for the sum, about
which they are certain, could you take
e on yourself to let the matter rest?"
Il WILL" said Macewen. II will take
The risk of It."
You understand" resumed Mr..
Nicholson, speaking precisely, but with
ashen lips. II do this for my family, not
for that unhappy young man. II 1t
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 nod, and one of his
strange smiles: Goodbye" said he;
and Macewen, perceiving the case to be
too grave for consolation, took himself
OF, and blessed God on his way home
that he was childless.