The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09

aroused, Such were my conclusions, as ]
thought over the thousand and one trIfias 7
had observed In the library al Joining my
bedroom, whore Mr.. Ianham assured me might
write and pursue my economic Investigations
free from interruption.
The next morning went about the shops
and the hotels, chatting with this one and that
and listening 10 what they chose ~ say. and
as there werr many oilers. I was able 20 guage
pretty accurately the popular Judgment, ~
bore ont my Impressions regarding tho cashier
and the teller. Tho one wac universally re-
spccted ~ a hard working honest man: the
other, while not distrusted. evidently owed the
good reputation which was grudglngly con-
coded to him. TO his wealthy marriage. and not TO
hs Innate virtues, Al the noon hour went TO the
bank and found Mr.. IRnham alone, ~ | had
learned hn generally was at that time. He made
II plain TO ne that he wanted my independent
judgment. without the possible bias that his
own opinion might give. but he tacitly ad-
mitted that he had a suspicion by saying that
he had thought It wise under all tho clrcum-
stances 10 preserve absolute silence regarding
the loss. His discovery Of tha substitution
Of blank paper for bills had bnen an Impulsive
one. II had occurred to him. first, that 1t was
unbus!nessllke TO carry So large n sum without
seeking Investment for II. and then that several
weeks had passed since the package had been
opened and counted by the state Bank EN-
aminer in his presence, and that II would be
prudent for him TO go over 1t again. 1t must
have been u shock to n man Of his years to
find that $1,000 had so mysteriously disap-
peared, but his executive power caused him
10 see the situation rs from a bIrdseye view
and to act in such a way as AZ once To prevent
unfavorable comment and Consequences and
20 assure the thief, whoever he might be, Of his
safety. At my request he delivered TO me the
dummy package, whach I At once took 10 the
house To soc what n careful aud minute scrutiny
Of il might reveal.
I vat al the big central desk M he library,
examining each sheet I'm turn. They were all
Of the same kind Of paper. a heavy, tough
linen. crossed and recrossod with red and blue
lines, such A. you might find in an old-fashioned
account book Each sheet had been cut with
scissor, to the size OF u bill. In most instances
there had been two or three clips on each OF
the longer sides, but here and there were cases
Of but one long cut; and in each Of these. the
paper at the short end had been rllmpled and
pressed in so a. 10 leave a " shaped depres-
sion. What did this indicator Clearly that
the scissors used had been a trinc less in length
than the paper Almost mechanically my
eye glanced from my pocket microscope to
III hihliNhliiA NNlh'F W ~
aud utensils on the desk before me; the cases
Of assorted paper and envelopes, the potince-
box. spirit lamp and seals. the heavy brass
Inkstand. with cutter and eraser and scissors
to match. | took up the latter and energeti-
cally made one longitudinal cut on a sheet.
and 10. there At the bottom was the w shaped
depression. It must have been done with
this very pair, l murmured"
" That is evident said a voice behind me;
but what then?' | turned, and there stood
Mrs. Druce.
" Madam said. rising and bowling, 1
had not counted on your presence when ] spoke
my thoughts so inadvertently, and
And she interrupted, you would wish
20 know why You are so honored' Then sir,
will tell you. have been haunted for the past
week by an apprehension Of evil oh, ! know,
you men don't understand any such thing,
but a woman who loves her husband would al
once. My fathers manner has changed toward
Robert. he is cold. he suspects that his Illness
70 Due 70 worry over some misdend There he
Is unjust: my husband Is faithful and loving,
and tries his utmost to do his duty. Never,
to my father. would | dignity a suspicion against
him by inquiry. But with you 1t Is different,
You came here in the character Of the British
Labor Commissioner, you are no such mani
How do [ know II? you ask, might again say
by yomanly instinct. but that would be incom-
prehensible. Well then. suppose ] looked at
your nat and found that II was an old one and
made in New York; what them Simply that
no Enullshman alive, who had just arrived IN
the country. would have a New York. hat OF
all things, especially one not new. ] now ma
YOU with a bundle Of blank paper. which has
been wrapped up and sealed, as have seen
them pack money at the bank. There IL but
one logical conclusion; there has been loss,
theft; and YOU are here To solve II. YOU are a
deteCtivel'
" 1 once thought ! was. Madam, | replied,
but now think must yieldthat title to YOU
Then let me help you she went on, clasp
ing her hand tightly in her earnestness' IL
is my love that makes me sharp. my love that
tells me that Robert Is suspected. II he 49,
! do not. I cannot blame you. lie had access
10 the vault. to this paper; the cuts were made
with these very scissors. But he is innocent,
innocent and sick. sick through fever. not anx-
iatv or remorse. Did you know that he was
unable To 60 to work to-day. that even now
he il resting in his bed? Come, then, m
me, take such steps as should prove his guilt
and I will faithfully aid you; for by so doing
I shall vindlcate him
do YOU thin ! asked. that an old servant
Of blameless life. without a shadow over ms
ast. such rs Mr. Lane. the cashier. Is known
10 he. could have so changed at the closing Of
nj, career as 10 take S0.OJO from the vault,
and substitute these rags for it;'
mo, never she brcathed.
" But he and your husband were the only
ones who had opportunity to do So and IT Is
a mathematical demonstration
"'Wor It out then. she demanded, to a
O, +. d. Either your theory Is false or your
factors are insufficient. Come, sir, ! defy you
20 proof
Very well. then, I agreed, whether II be
guilty or innocent, 1t Is right TO know the truth
You said Just now that he had access to this
paper: what did you mean by thatT
simply this she said and opening n closet
under tho hookshclveS she brought out an
an,iguated ledger from which many OF the
blank leaves at the end had been cut. and those
that remained were identical in texture and
marking with the bogus package before me.
Il noticed this book the last time we cleaned
here she explained, and wondered who could
have taken IL from that collection OF old bank
records piled on top Of the further case
A this instant, Judge, there was n rap on
the door and a servant entered with a telegram.
III is from Edmund Merle. said Mrs. Druce;
~ A.. .,,ar "a, plv thnyillN and will he with US