Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-09-28
CHAPTER XII.
THE BooKKEEPER's CONFESSION.


THE BOOKKEEPER'S CONFESSION.
Late that same evening Sturgis re-
turned to his lodgings, after a busy day
spent in working upon the Knicker-
booker bank case. He was tired and he
was perpleXed; for, with all his unfiag-
ging energy, his quick intelligence and
his Flooding perseverance, he had come
TO a standstill IN his investigation. The
Evening Tempest had appeared with no
further mention of the Quinlan case,
and with only perfunctory report of
the cab mystery, no attempt having
been made to connect the two, for Stur-
gis would not consent 10 publish his
evidence until he was sure of complete
success in his undertaking.
AS he approached the house the re-
porter saw light in his window, and
! inferred that n visitor was awaiting
| his coming II was Mr.. Dunlap, who,
! pale and careworn, was striding nerv-
ously back and forth in the room. with
his hands behind his back and his head
bent forward upon his breast.
"Ah, there you are at last" ex-
claimed the banker, eagerly; II have
been waiting for you for over an hour"
Has something new turned up?"
asked Sturgis.
Yes; read that"
At the same time Dunlap handed the
reporter a letter.
Let me tell you about it first. After
leaving you this morning l went TO the
morgue and saw the body. You were
right; il is Arbogast's. l had been
only half convinced by your evidence;
but / now saw that you were probably
right in all your other inductions, and
| I became anxious to learn something
definite concerning the amount of Ar
bogast's defalcation. As | could not
reach the books for some time, called
upon Mrs. Arbogast, thinking | might
be able 10 learn something from her.
You had not been TO see her, had you"
NO" answered Sturgis, gravely, 81
did not think il likely she knew as
much about this matter as we do. and
| shrank from the ordeal of revealing
10 her the fact Of her husbands crime
and tragic death. wished, at any rate
TO exhaust all other means of obtain
ing information before resorting TO
this one"
"Of course, of course" said Dunlap,
somewhat impatiently; "the woman is
naturally TO be pitied; but l could not
allow any sentimental consideration to
stand in the way of the discharge Of
my duty to our depositors."
What did you learn from her?'
asked the reporter.
when l reached the house the maid
told me that Mrs. Arbogast had spent
the previous evening at her sisters
house in the country and had not yet
come back. / was about TO leave. in
tending to return later in the evening,
when the lady herself arrived. Upon
learning who / was she seemed some
what surprised but invited me in. As
we passed into the parlor the maid
handed her mistress a letter, stating
that it had come by the mornings
mail. Mrs. Arbogast glanced at the
envelope, but did not open It. At my
first cautious questions she seemed TO
be very much surprised. Arbogast had
announced 10 her by telegram the pre-
yious day that he would be obliged TO
GO out of town for few days on bust
ness. lie allowed her to infer that he
would soon return, and that mis- busi-
ness was connected with the affairs OF
the bank She could not understand
how it happened that l knew nothing
of this trip. But, said she, u have just
received letter from him, which will
doubtless explain Matters She evil
IDENTIFY knew nothing of her husbands
peculation. Thereupon she opened the
envelope and took out this letter. |
observed her closely. At the first
words | saw her checks blanch and
look of agony pass over her features
as she instinctively pressed her hand TO
her heart. | knew then that the let
ter contained some important revela-
ton, and | became anxious TO obtain
possession Of it. When she had done.
could see that she was laboring under
a strong emotion; but she controlled
herself, replaced the letter in its en-
velope and said, merely: This does
not tell me my husbands whereabouts;
but ] shall doul tless have further news
of him i'm the course OF a few days /
saw that she was attempting to shield
him in the suppositiou that he was still
alive | therefore broke the news of
his death to her as gently as | could.
The first shock seemed to utterly I'M
nerve her; but after awnlle she became
somewhat calmer. After all. il is bet
ter So she said, at ,ast. Then she
handed me this letter. There was no