The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-11-08

morgue and saw the body. You were
right; it is Arbogast's. l had been
only half convinced by your evidence;
but i now saw that you were probably
right in all your other inductions, and
| became anxious to learn something
definite concerning the amount of Ar
bogast's defalcation. AS l could not
reach the books for some time, called
upon Mrs. Arbogast, thinking / might
be able to learn something from her.
You had not been to see her, had you?"
NO" answered Sturgis, gravely, 81
did not think it likely she knew as
much about this matter as we do, and
| shrank from the ordeal of revealing
to 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 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 hcr?"
asked the reporter.
when | 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 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 to her by telegram the pre-
vious day that he would be obliged to
go out of town for few days on bust
ness. He allowed her to infer that he
would soon return, and that his bust
ness was connected with the affairs of
the bank. She could not understand
how it happened that knew nothing
OF this trip. But said she, 4 have Just
received letter from him, which will
doubtless explain matters She evil
IDENTIFY knew nothing of her husbands
pcculation. Thereupon she opened the
envelope and took out this letter. l
observed her closely. At the first
words | saw her checks blanch and a
look OF agony pass over her features
as she instinctively pressed her hand to
her heart. l 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
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 doubtless have further news
OF him III the course of a few DAYS. |
saw that she was attempting to shield
him in the supposition that he was still
alive. l therefore broke the news of
his death to her as gently as / could.
The first shock seemed to utterly UNI
nerve her: but after awhile she became
somewhat calmer. After all, it is bet
ter So she said, at last. Then she
handed me this letter. There was no
further reason for Withholding it. Read
it now"
1T is postmarled at the general post
Office at five O'clock said Sturgis: sit
was therefore mailed before or during
Chathams visit to the bank. 1t may
have been mailed by Arbogast before
the scrubbing was DONE or perhaps by
the chorewoman when she left the
bank"
The reporter drew the letter from it's
envelope and read:
"The Knickerbocker Bank,
New York. Dec 81, 1895.
MY Darling Wife: When you receive
this letter shall be far away-a Gisgraced