The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-31

MS Terms, Will lue pIOfiSo iudt WohS
than half the money should be recover
ed and the crime fully exposed.
"Well, SIR" said he, 'T think I'm pre-
pared to do it, but I warn you that it
will be considerable Of shock to you"
"It will be good. deal more Of a
shock to the thief" said I. II guess
that can stand it if he can"
With the crude caution appropriate
to his trade, Gillespie dragged his chair
closer to mine, and with an eye upon
the door and his lips close to my ear
he whispered:
Tts your man Donaldson who turn
ed this trick"
"No, sir" said 1; 'that won't CO."
"Wait a bit" said he, laying hand
upon my arm.
'T. won't listen to this charge except
in Mr.. Donaldson's presence" said I.
'You don't inspire me with very much
confidence, to be frank with you. But
If you have the stamina to make this
charge to Mr.. Donaldson's face, that
will give you sort of standing"
every WELL" said he, spreading out
his hands.
touched a button that rings a bell
in the outer Office, and when boy en-
tered in response to it said:
"Ask Mr. Donaldson to step this
way"
It happened that Donald had entered
the outer Office within few minutes,
and the boy thought that it was the
son and not the father whom I wished
to see. To my surprise, therefore, the
door presently opened, and Donald en-
tered.
He closed the door slowly and stood
with his back against it.
"How do you do, Mr.. Gillespie" he
said.
The detective was taken by surprise,
but he masked it fairly well.
"You have just made serious charge
against my father" said Donald. "Ha7e
you any proof Of it,"
'I'll produce my proofs at the proper
time" answered Gillespie.
"This is the proper time," said I.
produce the evidence now or forever
hold your peace"
81 say that he took the money" pro-
tested Gillespie. "He changed the pack
ages on your desk. That knew at the
start, but it took me long while to
work down to what he'd done with the
money"
"Well," said Donald, shave you work
ed down to it?'
T have" responded Gillespie, with
precision. "He played the same trick
twice. He put the money into another
package and dropped it in his box at
the bank"
"Can you describe that package" de-
manded Donald.
"Well enough" answered Gillespie.
And he gave details, adding, II saw
him take that package to the bank at a
certain day and hour"
And he named the day and the hour,
whereby knew for certain that It was
the Strobel correspondence to which he
referred.
"Your case fails, Mr.. Gillespie" said
I. "Mr. Donaldson gave me that pack
age of papers It is now in this SAFE"
Gillespie was staggered. He darted
q keen glance at me and read clearly in
nv face that the facts were as stated.
"He gave them to you" said he.
GLOW did he happen to do it?
"I asked him for them," replied.
"Well, if you asked him for them he
had to give them to you, didn't he?'
said Gillespie "Ee conldn't refuse.
He had to give them to you and take
his chances Of getting the money after
ward. Let's see the package"
was already busy unlocking the
safe. Gillespie had hard work to re-
strain himself during this process, and
when the safe was open I expected to
see him dive into it, but he managed
to stick to his chair. 1 took the pack
age out and opened it upon the leaf Of
my desk. The various documents roll
ed apart. There was no money what
ever in the package.
"Who had the combination Of that
safe?" demanded Gillespie.
Myself alone" said l. Il changed
it on the day when put the package
in there. It is an unquestionable GER
tainty that nobody has opened the safe
since then"
Gillespie began to walk the floor,
gnawing his lips.
"Well, SIR" said l. IF you are
ready to make your charge, will cafl
Mr.. Donaldson"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"
said Mr. Gillespie slowly.
"Can you produce the money"
Not this afternoon" he replied;
mot this afternoon. l may have some
+o ho174 n fon,Orr0w I"