The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-02-01

''Whot do you mean by humiliation,
monsieur"
"whati" said NJ. Fauvel. evcitedly,
"is not justice the same for all? BE.
cause I am the head of a bank, and
he only a cyerk. dies it follow
tuat my word is more to De relied
upon than bis2 Why could ] not have
robbed myself2 Such things have been
done. They win ask me for facts;
and l shall be compelled to expose the
exact situation of my house, explain
my affairs, disclose the secret and
method of my operations"
ut is true, monsieur, that you will
be called upon for some explanation;
but your well-lnown integrity"
"Alasl lie was honest, too. His I'm.
tegrity has never been doubted. Who
would have been suspected this MORN
ing if had not been able TO instant
" produce hundred thousand
crowns? Who would be suspected if
could not prove that my assets ex-
ceed my liabilities by more than three
millions?"
To a strictly honorable man. the
tdought, the possibility of suspicion
-armshing his fair name, is cruel suf.
lering. The banker suffered. and the
commissary of police saw it, aud felt
for him.
"Be calm, monsieur" said he; "bc.
fore the end of a week, justice viii
have collected sufficient proof to es.
tablish the guilt OF this uufortInate
man, whom we may now recall"
Prosper entered with Fanferlot-
whom they had much trouble 70
awaken and with the most stolid in.
difference listened TO the announce
ment of his arrest,
Ia response he calmly said:
81 swear that 1 am innocent"
NJ. Fauyel, much more disturbed
and excited than his cashier, made
last attempt.
1T is not too late yet, poor boy"
he said; for Heavens sake reflect"
Prosper did not appear TO hear him
He drew from his pocket a small key,
which he laid on the table, and said:
Here is the key to your safe, mon
sieur. l hope for my sake that you
will some day be convinced OF my in.
nOcence; and / hope for your sake
that the conviction viii not come too
late'
Then as evcry one was silent, he re.
sumed
Before leaving J hand over TO you
the books, papers, and accounts nee.
essary for my successor. / must at
The same time inform you that, with
out speaking og the stolen three hun.
dred and Gfty thousand frances, I
leave a deficit i'm cash"
"a deGcit!' Thought the commits
sary; how. after ths, can his guilt
De doubted? BEFORE stealing tho
whole contents of the safe, he kept
his hand in by occasional small
thefts."
"a deGcitl" said the detective to
himself; nov. no doubt, the very iu-
pocence of this poor devil gives his
1 conduct an appearance of great de-
prayity; were he guilty, he would
/ have replaced the first money by a
( portion of the second"
ghe grave Importance of Prosper's
statement was considerably dimin.
ished by the explanation he proceeded
to rlOke:
"There is a deficit of three thousand
ave hundred frances on my cash ac-
cunt, which has been disposed of in
,1e following manner: two thousand
,ekcn by myself i'm advance of my sal
Rry: fifteen hundred advanced to sew.
al of my felloW-clerks. This is tho
last day of the month; tomorrow the
5aiaries will be paid, consequently :"
The commissary interrupted him.
Were you permitted to draw
money whenever y0u wished to adj
vance the clerks pay2"
mo; but l knew that Monsieur
Fuuvel would not have refused ne
aermission TO obiige my friends in the
bank. What 1 did s. done e,tryehere.
{ have simply followed my predeces-
sor's example
The banker made a sign of assent
AS regards that spent by myaelf,
continued the casiie- 81 had "A sort
of right 20 it, all of mr savings beiaA
deposited in this bank; about dftesl
thousand francs"
''rhat Is true" said NJ. Fouyel; Mon
siour Bertomy has at least tha.
amount ON deposit
This last question settled, the COM
missary's errand was over, and his re
port might now be made, lie an
nounced his intention of leaving, and
ordered the cashier TO prepare 10 fol
low him.
Usually, this moment, when stern
reality stares us i'm the face, when ouI
individuality Is lost and we feel thai
we are being deprived of our liberty
this moment is terrible.
Al this fatal command, "Follo0
me, which brings before our eyes the
yaWning prison gates, the most hard
aned simmer IneI, IN. nnmrnrc fnIl an.