The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-06-19

WHY 'tnatS all r1Snt, jim" he
said. Il noticed the counterfeit yes
terday morning aud l made a shrewd
guess that you had been in troubse,
so l slipped out and drew my savings
and put things right"
ooh, Dick! Dick!" cried Jim, be-
tween his sobs. "How can l thank
you; what can l say, my best of
friends? You have saved my
mothers life and now you have saved
my honor"
Hush! not another word" said
Manwaring; here comes the doctor.
Perhaps now you will be able to go
home to-day"
The doctors report was favorable,
and Dick arranged hat Jim should
go down that morning with the
nurse. Then, with--a hearty hand
shake. Manwaring hurried off to
business. On the way he stopped and
wrote a letter. then he went to his
bank and drew all his savings-his
savings of years-two hundred and
fifty pounds. This money he had
saved pound by pound i'll the hope
that some day Jessie Skinner, the
pretty daughter of his employer,
might listen to his pleading. But
that was all over now.
1t was eleven when he entered the
office. He went straight to Jones
and gave him a note for Ramsey,
asking that he might have it the mo-
ment he returned to business. "Skin-
ner's been asking for You," said
Jones.
Manwaring hung up his hat and
went straight to Mr.. SINNERS office.
The chief was talking to a little dark
man.
"Oh, you've come to business??"
asked Mr.. Skinner.
eyes," said Manwaring.
There's a cheque, Mr.. Manwaring
-" began Mr.. Skinner.
ut is a forgery" said Dick, thick
ly, through his dry lips. 81 have
brought G25o-all I have-to partly
cover your loss"
"Then you confess to embezzling
"Is not the evidence enough with
out confessing?" asked Manwaring.
"Plenty, j think; Detective Ban
gor,' said Mr.. Skinner, dryly. "This
is your man."
T. X X
Days drifted into weeks and weeks
into months, and still Jim Ramsey's
health had not recovered sufficiently
to allow Of his return to business.
Jim could not understand why Dick
never wrote, but thought, perhaps,
he was hurt at his deceit and at the
loss of all his savings. ".But he shall
have them back thought Jim, eff 1
work my fingers to the bone"
Mrs. Ramsey was well enough now
to sit on the balcony in the sun with
Jim. The operation. to her eyes had
been successful, and the mother and
her boy spent many happy hours
together.
where is your pail Jim?" asked
his mother, the evening before he re-
turned to business. Bring him down
with you Saturday next, for 1 feel
it was he who gave you back to me-
On Monday, as Jim entered the of
ANS, AS "oo SACCCCu VIII hearty
h~andshakes and inquiries.
where's Manwaring?" he asked.
A sudden silence fell on the fell
lows, and Jones handed him a note.
Jim tore off the cover. 1t ran:
dear Jim-When you read this
don't make any fuss. I told you a
lie that morning when I said I had
squared up the bogus cheque, but Z
had promised your mother you should
come to her. If things are dis
covered I shall say [ did it. There is
no to bother about me, and. Jim,
your mother was eating her heart
out for you. Tell her I have gone
abroad, and say nothing, as you can
do no good now.-Ever your pal,
Dick"
"How long did he get?" he asked,
h%oarsely.
six months!" came the chorus.
"He embezzled some money, but old
Skinflint COPIED him. He's done two
months nearly"
Jim's mind was made up in a mo-
ment.- With firm steps and set lips
lie strobe down to Mr.. SINNERS Of
fee. There he told the truth and his
chief listened to his story without a
word.
"You must give me in charge, Mr..
Skinner" concluded Jim. 81 must
take Dicks place Immediately. He
will be ruined for life even if-as I
hope-you take him back"
-
Eyes, Mr.. Ramsey, I shall take him
bacl-I could hardly. believe him
guilty eve when he confessed-and
/ shall do more: l shall make him a
partner with me, for I am getting
old. Your conduct in coming straight
to me directly you learned the truth
shows that you have still good in
stincts in Your heart, and as 1 think
you were tempted and were not in
tentionally dishonest, you will stay
in your position. I shall go down to
the court to-day and see if l can ex-
plain it all as a mistake which l was
not able to discover till you returned
to business. You understand, Mr..
Ramsey?"