The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-03-24
Under Suspicion
[Original.l

kSllel ally hoAlSlS ASifsN'
business and despite has unprepossess-
ing appearance very attractive to wo-
men. This l accounted for from his
smooth tongue. He could say more
fattering things to & girl in a few Ill
utes than l could say in a week. In
deed his remarks We're such palpable
iattery that l wondered the girls
would swallow them.
There came q leakage in the gold
dust passing through our hands, and |
was suspected OF being the thief. Up
to this time Florence March and l had
been getting on admirably, but now
one day l heard Boutelle pay her Il OF
his sickening compliments. and from
that time she seemed to be completely
under his influence. Then l heard that
Boutelle had accused me.
The leakage in the dust was very
small, but it was constant, so that IN
course Of time it must be very large.
The thief had some method OF carrying
it away in inhnitesimal quantities. but
with great regularity. was called into
q private Office Il evening after stop
ping work and searched. The other
clerks We're put through a similar proc
ess, but nothing was found on any OF
US. l was put under special survell-
lance. and it was not long before l dis
covered that a new man who had come
into the assaying Don and who ap-
peared to have taken a desperate fancy
to me was watching me.
Florence March CAV me to under
stand that she did not believe I was
guilty. but instead of resuming her for
mer relations With me she accepted
more and more Phil Boutelle's atten-
tons. l charged her with her perfdy,
which. though it panied her, made no
difference in her treatment OF my rival
and accuser. Ny position was indeed
painful. Conscious OF being suspected
BY my employers and fellow clerks and
watched by a spy, l saw the girl who
should have stood by me associating
on terms Of intimacy with the man
whom I believed responsible for the
suspicion resting upon ME. Boutelle
e%ndeavored to maintain friendly rela-
lions with me, but l spurned him.
But one day the tables were turned.
l missed Boutelle from his work n
upon inQuirinc learned that he had
been arrested the night before. During
the morning l was called into the Office
of my employers. and an apology was
made to me for the spying that had
haeD done on my movements,
You have discovered the thief? ]
asked.
yes"
"To 3 certainty"
''Yes."
"How was the discovery accomplish
ed?"
THAT is q secret"
I returned to my work and that after
noon passed Florence March on the
street. Now that I was INDICATED and
the man she had taken up with in my
stead was known to be the guilty par
II, I felt that l could show her my
opinion Of her conduct with 8 better
grace than before. I walked by her
without looking at her.
Boutelle pleaded guilty. SO there was
no evidence brought forth TO show how
his iniquity had been discovered. This
was very disappointing TO ne. One
day soon after he had disappeared
from the world. While l was in the
private Office Of my employers, / asked
II I would ever know how the culpri,
had been discovered.
"Why do you wish TO know"
Because a girl whom l respected de
serted me for him, though he accused
me OF the crime of which he was him
self guilty. I am curious TO know more
on her account
do you refer to Miss March?'
lido"
After a few words whispered be
tween them one of the partners said:
Miss March discovered Boutelle':
rascality."
I was thunderstruck- How did sh'
do it" I asked.
For that you must go to her"
l hurried TO Florence. She cam,
down TO see me. maintaining a reserve
Il am told you discovered the thief
l said. Would you mind telling N
how you accomplished it,
Il suspected him from the moment
heard he accused you. Besides, he wa
too broad with his compliments. /
seemed to me they were intended t
cover some object"
You mean thst?"
Certainly"
And why did you desert me fo
him."
ITO rescue you from the position 20
occupied"
And how did you do that:"
II tried to win his confidence. br
failed"
"welly'
Il can't tell You any more. You WI
blame me-
NO." / said. now knowing that ST
had saved me. Il will not blame 20
Inow believe in you thoroughly"
We'll, / permitted him TO become
intimate that one evening he sat
nea as to put his head just above II
shoulder. When / went TO my room
saw something sparkle on my dress.
brushed 1t into a china cup, and
proved to be gold dust l gave the j
formation. a detective was put on Bo
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