The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-23
Below TIE Dead Line s ss.s sf.s s u iss

'Certa1nly, Gavin readily answered.
Tell me what you know of this af-
fair. Mr.. Calvin" said Boyd quickly
state anything that occurred here this
morning likely TO have a bearing upon
It."
Really. sir. nothing very extraordin-
airy happened while i was here" Gal
vim frankly replied. 1.-THE entire affair
must have occurred during my alb
sence.
How many clerks does Hersey en-
ploy?"
"Three, sir. Smith is the oookkeeper
and cashier, and frequently acts as Mr..
Hersey's confidential clerk Besides
him there are Frank Torrey and my
SELF
Mr.. Hersey sent him to Brooklyn
more than an hour ago, sir, to get a
bank book which he keeps at his resi-
dence."
Boyds brows knit little closer over
his searching gray eyes.
Sent him to Brooklyn an hour ago,
eh?" said he. He has had hardly
time TO return. Do you happen to know
why Hersey wanted the bank book?'
II think so, sir. When he came in
at o'clock this morning he stated that
he should remain only TO examine his
mail, as he had an important engage
ment Some person whose name he did
big financial DEAL he explained and
that he had an opportunity to place
some ready cash at an unusual advan-
tage. Something over 100000, l think
he said.'
''Ah, that probably is why he wanted
his bank book" observed Felix Boyd,
a bit drily. go on, Mr.. Calvin. How
long did Hersey remain here?"
Until about 10 o'clock. Then he
TO- IL |,
might be absent until noon. He re-
turned in less than half an hour. how
ever. and FASTENED directly into his pri-
vate office, where he at once called for
Mr.. Smith. A little later Smith came
out here and"
Calvin stopped abruptly. with a ner-
vous glance over his shoulder. From
the lips of the man PROSTATE on the
! floor a feeble grOan suddenly had risen,
and the muscles Of his hands and jaws
were twitching convulsively.
! Go on. you two!" cried Coleman,
who had been listening while he la
! bored over the stricken man. Dom
mind us. I'll presently have him on his
feet"
/ Continue" said Boyd. What about
Smith,"
He came out of the private Office
after a few moments. saying that Mr..
!
| as quickly as possible. l was at once
sent out with check for $4,000 and
some negotiable bonds for forty more.
l thought the affair just bit unusual,
| but Smith stated that Hersey was in a
| hurry, so i did not wait TO ask Ques-
| tons, but rushed away on the errand.
When 1 returned Torrey was just en-
tering from similar mission, and had
nearly sixty thousand in cash.
l.
you?" queried Boyd. with a curious
squint of his attentive eyes.
1T was nearly II. sir. when we both
returned" replied Calvin.
Was HeTsey still in his private Of
] fce?"
Yes. sir 1 saw him at his desk.
! counting the money which Mr.. Smith
at once took in to him"
| quite convincing" nodded Boyd.
Go on, Mr.. Calvin"
Immediately afterward," continued
the clerk. "Torrey was sent to Brook
lyn for the bank book. Then Hersey
sent me to Harlem to take a letter to
his daughter, of whose private funds
also he wished to avail himself. When
| returned / found the office deserted
by all except Smith, whom I thought
to be dead. and 1 at once rushed out
and met you. That is all that can
/
"One moment" interrupted BOYD.
Did Hersey himself instruct you to go
TO Harlem, or did he send out word to
you by Mr. Smith,"
by the latter, sin. Mr.. Hersey still
was busy over the cash we had brought
him."
80 that Jersey and Smith were left
alone here when you and Torrey de-
parted at IL o'clock"
Yes. SIR" declared Calvin. Il am
positive of that. 1 saw Mr. Hersey
still at his desk when I went out, and
Smith was then helping him"
He was interrupted by an approach
ing step in the corridor. Then the door
was quickly opened, and Hersey him.
self entered the office.
Good God" he invOluntarily ex-
claimed, recoiling when his gaze fell
upon the scene. What has happened
to Mr.. Smith,"
Surely you should know" cried
Boyd bluntly. You were the last tc
leave him here"
Leave him here,' echoed Hersey
loudly. What do you mean by that
Mr.. Boyd? I have not been near this
office since 10 o'clock
"Humphi" muttered Boyd. under his
breath. Precisely what I suspected
III.
Hersey was man of nearly seventy
and of an ordinary type He was OF
medium build, had a complexion com
mon to men of his years, and wore q
gray beard and mustache. Though al
ways neatly trimmed, his silvery hail
was worn quite long, and in a way was
his one distinctive feature, save alone
that he invariably dressed in a suit OF
black. lie was a type Of man easy tC
counterfeit, and nearly any expert ac-
tor could, with very little art, have
made himself into quite a perfect like
ness of Mr.. Rufus Hersey.
The bankers CONSERVATION and
amazement were too genuine to be
doubted, even if Felix Boyd had not
already guessed the truth, or a part OF
it. Yet before Hersey could repeat his
assertion, Smith again groaned deeply
and moaned, as if he had heard, and
now made an effort to corroborate his
lemployer:
That's right-that's true! He hasn't
been here"
"Ab. good enough" exclaimed Cole
man, who had not ceased working over
the wounded man. You're coming 10