The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-03-11
TRAvERS s co.

self. after looking over old accounts.
noticed something wrong.
The next steamer sailing for Havre
carried with her Thomas Agnew, the
firms boolzkeeper. He was provided
with all proper credentials and his In
gtructions were TO give the Paris books
a thorough overhauling. He was to
| interview the head of the French firm
first This he did soon after reaching
| Paris.
II hardly expected you, but ! am
glad that you are here" was his greet
| ing. "It Is true that the business has
fallen off, aud II has been a source OF
anxiety to me. We seem to be doing
as much as ever, but the sales show
less and less cannot suspect any
Of the employees. The bookkeeper Is
the only one who could juggle the fig
ures, and he Is probity Itself. He has
been with US for ten years past and Is
as steady as a church. / might aA well
suspect myself"
Nevertheless, IL there is anything
wrong it must be in his department"
suggested Agnew.
There were two or three interviews,
and then II was suggested that Dubois,
which was the name Of the bookkeeper,
be given leave of absence for cou-
pie of weeks. He refused to take il.
Then Agnew cabled for instructions
and was told 10 20 ahead. He was
taken to the Office and introduced and
his errand stated. To his agreeable
disappointment Dubois gave him cor
dial welcome and offered every assist
ance In his power. He would be only
too glad TO have his books looked over
and verified. His frankness and eager
nsss were a setback to Agnew. but
day was appointed for the commence
ment OF the work. No man could have
set out to render himself more agree
able than the French bookkeeper did.
He FIRST invited Agnew to his home 70
dinner, 1t was a modest little cottage,
plainly furnished and evidently eco
nomlcally managed. There were wife
and two children, aud the family APP
peared to be happy and contented.
Agnew had made up his mind that
Dubois was certainly living on his In
come and was man of steady habits
when his wife happened to mention
during the momentary absence Of the
husband that she would be entirely
happy II Claude did not have to remain
at the office so late three or four nights
In the week. As u matter of fact, the
} ONCE always closed at 5:30 p. M, and
J Agnew was made uneasy by the re-
/ marks, Dubois made arrangements to
show the American certain sights the
next evening, and they were together
for several hours AT cafe where
they stopped for a last drink Agnew.
who had taken very little during the
evening and who called for a mild
glass ON this occasion, suddenly found
the room whlrllng round and round
} with him and finally pitched forward
on the door and became Unconscious
, When he came to some time during
the next day he was III and found that
no had been robbed and was clothed
IN the garb Of a worklngman He was
also prisoner In cellar SO dark that
= no could not see across It, There were
a pitcher Of water and loaf OF
, bread beside him, He drank Of the
water and slept for hours.
When he awoke again the effects OF
the drug were gone, and he explored
: bis prison. TO discover that 1t had only
one small window. and that looked out
On q back yard and was heavily bar
red. There had been stairs leading up
to door, but they had been removed.
] No sounds reached him from above,
/ and the noises from the street were
, mufiied.
An hour later u man thrust ladder
down and brought more bread aud wa
ter. He was armed with knife and
refused to answer any questions. The
American coaxsd. threatened ana tried
to bride. but the man was firm. Three
: times day for the next ten days he
D brought bread and water, but never
3 anything else. Then one evening he
I left the ladder behind him when he as.
cended, as II by an oversight. and
after waiting for an hour Agnew crept
). mp, to ind the door open. He Ind no
. trouble In leaving the house. which was
without tenants and situated In a slum
street The man hadn't a penny In
money. and his suit was old and rag.
ged. When he acc0sted a gendArme he
was ordered to move on. He moved on
and told his story again and again and
at length was arrested and locked up
In the morning the police judge was
r about TO commit Agnew rs a vagrant
: when he asked that the head Of the
!. aFm Be sent for. This was done, and
! OF course the prisoner was soon nj lib
erty. He could not guide the police &c
the street where he had been held pris
Oner. but 4 visit 20 the home OF Dubois
explained everything. lie had ahan
dOned his family eight days previously
In day or two Il was shown that foI
; ave years he had maintained three sep
: arate establishments, and In two Of
> them be bad passed for single man
Instead OF being 4 man OF steady hab
tn. be was a regular rounder. Instead
, Of being 4 man Of prohity. 4 brief ex
animation OF his books showed that HI