Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-03-16
BY SPECIAL
Messenger.
By WARING MITCHELL.
Copyright, 1877, by Homer Sprague.
By WEARING MITCHELL

Tn tn9t certain TUESDAY morning.
when Colonel Graves got ready II start
for the city from his country place. he
said to his daughter Winnie:
1T is possible that may want those
Mexican bonds this afternoon, and here
is the key of the safe. IL have to have
them, will send you note by spe-
cial messenger"
The colonel was something of law
yer, Spectator and broker, and Miss
Winnie was his nineteen-year-old
daughter. She acted as his amanuensis
at home and was pretty familiar Will,
his business transactions. The bonds
spoken Of had face value of $4,000,
but of late had been rather wabbly
in the market and had caused the colo
mel considerable anxiety. AT l o'clock
that afternoon he wanted the bonds
and telephoned his daughter to that
effect, saying that he would send a
messenger. Instead Of sending boy
from the regular service he stepped
into the Office Of Jones next door and
said:
Jones, I want trusty fellow to run
out to my house and bring me back
some bonds. Haven't noticed a young
man around here?'
Yes. He's a nephew of mine. He's
out now, but write a line and I'll send
him when he returns. He ought to go
out to East Park and back in an hour. )"
The colonel wrote line to Miss Win
ME to deliver the bonds to bearer and
then went out on 1.-The street" on bust
ness. Fifteen minutes later Jones'
nephew was making for the Grand
Central station as fast as the express;
in the subway would carry him.
Jones hadn't given the young mans
biography, but it may be stated that
his name was Vincent Gray, his age
twenty-five, and he was in the Office
of his uncle to learn the devious ways
OF Wall street before setting up in bust
ness for himself on the comfortable
fortune left him by a deceased aunt.
For young man who expected to
come in contact with bulls and bears
and other animals, young Gray was
very trustfuI of human nature. For in
along underneath the streets and he
was hanging to a strap thinking OF
things financial 4 young man with am
billions leaned against him and picked
his pocket without exciting the least
suspicion.
The light fingered youth found there
only a cardcase and the letter to Miss
Winnie, but they were sufficient to
bring about several unlocked for re-
suits. He passed into another car and
opened and read the letter, and he saw
the golden opportunity he had been
long looking for. In the cardcase
were two or three dollar bills. The
thief had a right to infer that his vic
tim had no more money about him.
He likewise had q right to infer that
young Gray could not produce the
wherewithal to buy ticket for East
Park The fare was only 90 cents, but
without It man is as badly off as if
the sum were s..
There was a train ready to leave.
The thief bought bis ticket and got
aboard. Vincent Gray stood at the
ticket window and fused and fumbled
and was left. His cardcase and mon
ey were gone, and when he found that
the letter had also taken wings he re-
allied that he was in trouble. He
hadn't even a nickel to get back to the
Office. He hadn't the wherewithal to
telephone to his uncle Jones in New
street, and after wasting fifteen min
utes trying to figure out the problem
he made haste to pawnshop where
he put down his watch for 50.
The next train to East Park was ten
minutes late in starting and the same
in reaching the Park, so there were in
ali fifty minutes lost. The young man
had not suspected that he was the vic
tim OF a pickpocket, but supposed he
had lost his property in the jam while
boarding the car. He had been told
that telephone message would pre-
cede him, and he had remembered the
address. Therefore he did not worry
So much over the loss of the letter. IL
was only when he came face to face
with Winnie Graves and stated his err
rand and saw her look of surprise and
disrust that he realized the situation.
why. sir she replied, those bonds
were delivered TO messenger more
than half an hour ago."
But l was sent for them and was
delayed"
If You were sent for them, you
must have a lire from my father"
II had line, but unfortunately
lost it. together with my money. My
name is Vincent Gray, and l am in the
office of Ezra Jones, in the same build
ing with your father. am afraid thai
some rascal found the lost letter and
has taken advantage of it."
"And I am afraid that another ras-
cal is trying to do the same thing!
exclaimed Miss Winnie's Aunt Ruth
who was at the head of the house and
who had entered the library just i'll
time to hear the young mans words.
But. madam, you surely can't thlnli
that r.
II can think what please, sir. Car
you imagine we were idiotic enough t.