The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-17
An Expert
Accountant.

ers OF women's weAk spd when Miss
willoughby, fsoih tlIf VI ~ t. ~ a. Ag1oQ |
them they ravs,lni tlc&iraa aeipenhI
Not until the sehf0t paflncf. had done
little Thinking, however. Her state
rneht that she was an expert account
ant and that her charge for overhaul
Ing the books would be very moderate
seemed to give him an IDEA. he
thought over Il for week and then
wrote her be would call An hour
after he had wfitten be invaded the
den Of the old bookkeeper. and otter
fuosing around for five minutes he
Got up the courage TO remark;
stephen, do you know that this
arm has been Systematically robbed
Tor the last ten yearsT'
'tImpossibleP gasped the old man
as he looked up
"Oraftily and systematically robbed.
SIR. and the loss viii foot up thou
sands of dollars"
rs 1t the shipping clerks-the sales
men7 l don't see how they could have
robbed u.s.
\ TT is nearer than thatp said the
senior partner as he looked the per
tu9bed ana trembling slave I'm the eye
MY God, but you can't suspect mel
You can't believe that | ever touched
a penny OF your money!"
'sWho else IL there to suspect? You
have had sole charge Of the books"
eThis Is horrible"
Il am sorry for you. / must leave
you, for other matters are awaiting at
teptlen."
Half an hour later the old book
keeper left his employer and went out
without ray Of hope in his heart.
Miss willoughby scarcely hoped for
call from Mr.. Jansen that evening,
but he presented himself nevertheless.
II had been discovered. he explained
without emotion, that the bookkeepeT
had been robblng the firm. His pecu-
latlops would probably amount to
thousands of dollars He had run
away and might escape arrest. but she
was to 20 ahead on the books just the
same. Her salary would be $50 a
week, and of course her relations with
the Arm would be confidential She
could depend upon them to recon-
mend her to others in case her work
was well done. The girl wondered
that the partner was so quiet over the
repnted loss. but. thinking u was his
way, she promised 10 appear at the
store In the morning and begin on the
books. When mornlng came and
whnn abe was within block of the
store she encountered an old gray halr-
ed man with such n look of trouble on
his face as caught her attention at
once. He blocked her way and halted
Aer.nnd tried to say something. but
choked up, raised his hands In despair
aud stepped aside.
why, thnt Is the old bookkceper
saw at. the store the other day through
the pGrtitiong' she exclaimed as she
turned 10 look after Mm. "Can Il he
his books am 10 overhaul? | can't
believe that ne has been robhing the
frln.''
Stephen Cato. the old bookkeeper.
had been neat and accurate aud pains
taking When the first day had come
TO a close the girl expert failed to find
the slightest cause for suspicion. She
90 reported, and with frown, the sen
ior partner replied:
.'But you must remember that Ste
phen was sly and crafty" be replied.
Don't be decetyed. You claim TO be
an expert, and you must sooner or
later come upon the evidences of his
guilt"
Nothing was discovered on the sec
ond day the third nothing during the
whole week. Miss willoughby's repu-
tation as an expert was at stake. but
not the slightest flaw could she find.
II there had been robberies no attempt
had been made to, cover them up by
false entries.
.fl3ut you will make discoveries next
week" said Mr. Jansen as she reported
aud he handed her her salary Per
haps you have not taken his craftiness
int9 account. We have lost ut least
$4,000 by him, and as IN expert ac.
countant we shHll expect you to un
cover his system. Another week must
surely bring you the clew."
When another week had passed moth
ing whatever had been found to con
vlct stephen Cato. He had been hon
est to penny The girl was glad tC
50 report. His troubled faee hac
haunted her ever since the first morn
ing. and the senior partners inslstencC
had bred a suspicion Ia her mind,
Miss willoughby," replied Air. Jan
sen when she had reported. I'VE EN-
ployed you as an expert accountant
Our loss IL $4,000 Our late Aookkecp
eris fugitive from justice. You have
done your work well Here Is S30l
over aud above your salary. and We
shall be glad 10 recommend you TO an.
other house IN such affairs as thii
one Of course Is expected 10 keep 81
lenee."
The girl looked at hiin Tor mO
nient with puzzled expression on he
face. Then It began TO be plain tha
there was something wrong. The firn
wanted to mako out a loss when ther,
wac no loss IL had reasons for cailini
an honest man thief. She slowl.
picked up the apaonnt Gne her as sal
arg for the week. aud. stepping back