The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-09
Aunt Diana
The Sunshine
of the Family
CHAPTER xII.-(Continued.)
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)
Roger" exclaimed Alison, passionate
~, this must be Fergusson's doings he
must have tempered with your letter and
cut out the entry in the ledger, and of
course the check is in his possession
"Wait moment, Allie" returned Rog-
er, looking very stern and pale. 1.-THE
check was cashed tho next morning by a
clerk of ours who was turned away for
dishonesty; but the bank did not know
that, and thought him still in our employ,
so the money is lost to us. My father is
dreadfully angry and puzzled about the
whole affair, but he does not suspect Fer
gusson. He flew in perfect rage when
limited about his gambling debts. He
blames me for carelessness; he says
ought not to have left the Office without
locking up both the check and the ledger
in the iron safe. Ferguson has told my
father that he saw Ibbotson the clerk we
dismissed, hanging about the yard talking
to the men. He declares that while we
were in the yard Ibbotson must have got
into the Office, turned over the letters and
distracted my receipt; he must have read
the entry in the open ledger, and he knew
all the keys, and would easily find the
check. He has gulled my father complete
ly; he has actually made him believe that,
in ten minutes, or quarter of an hour at
the most, 1bbotson could cut the page in
the ledger, track the check to the private
drawer, hunt out my receipt and make his
escape-and all this without any precon-
ceived plan. Why, the whole thing is mon
strous and utterly improbable. am posi-
tive that the only thing Ibbotson has done
is to cash the check"
Roger, oh, how dreadful it all is! OF
course, there can be no doubt In your
own mind who did it ALP"
There is not shadow of doubt in my
own mind, Allie but how am I to bring
my father to believe it? Ibbotson has left
the place, or he was actually going to set
the detectives on him. Ferguson has COM
pletely hoodwinked him. Circumstantial
evidence is strong against Ferguson, to
my thinking. Judge for yourself, Allie {;
he was with me in the Office when I open
ed the check he saw me make the entry
in the ledger, as well as write the receipt !;
he also must have seen me thrust the
check hastily into the private drawer be-
fore | ran out into the yard. No doubt
he returned to the Office as soon as my at
tention was engrossed with poor Mitchell.
A few minutes was all that was needed to
accomplish the job, Allie. l have found
out to-day that he is terribly involved, and
that his creditors are threatening him.
told you things are coming to crash.
am afraid we shall lose more than the sum
we received from Simmonds Brothers,
-"Oh, Roger, how blind your father is !!
What are you to do to open his eyes?'
II am going to watch Ferguson" re-
turned Roger, with frown of anxiety.
Allie, l never meant to have told you
this. l have been about the town CLEAN
ing facts to-day, but l mean to keep them
to myself for the next four-and-twenty
hours. Ferguson has arrived at some
sort of crisis in his affairs. I am afraid
he will do something desperate. A sum
of money has come into our hands to-day
after banking hours, in notes and gold I
wanted my father to bring it up to the
house, but he secuted the idea az ridicul-
GUS, as though any thief could open an
iron safe; but, Allie, am not comfortable
in my mind. Surprising Ferguson has
duplicate key? My father is 80 hopeless
ly duped that it is no use saying any more
to him. have made UP my mind to
watch the Office tonight"
"But not alone, dear?'
Eyes, of course. Timothy will be there,
If need help; but don't mean to take
him into confidence. There is a barge
that passes at ten tonight. The barge
is an acquaintance Of mine. 1 told him
to look out for me by the bridge. I will
get him to land me at the lower end of
the yard. Timothy will be in his shed by
that time, thinking about his supper. 1
don't want him to see me- or he will en-
tighten Ferguson. There is a handy
wood-pile just outside the Office where
can lie snug"
"Rogerw exclaimed Alison, in a quick,
determined voice, you shall not go alone !;
l shall watch with YOU" And as he was
about to interrupt her she went on quiet
~. "You know Missile and Miss Leigh will
be out until half past ten. Papa is always
in his study. They will think am in bed
can lock my door and put the key in my
pocket, and you have the latcA-key. will
be no trouble to you. l will be as quiet
as a mouse, and not hinder you. / could
not rest could not sleep, knowing you
were with that bad man. l will be useful
as a witness. You must take me, Roger"
'Are you sure that you mean it-that
1t will not hurt your" he asked, slowly.
what should hurt me on summers
night? And the barge will be suca fun"
Every well, you shall come II you like
You are plucky girl, Allie"
CHAPTER XIII.
It was still early in the evening when
the young conspirators returned to the
house, and the next two hours passed
very slowly to Alison.
At half past nine Mr.. Merle was shut
safely in his study. Alison went quickly
into her room and made her little prepare
ton. A brown hat she had discarded a.
being too shabby would just suit her noe
turnal purpose; her dress was dark, and
a warm jacket was all she needed: and,
carefully turning down her gas and lock-
ing her door, she crept quietly downstairs,
to find Roger waiting for her in the dark
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