The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-09-09
CHAPTER XXI.

During the first half of the year 1894
with Norman too busy at the nIne
| foundry to worry him, and the iron
master president too deeply engrossed
| in matters mechanical, Mr.. Henry
Dyckman, still bookkeeper and cashier
for Chiawassee Consolidated. had fewer
nightmares; and by the time he had
been a month in undisputed command
| at the general Office he had given over
searching for a certain packet of pa
pers which had mysteriously dlsap-
peared from a secret compartment in
his desk.
Later when the time for the return
Of the younger Gordon drew near. there
was encouraging news from Europe.
Dyclman had not failed to keen the
malls warm with reports Of the Gordon
& Gordon success; with urgings for.
the return of the exiled dynasty: ana
late in May he had news of the home
coming intention. From that on there
were alternating chills and fever. If
Colonel Duxbury should arrive and re-
sumo the reins Of MANAGEMENT before
Tom Gordon should reappear all might
yet be we'll. II not-the alternative
impaired the bookkeeper's appetite, and
there were hot nights in June when he
slept badly.
When Toms advent preceded the
earliest date named by Mr.. Farley by a
broad fortnight or more, the bookkeep-
er missed other of his meals, and one
night fear and a sharp premonition of
close pressing disaster laid cold hands
on him; and . o'clock found him slulI5-
ing in the great train shed at the rail-
way station, a ticket to Canada in his
pocket, a goodly sum Of the company's
money tightly buckled in a safety-belt
next to his skin-all things ready for
flight save one, the courage requisite
to the final step taking.
The following morning the prominI-
ton became a certainty In the Cor
donia mail there was a note from the
younger Gordon, directing him to come
to the office Of the pipe foundry, bring
ing the cash-book and ledger for a year
whose number was written out in let
ters of fire in the bookkeeper's brain.
He went, again lacking the courage
either to refuse or to disappear, and
found Gordon waiting for him. There
were no preliminaries.
Good morning, Dyckman," said the
tyrant, pushing aside the papers on ais
desk You have brought the books? !
Sit down at that table and open the
ledger at the company's expense ac-
count for the year. l wish to make a
few comparisons" and he took a thick !
packet Of papers from a pigeonhole Of |
the small iron safe behind his chair.
Dyckman was unbuckling the shawl |
strap in which he had carried the two |
heavy books, but at the significant |
command he deslsted, went swiftly TO
the door opening into the stenograph-
er's room, satisfied himself that there
were no listeners, and resumed his
chair.
you have cut out some of the pre-
ACE, Mr.. Gordon; I'll cut out the re-
nainder," he said, moistening his dry
ips. You have the true record of tho
expense account in that package. I'm
lown and out; what is it you want?"
II want a written confession of Just
what you did, and what you did 1t for"
vas the direct reply. You'll find Miss
Ackerman's typewriter in the other
'oom; I'll wait while you put it in
ype."
You're not giving me a show, Mr..
1ordon; the poor show common mur-
lerer would have in any court Of law.
you are asking me to convict myself"
Goldon held up the packet of papers
Here is your conviction, Mr. Dyck-
original leaves taken from
hose books when you had them re-
ound. l need your statement Of the
acts for quite another purpose"
NJ 7 ty |
cred rat will fight for his life, Mr..
iordon."
IF you refuse shall be reluctantly
ompelled to hand these papers over to
ur ttorneys-reluctantly 1 say, be-
ause you can serve me better just now
ut of jail than in It."
Its an unfair advantage you're TAX
lg; at the worst, am only an Access
ory. My principals will be here in a
ew days, and"
Precisely" was the cold rejoinder
It is because your principals are COM
lg home, and because they are not yet
ere, that l want your statement
blige me- If you please. my time is
mited this morning" '
There was no help for it, or none ap-
aren't to the fear-stricken; and for
le twenty succeeding minutes the {
,pewriter clicked monotously in the Y
nall ante-room. Dyckman could hear !
is prosecutor pacing the floor of the
rivate office, and once he found him
If looking about him for a weapon.
ut at the end of the writing interval .
D was handing the freshly typed sheet
a man who was yet alive and un-
lrt.
GordCn sat down at his desk to red