Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-04-07
CHAPTER xxi.

During the nrst half of the year 1884
with Norman too busy at the pipe
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 month in undisputed command
at the general office he had given over
searching for certain packet of pa
pers which had mysteriously disap-
peared from q secret compartment in
his desk.
Later. when the time for the return
OF the younger Gordon drew near. there
was encouraging news from Europe.
Dyckman had not failed to keep the
mails warm with reports of the Gordon
& Gordon success; with urgings for
the return of the exiled dynasty; and
late in May he had news of the home
coming intention From that on there
were alternating chills and fever. II
Colonel Duxbury should arrive and re-
sumo the reins of management before
Tom Gordon should reappear, all might
yet be well. If 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 sSullx-
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
fight save one. the courage requisite
to the final step taking.
The following morning the promint-
ton became a certainty. In the Cor
donia mail there was a note from tho
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
tiers of fire in the bookkeeper's brain.
He went, again lacking the coura ge
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 mis-
desk You have brought the books
Slt DOWN at tnat Lhple ana open the
ledger at the company's expense ac-
count for the year. wish to make
few comparisons" and he took 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 desisted, 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-
face. Mr.. Gordon; I'll cut out the re-
mainder." he said. moistening his dry
lips. You have the true record of tho
expense account in that package I'm
down and out; what is 1t you want p
II want a written confession of Just
what you did. and what you did 1t for"
was the direct reply. You'll find Miss
Ackermans typewriter In the other
room; I'll wait while you put 1t in
type"
You're not giving me q show, Mr..
Gordon; the poor show q common muir
derer would havs In any court Of Law.