The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-11-13

] HduSuOS lOOk dDOut llui NdHt lllo
the office and asked to see me.
This is Mr.. George WinchellY" he
asked.
That's my name"
He took a dirty paper from his nock
ct. to which he referred, and said:
"On the 18th Of November, 19-, John
! Flynn, driving cab No. SO, took up
fare at the door of the University club
and drove the gentleman to 246 Sum
NIT avenue
Never mind the rest of that"
said. Tell II you are looking for any
thing that was lost"
The man appeared i'll at ease. please
| don't speak so loud, sir. If you are the
man who was driven that day in that
cab from the University club to-
81 was. Go on
"You may have found a package Of
bills"
81 did"
At this point the man hesitated, and,
seeing that he was not getting on with
his revelation took him to a private
room and said:
"Now, out with it,"
After much trouble learned that he
had got the money l had found from
a gentleman to carry somewhere and
had hired a cab for the purpose. Not
daring to take the bills out of the cab
when he alighted, fearing an arrest,
he left it under the seat, taking note of
the cabs number. He was arrested
for having stolen an overcoat and was
sent to prison for a year. He had re-
Gently been discharged, some time hav
ing been taken Off his stay for good be-
havior, and had communicated with
! the man from whom he had got the
bills, and the two had set about trac-
| ing them. The person who had employ
ed him to carry the money was a cash
Ter Of some institution. from which he
had purloined it.
had had enough Of the matter and
agreed to plan by which the amount
could be returned to its Hghtful own
ers, they paying the rascals a small
sum and guaranteeing their immunity
| from prosecution. All the details had
been arranged when it occurred to me
that / had rented the box in which |
had deposited it in a fictitious name.
What name? I could no more re-
member than I could repeat the book
of Job.
As soon as I could get away from
my duties | took a train for my for
mer home and on arrival drove to the
safe deposit company and asked for
| the custodian. A young man stepped
forward, and l asked for the old gen
tleman who had rented me box about
a year before. He had died five months
ago and the young man had been put
in his place.
My story as to the renting of the
box was told-that | had not given
my own name and had forgotten the
assumed one. | was informed that |
would find the number Of the box on
! my key, but l replied that, having
been fearful of losing the key, | had
put it in a very safe place, but where
| had also forgotten.
Then the custodian looked grave.
The money must remain where 1t was
till produced the name or the key.
What was | to do? l had acknOwl-
edged that | had found the lost bills
and still had them in my possession. l
was bound TO restore them, and If !
didn't | would be sued for them and
likely prosecuted criminally. Being
about to be married, | was In an ag-
ony Of fear lest the matter should
come out and be printed in the news
papers on the eve of my wedding
| went to Harker, who was more
! like brother to me than an employ
er, and told him of the fix / was In.
While he was ready TO do anything for
me in his power, there seemed to be
nothing definite for him 10 do. He
could not help showing slight suspi-
cion. This revealed to me that my
story was not very credible. l was in
agony. Meanwhile the parties con-
cerned began to grow suspicious of
me-
Then | was told that If / didn't
pay over the money at once | would
be arrested. | realized that | must
raise $4,000 or go to Jail, besides
losing Edith. asked how long a time
| would be given for the purpose and
was told that could have week. |
laid the matter before Harker, and his
affection for me conquered his doubts
and his indisposition to pay out for
me $4,000 that he might never get
back. He drew a check for the money,
payable to me, and | turned 1t over to
the persons who were bounding me.
But realized that a wedge had been
introduced between me and Harker
that would not be removed until |
could return the money he had put up
for me-
A few days before the wedding |
went on a visit to Edith to confess to
her the incubus resting upon me.
told her the story, TO which she listen
ed eagerly and, when | had finished,
said: