Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-08-15

cited by my Imagination. Then
sprang up and, without thinking that !
was liable to be shot down. switched
on an electric light.
There stood Gregory facing me,
white as sheet, in his hand q package
Of currency. We looked at each other
for a moment, then Gregory, realizing
his position, broke down and began t.
beg piteously that I would not expose
him.
I told him to replace the package OF
bills he had taken and close the safe.
Then he confessed that he had been
speculating and had got caught. He
was intending to take few thousand
dollars to tide him over for a few days.
trusting to the fact that he alone look
ed after the cash on hand to replace IL
before the deficiency should be discov>
cred.
I asked him how much money would
tide him over, and he told me that
$500 would do 1t. / had saved several
times that amount and told him that I
would let him have the money In the
morning, but he must leave 1t to me
to act toward him in other respects as
my conscience dictated He declared
that this was the first time in his life
that he had appropriated money thu
did not belong to him and assured me
that what I had offered to loan him
would put him beyond further need
II 1t were not so he would not have
acted Us he had. This did not influence
me. I told him that I would tell him
what I would do as to making known
my having surprised him, and, leaving
the building. we parted on the side
walk.
It was long past midnight when l
got back into my own bed. I lay
awake wondering If my having gone
to the Office at the same time Gregory
had gone there to make a loan Of the
firms funds was coincidence or
whether q subconsciousness that he
was intending to do so had led me
there. It is said that no one can think
Of two things at the same time, but
these thoughts did not interfere with
dread that, no matter what course
I should pursue with Gregory, it would
result unfortunately for me.
The next morning he did not show
up. I waited till noon, and since he
did not appear I laid the matter before
Mr.. Edsall. An examination was made,
but no deficiency was found. But 1t
came out that Gregory was heavily In
debt and he had decamped to parts un.
known.
I did not tell Mr.. Edsall that I had
offered to help Gregory, but I told
Lucia, and she told her father. The
morning after she did so he announced
that he had decided to incorporate bis
business and I would be vice president
and general manager. What else Lucia
said to him, whether she hinted at the
conditions between her and me, don't
know, but from that time he treated
me more like q son than an employee.
And from that time forward I could
not possibly find anything to worry
about, except that realized there is
many a slip 'twixt the cup and the Lip"
and felt an uncertainty as to my pos
sessing the girl I loved. However, she
did what she could to assure me that
all would be well and to relieve my
misgivings. But she had hard time
convincing me that I would be accepta.
BILE to her father as a suitor for her.
One day I told him that I loved bis
daughter; that had never spoken to
her Of my feelings for her and had en-
deavored to treat her as friend. But
time had come when considered It
both unjust to her and 30 myself that
the matter should remain as It was be-
tween us, and I asked him II he would
consent to my proposing to her for her
hand. When I had finished waited
with throbbing pulse for his reply.
It was not long delayed.
"Young man." he said, "you have
acted honorably In everything ever
since I have known you. II Lucia Is
willing I am"
That's the end Of the story. My ia
ther-in-law now relies upon me as
manager Of his business. He says that
the only thing against me as a good
business man Is that I take things too
seriously. In other words. I am In.
clined to worry, and that wears on
my physical capabilities. However.
since got out Of the false position In
duced by my love affair have done
much better than formerly.
I had become president Of the COM
pany when Gregory returned. BE
had managed to get clearance from
his debts and begged me to give him
q chance to make a living. gave him
a position, and he has been faithful
servant ever since.