The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-05-17


the bank after business hours joined
her and walked with her. Passing a |
restaurant, told her that was going |
In to take lonely dinner. Would she
help me out with her company? She
consented. and, selecting table In n
corner. where we could converse with
out being overheard by others. we dfned
together.
commiserated with her at having
such husband, expressing wonder
that any man should desert so charm
ing woman. She seemed to feel very
bitterly toward him, but, of course. II
she were thief as we'll as he, it
might be part OF her game to fcign
this. asked her IL she suspected who
was the woman with whom her hus-
band had gone away, and she said she
felt sure of the person. l got nothing
out Of her. but was impressed with
the belief that there was good deal
in her. whether for good or for evil,
though did not feel that 1t was for
evil After dinner / escorted her to
her home and left her at the door, at
the same time receiving an invitation
to call upon her.
Despite all my efforts I found moth
ing to implicate Mrs. Pixlcy, and there
was no evidence ut the bank to prove
that she was purloining Its funds,
though the president had put Carter
on the watch for this. After time
Carter said that, whatever was her
way Of taking money. 1t was so sub
tic that it was beyond his penetration.
However. the cash on hand was con-
stantly deficient, and Carter suggest
ed that Mrs. Pixley be simply ais
charged without any reason being CIV
Ell her. The president communicated
this to me, and / suggested that ho
put the matter of. had become con-
vinced that Mrs. Pixley had secret.
| was steadily gaining her confidence,
| and l hoped in time she would let
out something. To this he assented.
A couple of days after this ! re-
ceived note from Mrs. Pixley. as fol-
! lows:
| Dear Mr. Detective-You are on the
| yourself under the steps leading up to
the bank tomorrow night Cor. rather. the
next morning) at o'clock and wait till
/ come. NJ. d. P.
| l cannot tell why. but was not so
much astonished at this as might be
expected. l was certainly rejoiccd, be-
cause knew important developments
were to come At the appointed time
| went to the bank and waited in tho
shadow of the steps. Ten minutes
later Mrs. Pixley went up the steps.
| joiaed her. She tapped at the door.
anl~it was opened by the watchman.
We went in behind the counters Mrs.
! Itxley opened safe, took out somc
heavy account book. which laid on q
high desk for her.
''IIow is it that you can come hero
ut such time and open this safc?' l
asked her.
''The watchman Is In my secret. l
am allowed the combination Of this
safe, which contains only books"
And here began the revelation. am
something of an accountant, this being
ene reason why was put on the job.
Mrs. PiSley spent two hours with me
over set of books, showing me that
Cartcrha manipulated them to conceal
certain peculations. And the entries
bearing upon them were so dovctailctl
into certain entries in q set of books
that had been kept by her husband as
70 make it appear that Pixley was the
defaultcr. And | could not see how
Pixley could have shown that he was
innocent In the matter. looked aside
ut Mrs. PiSlcy and asked:
How about the woman with whom
your husband dccampcd ~
4 Il was the yelled woman who went
with him to collect the money owed
him. but ! didn't 20 away with him
One day he discovered how Mr.. Carter
to conceal his peculations. had manipu
lated these books He came home sc
! broken down that l. fearing he would
make a poor showing under an inves
tigation. concocted this plan whereby
| might have an opportunity to study
out the problem for him. The watch
, man. Callahan. has always been ms
!
losing his job has admitted me here Al
dead OF night. have had m expert
. accountant with me ut times, ana to
gether we have unravcled this conspir
!. acy and can make showing such as
have given YOU
Where did you get your -knowiedg'
Of bookkeening?'
y studied It after my husband left
!, The person you sent to find out abou
that caught me unawares. Rnt at th,
time ! did not know she came frnn
. y0u."
airs. Pixley," said admiringly, tak
Ing from under my coat my badge o
Office and handing 1t to her. II re
= sign In your favor. Ii am worth 81
day as detective you are worth
hundred"
As we left the bank handed
twenty dollar bill to Callahan. but Ii
declined to accept it. The next morn
J ing | called OH the banks presiden
ard was obliged to confess that IN
work had been done by the woman b
). had sent me to watch. Carter's book
u were examined without his knowledge
i pixiey was summoned home by hi
G wife and put in Carriers place. Mr.:
Pixley was given FIVE shares Of th
$ stock Of the bank. worth $500. an
! her husband is as clipper as before h
e was lugubrious.
No. sir, don't believe that woma