Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-04-09
CHAPTER Ill.

Stlll dlScredltlng the eNluenCe VI Hly
own eyes, 1 lighted a match and peer
ed into the steel-lined recess. 1t was
empty. On the table beside me was
one of the two jewel boxes it had
contained, the one filed with worth
less trinkets. The other, which had
contained the priceless CASTOR pearls
and the other rich treasure, had van
ished.
Today was Saturday. Six days be-
fore I had arrived in the apartment.
There had been two jewel cases then.
With my own hands / had put them
both back safe in their hiding place.
I recalled having tested the knob to
make sure that the combination had
set. Yet since that time someone had
opened the safe. Someone had re-
moved the jewels. Who could it have
been?
To the best of my knowledge there
had been but two persons in the
rooms, old Mrs. Burke, my aunt's
trusted laundress, and myself. Ger
tainly I had not taken the jewels, and
it seemed absurd to suspect Mrs.
Burke, who had been in Mrs. GastOn's
employ for years and had long been
entrusted with a key to the servants
entrance. Yet who else was there to
suspect?
Recovering a little from my bewil-
derment 1 FASTENED to the telephone.
I must notify the superintendent and
also the police that the apartment had
been robbed. 1 decided, too. that i
should wire my great-uncle Rufus of
the robbery, and then it dawned on
me for the first time that 1 did not
know the old couples address. They
merely had said that they were going
| to Maine. Never mind, there was
nothing that they could do in their
absence. Probably 1 could get their
address from the superintendent, or
from Mr.. Gaston's bankers. The first
thing to do was to notify the super
! intendent.
But wait! With my hand on the
telephone, I stopped short. 1t dawn
ed on me that in all likelihood I would
be the one most under suspicion.
If detectives were called in, I could
see that their first move would be to
| lay the theft to my door. They would
investigate everything about me, and
1 remembered with distress that I,
Spalding Nelson, just now was out of
job-and far worse, stood discredit-
ed at the only place Of employment 1
! had had in New York.
My discharge had come that very
morning like a thunderbolt out of a
clear sky. The reason for my per-
emptory dismissal had not been able
to fathom. In some mysterious fash
ion my employers wrath had been
reused toward me. Why, could not
imagine. Certainly my life, especially
since my two comrades had gone
away, had been circumspect enough.
Even though 1 was living in seven
thousand-dollar apartment 1 was un-
employed, all but penniless, just re-
Gently dismissed for some unexplained
reason, and now more than likely to
be accused or at least suspected of
theft.
Yet only this very morning 1 had
been taking an optimistic view of life
Delighted at having cut my living ex.
penses in two, 1 had decided to take
twenty dollars of the thirty-fve
drew that day and add it to the one
hundred and eighty dollars I had in
the savings bank. l would mail a reg
istered letter to my mother and re
duce my Indebtedness to her. On my
way to business / stopped at the banh
and drew out every penny had there
1t was my intention to go to the pos
Office at lunch time to register the
letter. Just before twelve, Mr.. Wood
the head of the firm, had sent for me
''Mr. Nelson" he had said wrath
. fully, the minute 1 entered his Office
"here is your weeks salary. You will
/ leave our employ at once"
Stunned both by his manner and hi
words, / gasped out something abou
; not understanding what he meant.
knew of no reason that would war
, rant my discharge.
: II can't put it in any palmer Eng
/ lish, can II" he roared at me. "Ge
/ out |"
7 held my ground.
: "Surely 1 am entitled to some e1
!, PLANTATION" / protested. eff there
L been anything wrong with my work
your works all right" he be-
l lowed. "It's this" he cried. wavin
at me a letter that had been lyin
: on his desk. "This letter is enough
4 1t exposes you for what you are"
Dumfounded at his amazing state
> ment, 1 demanded to see the accusin
. document. Angrily he refused.
= "You know as well as 1 what's i
: it."
> In vain 1 protested. Every wor
: I uttered only seemed to add to hi
wrath. In the end he almost hustle
:. me out of his office. Blindly 1 foun
: my way to the street, still clutchin
in my hand the weeks pay he ha
q rudely thrust on me.
That letter to which he referred
. who could have written it? Wha
could have been in it that had so il
=. famed my employer against me?
: racked my brains in vain, puzzlin
: to account for it. 1 had not bee
aware that 1 had an enemy in IL
., world, yet who but an enemy coul
y have written letter that would HAY
such dire effect?
= The mystery of my dismissal W;
:. too great for me to solve. The OF
y thing 1 felt thankful for was that
- had come before 1 had sent off II
money. At least 1 had two hundre
y, and fifteen dollars in my pocket. u
4 der my present mode of life TIL
- would last me quite a while, sure
os until 1 found another position. We
70 there was nothing to do but NAL
~ the best of it.