Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-04-13
The Missing
Yellowback
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BY ANTHONY REIMERT


70. 1922. Western Newspaper Union)
There's a twenty-dollar bill miss.
ing from the petty cash. put it there
to be changed"
Miss Searles, who was In charge Of
the petty cash, looked around the Of
fee with scared eyes. 1t represented
more than half her weekly wage.
How did it happen, Miss Searlesf'
asked Mr.. Graves, the head of the de-
partment.
Graves was easy-going, irresolute.
Nobody was afraid of Graves, and no.
body respected him very much.
Il just laid 1t there, and it's
gone" said Miss Searles with a stran.
gled sob.
Didn't you lock the box when you
went out to lunch?
mo, Mr.. Graves, you know I told
you yesterday that something had gone
wrong with the lock, and you said
you'd have it attended to-"
well, you should have reminded
me-" answered Graves with a snarl.
Think I've nothing else to do than
look after your cash-box? Who was in
here when you went out?"
81 was" said Mr.. Henderson, one Of
the junior clerks. But l went out
five minutes later, and I'm positive no
one went to the cash-box while was
here"
Henderson and Miss Searles gave
each other the uncover. Il bet she
took It," Henderson was thinking.
"She came back in a new hat"
Miss Searles was thinking. IF it
wasn't Mr.. Henderson, I don't know
who it could have been except Billy"
"Billyl" called Mr.. Graves.
The office boy came in, wiping the
back of his hand across a smeary
mouth. He looked innocently into
Graves face.
BILLY, who came into this Office af-
ter Mr.. Henderson went outY'
"N-nobody, sir" faltered Billy.
well, it's very strange, that's all
I've got to say. A twentydollar bill
is missing from the petty cash"
Instantly hang-dog look came over
the face of the Office boy. 81 don't
know nothing about it." he mumbled.
Miss Searles and Henderson both
looked at him, and each thought the
same thing. You can't trust those
boys. 1t must have been the tempta-
ton Of seeing 1t lying there"
r,ontH oonfacc ipavnn1fafa1xr bof
you took it, and hand 1t back, the mat
ter won't go any further except Of
course, that you'll have to leave" each
of them was thinking of saying, but
nobody dared to.
tom Shocks come in for a minute
Il forgot" said Billy.
Tom Shocks was the elevator boy
a hard-bitten husky fellow whom
every one was afraid Of
'What did he come in for?" asked
Mr.. Graves.
Il dunno" said Billy. II think he
wanted to see you, sir"
How long was he in hereT
about a minute. sir"
They all looked at one another.
Shocks, of course. But nobody was 60
ing to beard Tom Shocks without de-
cisive evidence.
"wsll ia r~'e - have @
eis5t 10 Nj Joues." said NJ
era
"N ser. I'D rather make Z
* s, q cay 8wn money said Miss
Seanes p eriuE niangef. a.
Mr. Jones would mt the blame on me
They ~ Miss Searles ard
read guilt in her eyes. "Poor little
girl" thought Henderson, who was
chivalrously inclined. st lrnew that
hat came from somewhere"
Mr.. Jones entered, an elderly man
with bristllng white moustache
whats all the Capitalization aboutT
he asked. well, Miss SearlesT
"There's a twenty-dollar bill been
taken from the petty cash." faltered
Miss Searles.
"What d'you mean, taken? Don't
you lock the cash-boxT demanded Mr..
Jones.
1.-THE locks broken, sir, and"
'Yes," interrupted Graves. "You
should have reminded me of that
again, Miss Searles." He was trying
to clear himself
Miss Searles looked at Mr.. Graves
Indignantly, and Mr.. Henderson in
vast contempt Mr.. Jones grew sar-
castle.
II should think you'd be able to take
charge of this department without
having broken locks on cash-boxes, Mr..
Graves" he said. Let me have a look
at it. Where was the twenty dollarsT'
Here, on top of this pile. sir" fall
tered Miss Searles.
Mr.. Jones turned the little pile OF
dollar bills over. "What d'you call
this?" he snarled. There was the yell
| lowback, lying at the bottom.
"Oh" gasped Miss Searles.
Mr.. Jones stalked Indignantly out OF
the office "Have that lock mended,'
he called from the door.
Miss Searles," said Mr.. Graves,
will you take a letter, pleasep