Year: 1877

Upon my telling Copp this, however, he
stoutly refused to have anything to do with
it. ut war not his" he said. s.and be had
only taken charge of it upon the SUPPOSE
ton that it belonged to one of the custom
ers of the bank" The matter was finally
settled by opening a deposit account in
the joint names of Copp and myself.
Two years rolled by and nothing further
was heard of the mysterious depositor and
began to think that the amount would
ultimately fall into the hands of the worthy
Sergeant Copp or his family, to whom It
would be small fortune. At length,
however, one morning. Sergeant Copp


walked up TO my desk with an expression
OF great pleasure on his honest face.
"Beg your pardon sir, he commenced;
scan speak to you for few minutes p'


Certainly" said L; what is it P''
"Well, sir. do You remember that bag
of money-two years ago"


"Of course do" replied with inter-
est, who could forget itP"


"Well, sir ! think I've got clew to the
man who left it with me-"


cit appeared that the sergeant's son war
apprenticed to an uphOlstersr in the CITY,
Among the workmen in the establishment
who had recently joined was French pol
|
sation, he told his fellow-workme en- the fol-
lowing facts concerning foreman of the
firm OF Smith and Jones, where he had
formerly worked. This foreman, whose
name was Thompson. had been with the
firm great many years he was entrusted
by his employers from time to time with
the collection of large amounts of money,
and had always been found honest and up
right. Upon one occasion about two years
before, shipping order had come to the
firm for quantity of furniture from a new
foreign house OF which they had some sus-
picions. The goods were ordered to be
shipped on certain day, and it was agreed
that they were to be paid tor in money be-
fore being placed on board. As the order
came to seven hundred and fifty pounds the
foreman who went down himself in charge
Of the goods, with strict injunc,ions from
his employers either to bring them back or
the money. The goods were placed on
board the ship from the lighter in the
docks, so much was ascertaiued; but the
| foreman had received the money, and had
given receipt Tor II, was never seen
again, either by the firm or by his wife
and family. The hghterman. who had
been present at the payment OF the money.
and had conveyed Thompson ashore, de-
posed that he had not been able 70 get the
goods on board the day when they were
sent down. and Thompson passed the
night at sailors coffee-house in the
neighborhood of the docks. in order to be
in time for the transhipment in the morn.
ing. When he arrived on board he looked
very strange. and the lighterman noticed
that his watch and chain were missing.
Altogether. Thompson's appearance was
that OF a man who was still suffering from
the effects OF nights debauch. On TAX
ing him ashore, the lighterman had con.
Quoted Thompson, at his earnest request,
TO public-house, and had there lett him.
From this point impenetrable mystery
hung over the whole matter. Had
Thompson decamped with the money, or
had he been the victim Of some foul play
The first hypothesis was secuted by
Thompson's friends and fellow-workmen.
Tie had shown himself for more than twen-
lty years man OF probity he was q sober
and prudent man. whose only delight was
in his children. He was always preaching
habits OF saving and economy to the men
under him. and when he disappeared. it
was found that he had considerable sum
in the savings-bank, which he had never
touched. 1t was incredible, therefore,
that he could have embezzled his employ
er's money.


The second hypothesis seemed the more
reasonable one. But il he had been MUIR
dered. how had his body been disposed
oip The river had been closely watched
from the Tower to the sea, but no corpse
answering the description had ever been
found.


Young Copp had carried this story to
hia tath hn kaI ,..L
much difficulty succeeded in discovering
Thompsons unfortunate vile and family,
who were now reduced to great power
ty. From them he heard the confirms
ton of the sad story, and felt sure that at
last he had found the missing clue.


The good sergeant then waited on
Messrs. Smith and Jones, in whose en-
ployment Thompson had been. and ascer-
tanned two facts which confirmed him in
his supposition. The seven hundred and
fifty pounds had been paid by the foreign
firm which had bought the goods, in ex-
actly the same proportion of notes and
gold as the sum left with. the commission
aire, and the date upon which they were
paid corresponded with that of the myste-
rlous deposit. The unfortunate hiatus in
the chain OF evidence was that nobody
knew the numbers OF the bank-notes
which had formed part OF it.


"What do you think, sir2' continued
Copp.


| replied that | thought the solution
probable, but that We should proceed
very cautiously in the testing OF every
proof.


After turning over the matter carefully
in my mind, came to the conclusion that
the only means of Identifying the sum
paid to Thompson with that left with Ser
geant Cepp. would be comparison of
The number OF the notes in each instance.
But then came a formidable difficulty.
The foreign firm had been dissolved, and
its members had left England. They had
already informed Messrs. Smith and Joces
that they had omitted to take the numbers
OF the bank notes which had been remit
ted to them from the Continent.


The plan that ! at last hit upon was
as follows:


When the seven hundred and fifty
pounds were paid into the deposit &C.


CONCLUDED ON FOURTH PAoE.1