Year: 1879

IN TWO CHAPTERs-CHAPrER l.


Mr. Duff the worthy and respected agent
of the Central Bank at Tollkirk, was startled
by his teller, James Hamilton. coming to him
to say, just as the banker had signed the last
oihcial letter before proceeding to lock up
the safe Il am sorry to say, Sir, the cash
appears to be one hundred pounds short 4"
james was very pale as he spoke, and des-
pite his efforts to prevent it, his voice trem-
bled. stranger could not have told wheth.
er the youths agitation was the result of
fright or guilt


MIR. Duff knew him too well to let the lat
ter alternative dwell in his mind for even n
moment; but the lads excitement was some
what infectious, and it was with Just a little
throb that he replied, "You are Joking,
jamie Mr.. Duff leaned back in his chair
and nibbled the feather-end of his quill as he
looked i'll the lads face.


II was never more serious in my life, " re-
iterated Hamilton.


1T is some mares nest, depend upon il,
said Mr.. Duff in tone that partly rtassured
the poor fellow. Have you been very busy
at the desk to-day, Jamos?"


That is the mystery Of it, Sir; we have
not been busy. Hardly three pages of our
cash-book are filled"


"A hundred pounds HIM! am going
up stairs to dinner In the meantime check
your summations and your cash, and by and
by III come in to lock up the safe with ye


The teller went from the bankers room to
the outer Office with very grave face. Mr.
Duff, who lived with his family, as is custom
AIRY in Scotland, in the very commodious
house attached to the bank, sent his letters
TO be copied by the junior clerk, and then
went leisurcly up stairs to dinner.


Mr.. Dull's was for a man who does not OBJ
ject to permanent residence in provincial
town, very easy and pleasant mode of life.
His work was not hard, nor were his respons-
Utilities very heavy. He had a pretty and
comfortable home i'll an old fashioned coun-
try town, and although his wife lay in the
church yard on the brae by the riverside
these ten years, still he had two of the pret-
tiest girls in Tollkirk-M -Minna and Mary Duff,
(btsides Jenny, the married daughter, who
lived in Edinburgh whose delight it was to
make his life sunny and happy. He was
naturally-being known to possess private
means, and on account of his official capacity
As the dispenser of discounts and the custo-
dian of the wealth of the neighborhood-a
mnn of some importance in Tollkirk, and
formed part of, as well as moved in, Toll
kirk best society He was magistrate and
farmer as well as banker and on Sundays,
for many long year, he had stood beaming
behind the plate" at the entrance to the
"auld kirk" Everybody knew him. and he
knew everybody; and perhaps nobody re-
sp, cted him the less because he pretty well
knew to within pound or two what every
rate payer on his side of the country was
worth financially.


lie took life very easy, as l have said
making no undue fuss when an accommoda-
tion bill was presented to him, if he knew
as he was certain to know-the pedigree and
progress through life of drawer and indOrser
He was respected too, by his Edinburgh en-
ployers as man of prudence and sagacity,
who never made bad debts, never troubled
th' IN with applications for rise of salary or
transfer agency-whOse books always stood
the minutest inspection, and who speaking
generally, wanted no favors from them.
Rather granted fayors by occasional invita-
tions to visit him at Tollkirk, where there is
unsurpassed trout and salmon fishing, be-
sids magnificent links for golf, and where
the local distillery yields a liquid of more
than local reputation. The city-birds were
not slow to accept such invitations Mr.. Duff
being over "A tumbler of tOddy the best of
company, and generous in the matter of
hors, ; and tishing-rods. The chief inspector
of the bank came often enough to WOO the
far j, my, the eldest of the family, snd took
her away with him one summer day, to the
general bereavement of TollkiTk.


/ ne banker ulu not hurry over ulnntf on
the particular afternoon of which l write
Wh,n he went up stairs he did not give sec
ond thought to James Hamilton's pale face,
but quietly settled himself in his arm chair,
aftrr doing justice to his simple repast, TO
reid for the second time the report of his
own recent great speech at the parochial
board, given at length in the Tollkirk Herald,
the fine roll of his own-sOmewhat improved
spoken sentences seen in black and'white
communicating pleasing sense of cOmpla-
cence and importance as influencing public
opinion. 1t was nearly o'clock before Mr..
Duff remembered that he had not yet locked
up his safe, and that his clerk was probably
waiting below for him. He was surprised
when he opened the office doOr-leading TO
the lnll Of his house-to find Hamilton still
bending over his cash-book with an express
sion of deep anxiety on his face, and bun
dies of bank notes lying on the desk before
him.


"What, James, still in a fog! he asked
cheerfully, as he came in. Not found your
ditiert nee, eh 7"


Il am hundred pounds short, Sir with
out doubt


Hamilton had toiled through every entry
over and over again, had counted and re-
counted his bundle of notes, and now had
very sharply defined fear in his heart, and a



of a dearly-loved old mother waiting for him
at home, and who was i'll able to bear the re-
sponsibility of such loss-if loss it should
prove to be.


"A mares nest, I'll be bound, Mr. Duff
said, good-naturedly, taking Hamilton's place
before the cash-book. Very carefully and
with a keen eye he went over each entry
very carefully, too, he counted the cash,
and recounted it but only to find that Ham
iltons words were too true. The cash was
undoubtedly one hundred pounds short.


II think we had better sleep over it, Mr..
Duff said at last, looking at his watch. "The
difference will turn up in the morning, you
may depend upon it," Then the cash and
books were carried into the safe, and the of
fee closed for the night.


Poor Hamilton lay awake nearly all night
thinking over some probable clue to the
whereabouts of the missing money. Never
before had he left the bank with such dread
on his mind for he felt certain that he had
gone over each item of the day, that he had
not oyerpaid any one TO such an extent and