Year: 1873




Nor long ago a foreign firm in London
asked me to assist them in recovering
some bonds, the loss of which would have
embarrassed them them very much. The
circumstances under which these docu-
ments had been taken from them were
very peculiar, So much so that they could
hardly move IN the affair themselves with
out iaiuiing the credit Of their house
The son Of the senior partner, a young
man about 25 years OF age was employed
by the firm, and acted rs a sort of conf
dental clerk or secretary TO his father
The junior partner was often Obliged to
be on the Continent for several weeks
together; and as the senior had very deI.
cate health, and often absented himself
from the office for a day or two on that ac-
count, he had given, with the full consent
Of his partner, his son power to sign for
the firm "by pTocurauOn," as it is called.
Tie son had, as was only found out when
too late, been gradually falling into bad
habits, Gnd unknown 10 his father, used
To bet upon races and otherwise do much
that he had been far wiser TO have eft
alone. Latterly his creditors had been
pressing him very hard. He had some
overdue acceptances, which the holder
threatened to tell his father of if they



TO tradesmen, and had even more dis
creditabe liabilities which he would not
for the world his father should know of
For some time past be had used his
power OF signing for the firm to sign
checks for SO or SEQ whenever he want
ed money His father had been unwell,
the junior partner was to be absent for
some weeks, and the check-book, as well
as the banker passbook, were LETT in his
hands. At last he had got so deep in the
mire Of debt and difficulty that there was
but two roads open for him-the one to
make clean breast of it, tell his father
al he had done, and ask him to pay his
debts; the other to leave London and
Europe and to 90 to America. In an
evil hour h. chose the latter; but before
doing So, drew out by check from the
bank nearly the whole balance then to
the credit of the firm. Fortunately this
was only few hundred pounds, as sew
eral large acceptances had fallen due
short time before But IN addition to
this money ne took with him bonds to q
large amount, which represented the
greater part Of the capital of the firm.
These, being shares on foreign companies
were payable Ito bearer" and therefore
it was surmised that he must have pledg-
ed them. He had been traced to Paris,
and from there to Hayre, where he had
embarked for America. | mention these
various circumstances to show how it was
that the firm itself could not act openly
in the matter without iniuring very great
iv their credit in the commercial world,
and why it was they requested me to find
out. If possible, whether these stolen
bonds were pledged; if SO, where, and for
what amount, and TO redeem them as
cheaply and as quickly as was possible.


4 clue-a very slight one. it is true,
but still Clue-waS given me as TO where
to begin my inquiry. Nearly all the
checks which The young man had drawn
without authority in so doing had been
traced to the bank where a very notorious
nonoy-lender kept his account. This in
aiyidual had the very worst of characters,
having, as was well known, been some
wears ago mixed up with the robbery of
a well-known bank in LOndon-not in
deed As principal in the work, but as in
.EiratOr. receiver of the pluudeT. and
having protited by the plunder very much
aare than the chief actor IN the affair.
Ble the accusation could never be proved
.E..nst him, and the consequence was
int de vas free man, whereas the clerk
Who had perpetrated the fraud had been
-.g some years in penal servitUde.


zHAPTER II-THE WRONG SCENT.


the object Of the firm that employed
me - ecover these bonds for them was
"a-told II the first place they wanted


set the documents back, but 10 get
.aem back without creating any scandal
IS any talk. 1t was almost OF as vital inn
lE.ance for their credit that the conduct


me anior partners son should not be


rs i. was that the missing property


a be found This was the reason


-aeE did not wish to appear IN the


themselves. / was to act as il the


Il Aa3 been mine. They did not ex


ae 70 do any detective work myself,


-.Ie.y 70 employ the proper persons
.e work, and direct, under private


.l,'e..21s fIoa them, the search.


aa-s almost TO any amount were placed
ny disposal. ANY expense that |
r.. .l deem necessary to incur would be


once, AL | had to do was to find


sAete me bonds were, for what