CHAPTER I.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 85, 17 January 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER I.

It was 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning. I had already been at the oflico a couple of hours, hard at work over ledgers and daybooks. They had been my constant companions for many days past. I was beginning to tire of their company. But at last I had discovered that of which I was in eaarch. I whistled down my speaking-tube for Mr Jenkin, the head clerk of the firm. " Is Mr Macfarlane come yet?" " No, sir," was the reply. I felt annoyed, lie ought to have arrived half an hour ago. Was it possible he had taken fright ? I gave orders that he should be sent to me directly he came. I had been engaged on an important affair, but I believed I had carried it through successfully. So far as I knew, my examination of the books had been made without exciting suspicion, but it wasdilHcult to be quite sure. Half an hour passed before Macfarlane made his appearance. \N hen he enteied the room it was evident he thought he was about to be reprimanded for his tardy ar rival, for he began to apologise. I listened to his excuses, which I happened to know were pure inventions, and then turned to the matter in hand. " Can you explain these figures ?"' I asked him quietly, opening the ledger at a cer tim page. He gave a slight start, and then moved slowly forward to inspect the entry. " \Yh it is it that requires explanation?*' he asked. " according to the returns which I have received fiom Frodt-ham and Walker," I replied, "the amount of alloy in their last consignment does not t illy with that stated in your entry. Moreover, they do not^eem to have been allowed the Uoiial discount, though you have deducted it from the sums for which you have accounted."' The evidence was as clear as day. He could give no explanation. " It must have been a mistake," he said. " We used not to allow the discount, and I suppose I must have overlooked the recent change in my instructions." "It's a cut i jus mistake," I observed. " It has occurred in the only case in %\ Inch, in the ordinary course of business, \\q should have no check on your transactions. Pure accident rendered me suspicious, and I resolved to see if there were any ground for my suspicions." He made no reply. "Have you anything to say?'" I demanded. " Only that it was a mistake," he reiterated. " I am afraid that excuse will scarcely be sufficient. A mistake which results in a loss to the firm of 0175 is not one that can be passed over." " What do you mean to do ?"' he a?ked. "Naturally, I shall put the w hole affair before my partners. In the meantime you ■u ill remain here till they decide what steps Ej o take."' He moved a step toward the door, but I had my hand on the bell, and he stopped. " I have told you it was a mistake," he repeated; "but I am ready to suffer the consequences of it. It will ruin me to replace the money, but I can give you halt of it, and you can retain the balance by degiee.from my salary. <s That is not the usual method in which embezzlement is treated," I leplied, coldly. "Do you mean that you will prosecute me?" " I have no doubt whatever that the firm will." " It's no good putting it on the firm," he said, angrily. "It's you \\ho have discovered it all. No one v ill know a word of it if you do not speak."' " You confe&s it, then ?"' I asked. " I confe=s to nothing except a mistake. It is for you to undertake the responsibility of treating it as anything more. Are you going to ruin me ? Do you know that if I am arrested my life is wrecked ?"' I hesitated. It is a seiious thing to blast a man's prospects for ever, however he may deserve punishment. He j-aw my hesitation, and took advantage of it. " Why do you want to injme me? What good will it do you ? You know lam the best man in the w hole place. Is it v, ise to lose me ? I will woi kas hard as a do^en of them if you \\ ill let me off You v ill alw ay= have a hold over me in future, and if you see me f-hirking you will always be able to keep me up to my woik. If only you will kef p silent ! No one else knows '" His argument was. the v. or.-t he could have used ;it determined me finally. I saw that if I consented to hold my tongue I should be as much at his mercy as he at mine -we should be accomplices "It is too late," I said. "You should have thought of all this before. I ha\ eno choice." " You will »end me to prison, then ?" " I shall report what 1 have discovered." "Very well, then/ ho said in a whimper, " if you do, I swear I'll have my revenge ' Another couple or years and I .should make my fortune ; now you are destroying every thing. Take care !"' " I am not to be hindered from doing my duty by idle threats," I retorted as I rose. "You will find they are not idle," he returned. " I'll make you repent this day, if I have to wait half my life for it." I disdained to hear mor 3. I left the room, locking the door behind me. Macfarlane made no resistance ; he knew escape was impossible. To reach the street he would have to traverse a room full of men, even supposing I could not have prevented him from leaving the room. An hour afterward he was given into custody. When the trial came on there was no difficulty in proving his guilt. It also came out that he had squandered the money he had appropiiated in dissipation, ana that be was even a more worthless character than I had believed. I felt no compunction for the part I had played. I had only fulfilled my duty. Nor did I anticipate that his threats were anything more than the expressions of the hate which he naturally felt toward me. He was condemned to two years'imprison- J ment with hard labour. j