NEIL BAILEY'S DILEMMA

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 29, 20 July 1905, Page 23

NEIL BAILEY'S DILEMMA

It was a May morning m New York, aad even the great city seemed eagerly to greet the milder season. The trees in the small parks that have withstood the encroachments of commerce hung out their leafy banners as if in welcome to a gracious guest. The hitherto forlorn, scraggy bushes hidden away beyond the kitchens of the tall houses, like little floral Citfderellas, suddenly found themselves arrayed in royal robes of green ; while be-foie them, in the patches of grass in the backyardp, gleamea here and there a few dandelions, like a handful of golden coins scattered by a beneficent fairy. The sun shone, the skies were blue, the air was balmy ; and as Neil Bailey walked down Broadway on his way to business, with a long, steady stride which told of his athletic trailing, he felt that all the energy and hope and courage of the young conlqueror Spring thrilled through his own veins also. He was only one of thousands of young clerks hastening to their employment, an(d of thousands of older, prosperous men going more leisurely to their offices and counting-rooms. No one turned a second glance, bher-eforej upon his wellknit figure a,nd pleasant, manly face. As he crossed Union Square he noted that, in its budding foliage, it appeared transformed into a beautiful gardefe. Then he plunged amid the prose of lifo a;ga,in in the vortex of the noisy thoroughfare below Fourteenth Street. And as his eyqs, sipeedrng before his feet, followed the throng that formed a black moving mass as tar as his gaze could reach, he thought, with a boyish exube-rance of spirits, that no individual among this multitude was so happy as himself. For Bailey was frankly in love, -ana only a few days earlier ' the dearest girl in the world ' had promised to be his wife. Cla£re Milner was convent-bred. Her pretty face ha 3 been the magnet that first attracted the young man ; just as, the world over, youth finds in beauty, dr its ideal of beauty, a woman's greatest chiarm. But, fortunately, this ' dearest girl ' possessed, moreover, the qualities that go to make a good helpmate ; and thus her lo^er had more reason to congratulate himself than eft en he was aware Neil was in the employment of the well known wool brokers, Van Nostrand and Co. His desk was in Mr. Van Nostrand 's own office : and on? of his especial duties at the beginning of the day was to open the safe where the books of the firm were kept, and to lock it at the close of business hours. During the week just passed, the young man had worked particularly well He and Claire were agreed that they could not afford to marry for a year ; but the necessity of obtaining promotion in order that he might earn a larger salary, and his anxiety to make a home to which he might take his bride m the blissful future beyond this period of waiting, v ere spurs to his industry. On this particular morning e\cn the head of 'the firm condescended to notice his punctuality with a word ot commendation. ' I am glad to see that you get to work in good season, Bailey,' said Mr. Van Nostrand, sen tension sly. ' To succeed in business, a man must make a practice oi being in time.' ' "Yes, sir, 1 answered Neil. And as he glanced at the clock, he saw with satisfaction that he had still five minutes to his credit. Mr Van Nostrand himself was not usually so eailv He had reached the age and the degree of prosperity that confer the right to comparative leisure ; but the recollection of bis years of assiduous application made him something of a martinet in keeping those under him up to the6r tasks. Neil felt iihat he had scored a pofat in the favor of the old gentleman in this apparently small matter nf five minutes, and he smiled as he turned away and unlocked the safe as usual. How often is joy changed to r&dness as though by the openiinlg) of a door ' The errand boy came in, and, receiving the books from him, laid them on the die's ks of the clerkis in Ihe counting-room outside, making se\eral trips before all were in place. Tin cm he went out again, leaving Neil with the senior partner. Now it was' that the young man remembered a transacti'orf of the day bofore 1 . Mr. Gellett, of Gellett a.nd Larum, paid us fifteen hundred So-llars in cash yesterday.' he said. ' I suppose, sir, I had better deposits this morninie:, with the cheqjues that came in after the bank closed ? '

Me. .Van Nosttan'd nodded assent. Neil ODened a small drawer in the safe, took out several cheques, placed them in an envelope, and, picking up the packet of bank-notes, began to count them over. Presently he started, and an expression of incredulity and alarm flitted acrosp his face as he counted them again. The next moment he turned to his chief, who was engaged in reading a portion of the mail. 'Mr. Van Nostrand/ he said excitedly, ' here is some/thing apparently inexplicable ! Yesterday I put the fifteen hundred dollars paid by Mr. Gellett in the safe. 'Now fi\e hundred dollars of the amount have disappeared.' Mr. Van Nostrand stared, and extended his hand for tlie packet. ' When did you count the money ? ' he inquired after se\ eial seconds of ominous silenoe. ' About five o'clock— shortly before we closed. I was alone here at the time.' ' And did you go home immediately after locking the ' No, sir. Mr. James Van Nostrand sent for me to go up to the warerooms.' ' Humph ! My son ! But you locked the safe before you went up ? ' ' Yes, sir. I am certain that I did ; because I remember that, to make sure it was locked, I tried it again when I came down.' ' Ha*e you ever confided the combination to any one ? ' Neil wiais indignant at the intimation. ' I alond'have the combination. Even you do not know n, sir,' he answeiecl. ' And all the clerks were gone before I went up.' Mr. Va-n Nostrand coughed dryly. 1 Since, by your own showing, no one has had access to the money but you, Mr. Bailey,' he said, ' we shall hold you responsible for its disappearance.' A hot flush swept over the countenance of the) young man, and as- swiftly a determined expression settled upon it. ' "if you mean to insinuate that T stole the notes sir, I beg you to accept my resignation,' he broke out impetuously. ' I will not continue in a position where my honesty is questioned.' 'I Ksanuate nothing,' replied Mr. Van Nositrand. Hut T naOurally expect you to account for the money. I hat the safe could ha\e been burglarised is impossflblethere is no mark upen it 'to indicate that any attempt has been made to open it by force. As for your resignation Mr. Bailey. you are not in a position to resign r and, although I ha\e no wish to resort to harsh mea'iur<K J r nhaill not permit you to leave us until this mat-J ter is settled.' N T eila\ertdd Ms face. He realised that he was inderd in a dilemma. Of what .avail was it to be ancry'? Circumstantial r\idence was, of a truth, strongly against him. ITe must be patient until he could clear 1 lin^elf. ' One inuiTK'tion 1 lay upon you, however,' continued Mr. Van Nostrand, -without so much as raising his voice ' Do not mention this matter of the disappearance of the money to any one in my employment, or to any one from whom my employees might hear of it.' ' And am T to remain under an unjust suspicion without making an attempt to discover the man upon whom the rral guilt rests ? ' protested Neil. ' Mr. Baliley, you will do as I desire,' rejoined Mr. Van Nostrand. ' Further, at ten o'clock every morning you will go to the bank as usual and deposit the <hcqi.es or draw moneys as directed. Do not mention t^c subject of the deficit to me again, unless I refer to it ' Tn gloomy Hopelessness, the young clerk devoted him■s ° lf in Ms duties ; and as he sat at his desk he was Tr.mlcrc-1 still more miserable by the consciousness that t 1 c senior partner was covertly watching him. He was gad enough when trip time came for him to goto the lvank. How hr» g H through the rest of the day which had 'lyvjr.m so brightly, 'he could not have told. ' He did not understand how it was that Mr Van Nostrand ap- ! cared to trust him in one respect and not in another. Neil was so disheartened by what had occurred tihat he would not have \i->;te"d Claire that evening, had he not promised her a gilimp^e of the upper Bohemia, which is, after all, so like the otrfer provinces of the workaday world. The girl had caught the fad of wanting to sre one of tr\- cafes where the literary men, artists, and musicians of the metropolis are supposed to congregate ; and Bailey was too newly-accepted a lover to venture to disappoint her on this occasion. But when he called for her, Claire perceived at once that something was wrong.

' Let us give up our plan far this evening,* she said sensibly. I" Avid now £ Neil, tell me what has happened to make you so despondent ? ' After some hesitation he explained YAs predicament. ■' Of course you did not take the money ! ' she exclaimed, in an assured tone, when he finished his story. ' Sweetheart, how do you know I did not ? ' he asked moodily. ' Are you not afraid you may have been mistaken in me ? Perhaps I am not at all the kind of fellow you thought me.' For a second her eyes sought his with a troubled perplexity. Then she shook her head gaily. ' No, I have made no mistake. You did not take the money because you arc just—yourself,' shela'iighod. ' Claire, 1 thank you — I thank God for your trust in me ! ' he said lervidly, as he caught her hands and pressed them to his lips. ' No, I did not take the money. But who did, and how did he get it, that is the enigma ! ' ' Perhaps you made a note o! the combination that unlocks the safe, and the slip of paper was found by somebody,' she 1 suggested, puckering her forehead into a fascinating little frown. 'Her deep concern for him rendered her more charming than ever. "No,: I always carry the cjmbination in my head,' he responded. 'Cljaire admired him in spite of his discomfiture. To be able to carry figures in one's head was, to her mind, a proof of genius. 'Ha ! at lat-t 1 have a clue to the mystery ! ' she exelaamed, with feminine alertness, after a moment. 'You were alcne in the oflice, you say, yesterday afternoon 9 ' ' Yes . writing letters to be sent by the European steamer.' ' Then, you see, probably you grew drowsy over your work, lost consciousness for a few moments, and, being troubled lest the money might not be secure in the drawer, while under the spell of a dream you secreted It in another part of the safe,.' ' 1 am not a somnambulist, and I have searched •through every corner and compartment of the safe,' Neil rejoined disconsolately. ' Besides, 1 should like to see anyone go to sleep in that office.' ' Well, 1 can imagine no other solution of the problem,' she sigihieid. ' But I can do better than think so idly. I will pray e\ery day that yqu may be vindicated, Neil.' Her conviction of his innocence, and her confidence that everything would come right in the etid, were a great encouragement to him in the time that followed. Claire "was beginning really to help him. His trouble was teaching him how it strengthens the heart of a man when a good woman whom he lo\es>, stands by him, though the world seems against him A few days later Bailey observed a new clerk in the outer office or counting-Toom. Phillips, the stranger, soon pro I . ed himself a good-natuied fellow, and before the end of the week he was a fa\orite with' the boys.' Even Nichols, an unsociable chap with whom the others had little to do, became friendly with him. Neil was too preocclupied with his own affairs to become acquainted with Phillips. Yet before long he began to meet this fellow-clerk elsewhere. The m<an, it seems, boarded in the same stredt with him. If Bailey escoited Claire "to a concert or the play, he frequently caught sight of Phillips in the 'foyei of the theatre or seated not far from them m the hall. It was singular how he and Phillips chose the same shops, the same restaurants. Why, even on Sunday morning when Bailey went to Mass, he could almost haAe sworn that a "man kneeling with bowed head in on-e of the pews was Phillips. Yet someone had told him that Phillips was* not a Catholic. At last the truth dawned upon Neil : he was being shadowed bty a detective employed by the firm, and this mail was tracing; his steps and watch ing His every act. The detccthe was Phillips. Did Nichols know this ? Nichols seemed strangely attracjted to Phillips, and followed him like a dog ; yet the detective appeared to make no special effort to win his friendship. Was Nichols trying to help the man in his work ? Neil's hea>r»fc was hot with an anger which burned none the less fiercely because it was a fire that he must keep hidden In uhis interval, to betray that he was conscious of the espionage to which he was subjected would be, he felt, to relinquish something of his selfrespect. Yet the remembrance of various little happenings, that might lend color to the suspicion agafnst him, caused him some uneasiness. Since he had known Claire, he had been rash in expenditure, for one of his means. What generous lover Is not 9 During his ardent courtship he had drawn recklessly against his modest bank account, and the evenings when he had escorted her to the opera and the

theatre represented to him literally golden moments. Since their engagement he had lavished presents of pretty trinkets upon her. A lover's purse is tied wth cobwebs, says the old proverb ; and was not Neil ready to lay all he had at Claire's feet ? Nevertheless, from the time oi the mysterious disappearance of a part of the sum paid by Gellett and the young man's discovery that he was being pursued by the detective, he felt that a knowledge of the free way in which he hafd been spending money might be construed into a confirmation of his guilt. Matters could not go on long in this way. Accordingly, one! morning Mr. Van Nostrand said to him : 'Mr. Bailey, 1 ha\e concluded that now is the time thoroughly to sift the circumstances of the disappearance of the money of which you can give no account. I propose to summon two men who may be able to assist youfr memory as to what happened on the afternoon that resulted so unfortunately for you.' As he spoke he touched a bell on his table. It.was Phillips who answered the call. 'Be so kind as to ask Nichols to slep here,' said the senior partner, tersely. Nichols came, smiling in an effort to appear at ease, but evidently perturbed and surprised. ' Mr. Bailey,' continued the senior partner, pointing to Phillips, ' I have to tell you tnat this man knows all about the disappearance of the five hundred dollars from the safe. He can name the thief. Nichols, you may as well confess. We have proof that you stole tlie money. Mr. Gellett is rather an eccentric man, and 1 found he had taken the num&bfcrs of some of the notes. With those notes you paid certain debts of your own. Tel! me how you got the money out of the safe? ' Nichols grew pale as dea'tii. He cast a glance of hatred at Phillips, who had trapped him'; he trembled like one stricken with the palsy, and caught hold of the back of a chair to steady himself. Denial or dissimulation would he, he knew, useless. Perhaps if he were to admit his crime, Mr. Van Nostrand might be lenient. ' Oh, sir, I did not moan to do it !' he faltered, bursting into tears. ' I knew the cash was there. Mr. Bailfy told you, when you questioned him about its disappearance, that he locked the safe before he went to Mr. James Van Nostrand. I heard him tell you so— the door of the office was open and I was at my desk in the counting-room. I, too, was early that morning. Bat Mr. Bailey made a mistake : all the clerks were not gone home. 1 was still there on that evening. After he went upstairs in answer to the message from the junior partner, I came into the office. The door of the safe was almost closed, but it was not locked. I pulled it open, drew out the money drawer, and, as I expected, there lay the packet of bank-notes. It was a great temptation. My creditors were pressing me. If I had shut the door at once and fled, 1 would have conquered. Cut I took the packet into my hands, and in that moment my good resolution vanished. " Sometime I will pay it back," I said to myself. I took five hundred dollars'from the packet. T might have taken all there was, but this sum would pay my immediate needs. So I thrust the rest back and locked the safe. That is how it happened. Mr Bailey found the door locked when he returned, and thus was so sure he had made everything secure before leaving the office. Any one could lock it, but of course, not having the combination, I could not hive opened it. O sir, 1 vill work to make up the amount of the money I took ' I have a wife and family who are respectable and honest , spare them this disgrace, I beg of you. Give me a chance to restore what I have taken.' ' For the sake of your wife and family, Nichols, I will not prosecute }ou,' said Mr. Van Nostrand, contemptuously. ' But from this day you are discharged. If you can ever repay any portion of the money, come to me and offer to do so. I shall then ha\e more faith in your repentance ' Nichols slunk away, and Phillips also'withdrew. This was Ballev's opportunity. 'Mr Van Nostrand,' he said, in confusion, 'although I did not take the money, I was indeed guilty of flagrant carelessness in leaning the safe unlocked. And through my negligence all this trouble has come about. To alone for it, I will not resent the humiliation of bavins; been shadowed like a criminal, yet I have felt it bitterly.' Mr. Van Nostrand's face clouded with regret. ' Phillips exceeded his instructions. I did not intend to ha\e you followed, Neil,' he said, with the gentleness of a father. 'I nev«|r for a moment* thought you took the money. You were too positive in asserting that you locked the safe. A young fellow like you is apt to think he cannot possibly be mistaken ; I dare say I thought the same once. But the unfortunate result of your carelessness has, I am sure, taught you a

lesson you will not soon forget. As a balm to your wounded pride at having been haunted by Phillips, however, I will tell you that the report of you he brought to me was so excellent that lam glad to have it. He who is doing /right may be watched by all the world.' ' But thfe money ? I certainly am bound to make good the loss of it,' stammered Neil. Yet his heart sank as he realised that to do this he and Claire must postpone their wedding day. He could not give her wealth, but at least they would not begin with a Twirden of debt. Mr. Van Nostrand came unexpectedly to the rescue. 1 I consider five hundred dollars a small price to pay to get rid of a dishonest clerk,' he said. ' Had Nichols remained in my employment, he mighit' have cost me many thousands. We will say no more about the money.' So well did Bailey profit by the lesson of this experience, and so faithfully did he perform his duties thereafter, (that six months later the senior partner voluntarily increased his salary. And when the next month of May lengthened into June, the hope that had brightened many a day of hard work for Neil came true. He married Claire and took her to a pretty little home in the suburbs— near enough to the great city to admit of his reaching the office easily, ydt far enough away to be beyond the turmoil and noise of crowded streets, amid wide fields and wholesome air, and an environment of simple content.—' Aye Maria 9