The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

394 A SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. the thief was not among our clerks, that I will swear to. Will not you, Monckton ?’’ ' Yes,’’ replied his partner huskily. . : Thorne, for the first time, looked across the table at the junior partner, His eyes gazed searchingly into Monckton’s own. The latter’s gaze fell. For several moments there was silence. Then the young fellow turned abruptly to Captain Latimer, ‘ Well, captain,’’ he said, as though dismissing the subject of the bank- notes entirely, ‘‘it is settled that I shall sail with you?” ‘“'That’s as you please, sir. I shall be glad to have you aboard.”’ ‘“ But when is your Naida to be ready for sea?’’ ‘‘ Not under a month, sir.”’ : ‘““And I must wait all that time !’’ exclaimed Thorne. ‘‘ Patience, my boy,’’ said Undercliff. ‘‘ Patience ! why, I could start tomorrow.’’ ‘“ But you would gain nothing by it. You'd have to go to San Francisco and across to Sydney, if you did so, for there’s no direct route to Aukland except by sailing vessel.’’ ‘‘ A month’s the best we can do, sir,’’ said Captain Latimer, rising. <* shall take her down to Rivermouth tomorrow, and save wharf rent. You might join us there, Mr. Thorne, and be gettin’ your sea legs, on the way round to New York.”’’ “I'll do it,”’ returned Thorne, and with an awkward bow to the others the old mariner went out. Immediately the door closed behind him Thorne turned to his guardian, ““Guardy,’’ he said quietly, ‘‘ there is no possible way in which anybody , could have exchanged that note for another since you have had them in your possession ? ’’ : ‘“ Positively none. I have not had the money in my hands a half dozen times since I first locked the package in that drawer.’’ , ‘Then, I must have an explanation. You can plainly see that there was a crime committed. Either the money was stolen and replaced by the thief, or else = ‘Well, what? ’’ demanded Undercliff, . ‘It was a plot to ruin my father in your estimation !’”’ “Tut, tut ! what do you mean ?’’ | Thorne looked at Monckton again. ‘That money was removed from the safe i ‘“ But the combination was known only to your father,’’ cried the senior partner nervously. ‘ It was transferred to paper though.”’ ‘ And locked in his desk. He admitted it himself.” ‘“ And nobody could get into that desk but himself?” ‘“ Why—no—I could,’’ replied Undercliff slowly. ‘You only?”? ‘‘ And—and—Mr. Monckton.’’ Monckton sprang up with a stifled exclamation. al ©) =) booksscom -