Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

162 plied slowly ; “ but be sure you make it all right with Kinney before me in the morning, he repeated in determined tones. *“ Why, of course, my dear boy; but "you seem awfully suspicious,” replied Forsdyke tentatively. “ Not at all; but I don’t enjoy this thing even to sleep on one night,” re- sponded Dash, to the other’s evident relief. He started off down the track to go to Mrs. Handiford’s, and Forsdyke ac- companied him a short distance, then hastened back to his office. When he entered he found Kinney there. He had deliberately lied to Dykeman when he told him that the assistant had gone home. Forsdyke went direct to his desk and shoved his hand into one of the numerous pigeonholes. He felt around in the aperture for a moment, and then a startled look came over his face. He hurriedly examined his pockets, but apparently with no result, for, turning to Kinney in evident excitement and alarm, he demanded: “Where is it, Kinney?” Where is what, sir? ”’ ‘The key to the safe.” “ Here it is, sir,” and the assistant deliberately pulled the key out of his pocket and put it on the desk. “You were trying to scare me, Kin- ney,” laughed Forsdyke, with a sickly but assumed smile of relief. “ Where did you get it?” “Do you generally keep it in that pigeonhole? ” asked Kinney, before answering the question. “Yes; there’s a false back to it no one knew of but myself till now.” “Are you sure Mr. Dykeman didn’t know about it?” continued the assist- ant. “ Yes—or no; he may have seen me take it from there. Why do you ask?” “When I came in from the express, after you had gone up town, I found him on his knees before the safe, try- ing to Open it with this key,” replied THE ARGOSY. Kinney, and he went on to tell in detail his encounter with Dash. “ That fellow’s got the greatest nerve I ever saw!” exclairned Forsdyke in- dignantly, when the assistant had fin- ished. “I never gave him the key or the combination and asked him to open it. I’m no such fool.” “Then you really think he would © have robbed the safe if I hadn’t inter- rupted him?” observed Kinney, who evidently wished to believe otherwise. Of course he would have done so. How can I think otherwise?” replied Forsdyke positively. ‘‘ As I have said, I haven’t liked the way he has stuck around this office. I thought he was up to something, and now I’m sure of it.” “ Well, now, it’s too bad. I never would have thought it,” said Kinney regretfully. “ You could have knocked me over with a straw when I saw him before that safe. But hadn’t we better tell the superintendent? ”’ ““T don’t know but what we had,” began Forsdyke reflectively, though he had not the remotest intention of doing so; “ but no; if we did, he might believe Dykeman’s story, and I’d_ get blamed for my pains; and, even if he didn’t, he would make it uncomfortable for me when he learned that I carelessly left the key in the pigeonhole. I have a plan that will settle Dykeman, and probably put a couple of hundred dol- lars apiece in our pockets.” “What is it? ”’ asked Kinney, who was of an avaricious nature, though honest. “ Dykeman has brought all this on himself, and ought to suffer. He will no doubt make another attempt on the safe before that money 1s taken away. Why not let him doit? We will watch for him, and surprise him at it, and we will then be praised. I-have no doubt the company will reward us with a couple of hundred or so.” ‘How could we arrange it? ” asked Kinney, though even he felt that it was despicable business to permit a crime ; COMMUGCLWIOO eo