Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 571 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

.on the ‘‘No; they have come to us in several differ- ent hands,” ‘¢ And the signatures?” “They are faultless, and the names of the best business men in our city.” ‘‘ Has the cashier not been able to detect them at sight, when presented?” ‘*No, notas yet, though he now scrutinizes every signature with excessive caution.” oe flow many cases of this kind have you found?” ‘+ Kleven.” ‘*Great Scott! you allowed them to fool you that many times before you made the discovery !” ‘* Tt could not very well be helped. You see, all the notes came due within a few days of each other, and as soon as we found that two of them were forgeries we looked up the others to learn how many of them were bad.” ‘‘ How mucb is your total loss, in this way?” ‘* About twenty-five thousand dollars,” ‘‘ Whew! that is no small sum for your little bank, is it?” ‘Tt is pretty hard on us,” ‘¢ And to whom was all this money paid?” ‘To a man who had been buying up real estate in this county.” ‘‘Then you have a chance to get some of it back, certainly.” ‘* Get some of it back? Not much! the scoun- drel has been too sharp for that. He dealt con- songealye in real estate, as I said, but when we came to look up the matterto see how he did stand, we found that all he owns here will not reach over two thousand dollars. He bought land of several of our rich men, but, by trading ani what not he cleared his hands of almost all of it, at a good round profit. This done, and before the notes became due he dropped right out from among us, and that was the last of bim.” ‘‘ What was his name?” ‘¢ He called himself Herbert Spencer.” ** Can you describe him?” The president of the bank did so to the best of his ability, and then the conversation turned up- uestion of counterfeiting. ‘¢ Will you now show me samples of this coun- terfeit money, with the genuine?” Opening a drawer the banker took out some new bills. ‘‘ Here they are; see if you can tell which the genuine ones are.” The bills were twos and fives. Taking them in his hands the detective stud- ied them with care for a few moments, and then he picked out the ones which he thought were the genuine. ‘* Am I right?” he asked. ** You are,” the president admitted. ‘‘The signature is nearly the same on them all,” the detective observed, ‘‘and is a very clever forgery. This gives strength to my sus- picion that the counterfeiter and the note-forger are one and thesame, Itis the engraving that gives it away.” ‘‘ That is so,” the president had to admit, “ for { am sure that I would not be able to swear that the signature is not mine.” ‘Well, how long is it since you discovered these counterfeits?” ‘* About a week,” ‘‘ And who was the first one to discover them?” ‘¢ One of our under-clerks,” ‘‘The paying-teller?” ‘‘No; one of the lower men. He found two of them in his month’s pay, and at once called my attention to them. Our paying-tellcr, by the way, is also our cashier,” ‘*‘ Ali the more strange, then, that he was not the one to make the discovery, But that does not matter, now. ave you any idea how yao of this stuff you have accepted as genu- ine ‘*Not to a certainty, but we have traced at least four thousand dollars of it.” “Tt is a remarkable case, and no mistake. With your permission, I will keep these two counterfeits, and will know them when I see them.” ‘* You may do so,” ; “ And now, please give me 2 list of the em- rae of the bank,” bis was soon done, “Do any of them know that I am here asa detective?” ‘** Not one of them, sir.” “ That is good, and it will be well not to let them know.” ‘‘ Then you suspect some one of them? If you do, you are mistaken. I trust them all as I would my own sons.” ‘* [t does not follow that I suspect them,” the detective returned, ‘I have to suspect every man, for that matter, until I find the guilty one. se ee eee eee ee , ———————— ee By the way again, have you put this case in the hands of your own house detectives?” “Tea ‘“« And that, of course, is known.” ly a” ‘‘ And now about this Mr. Spencer: did you, personally, have any dealings with him in any way? ‘*No, sir. Our cashier, however, made an ex- change of property with him, and boasts that he got rather the better of the bargain.” ‘‘ He did, eh? Then perhaps he can give me some points about him. 1 will try and make the acquaintance of your cashier, And now, Mr. Redding, let it be understood that [ am an acquaintance of yours, and that I want to pur- chase some property in this city. The rest I will take care of.” “It shall be as you say.” ‘*And let these matters of the notes and the counterfeiting rest for the present. I will be at work in a quiet way, and will let you know how I am getting along from time to time, It may take me some time to make Ths Sg of any mo- ment, but I will do the best I can.” And the detective took his departure. CHAPTER III, PRETTY LUCY FIELDING. In a pleasant little cottage not far from the railroad station at West Plain lived pretty Lucy Fielding—as pretty a ak as the city of West Plain could show, and had many admirers. She was the daughter of one Dan Fielding, a conductor on the B. L. & H. Road, who, while by no means wealthy, owned his little house and lot, and lived in very comfortable style, Lucy, as said, had many admirers, and among them were some of the wealthy young men of the place, and among these was' Stewart Ly- man, the cashier of the First National Bank, who was reputed to be quite well off in this world’s bb: Of these rich admirers, however, Lucy bad no favored one. And her father was not a little opposed to her having anything to do with them atall. It was his idea that a girl never did well if she looked above her own station in life. Perhaps Dan was right, and it would seem that Lucy thought pretty much the same as he did, for while she cared little or nothing for any of her rich suitors, she did bestow her affec- tions in another direction. And the one thus blessed was an humble fire- man on the road, and none other than Luke Jackson—“ Air-Line Luke.” Luke’s home was at West Plain, though he had to live at Marysville and Princetown the greater part of the time, but when he was on the Marysville end of the road, he could run out home to West Plain when his train arrived on time. He and Lucy had known each other since childhood, had been schoolmates, and had al- ways had a strong liking for each other. And their hking had now ripened into love. On the same morning of which the preceding chapter treats, Air-Line»Luke set out from Marysville to go to West Plain, after first say- ing good-by to Ben Howard, who, as has been stated, had made his last run on the Freight, and whose place Luke was to fill on the next ay out, nd he was going there with a purpose in view. It was his intention to ask Lucy Fielding to become his wife, and to name a not-distant om for the happy event. e knew the young lady so well that he had no thought of a refusal. In the mean time, while he was on the road thither, there came another caller at the Field- ing home, And this one was Stewart Lyman, the bank cashier. Dan Fielding was out on the road, and Luc was at home alone, Lucy was Dan’s only child, and, her mother being dead, she was bis house- keeper. And she filled that position with won- drous credit to herself and immense satisfaction to her father. : It was py early in the morning, and the cashier had an kour to himself before it would be time to open the bank. Stewart Lyman was a man about thirty years ‘of age, ‘looking and gentlemanly in man- ners. d he was considered quite wealthy, a8 his father had been one of the heaviest cok holders in the bank, and had left his son @ goodly portion. The cashier rung the bell of the little cottage with an air of confidence, and when Lucy came to the door he greeted her with his most winning smile and pleasing words, CO acc r -SS Air-Line Luke, the Engineer Detective. 3 Lucy received him pleasantly and asked him to come in, at the same time informing him that her father was not at home, hinting that she sup d he had eome to see him. ‘No matter,” said the cashier, ‘since I did not call to see your father but yourself,” ‘* Me!” exclaimed Lucy in surprise. ‘* ‘Yes, you.” They had entered the sitting-room, and Lucy had invited the caller to a seat. ‘‘ What “an you want to see me for?” the girl asked, while at the same time she guessed what was coming. ‘‘Can you not guess?’ Stewart returned. ‘‘T am not good at guessing,” declared Lucy. ‘*Then I suppose ri must make my business known, and [ can assure you it gives me pleasure todoso, ‘We have known each other for some years, Lucy, and ever since the days when we went to school together I have Joved you. And now I want you to become my wife. I have—” “Excuse me, Mr. Lyman,” Lucy interrupted, “but since what you ask can never be, I hope you will drop the subject at once and for all time,” “What! do you mean to say that you will not marry me?” the cashier cried, in genuine surprise. ‘That is what I do mean, Mr. Lyman; I can never marry you.” ‘¢ And you spurn the offer I have made you?” ‘* | simply decline the honor.” ‘You do not know what you are doing.” *‘ On the contrary I know perfectly well what I am doing,” declared Lucy with a laugh. ‘Do you not realize that I am rich and that J can give you a life of ease and comfort?” 4 That matters nothing to me,” Lucy return- ed. “*I do not love you, and that is reason enough why I should not become your wife. Besides, my father would not approve of my marrying above my station in life.” ‘* Above your station!” cried the cashier; “vou are fit to become the wife of a prince.” “‘T am afraid you estimate me far above my Me a declared the girl with another silvery augh. ‘No, Ido not. And I hope you will consider this matter calmly and change your mind, am determined that you shall be mine.” “Tt is folly for you to set your mind upon anything of the kind,” said Lucy, ** for you have my answer now. I will never marry you.” ‘Then you must have some other reason than the one vou have named.” ‘‘ The reasons I have given you ought to be all- sufficient. And now pray let us drop the subject.” ‘Lucy Fielding,” the cashier said in a hard, determined tone, “‘listen to me: I swear that you shall become my wife, and that within a short time, too. I have set my heart upon having you, and have you I will. Think the ching over, and I will call again in a day or two for your final answer.” ‘It will be useless for mind is made up and you you will ever get.” The cashier’s face was purple with rage, and he could hardly contain himself. To be thus re- fused where he had thought his offer would be accepted only too gladly, was a little more than he could stand. is was an evil temper, and it was to be wondered at that he could control it as well as he did. ‘*T will speak to your father,” he said, as he rose to go, ‘‘and it is to be hoped that he will have more sense in the matter then you have shown,” Again cid the girl laugh. “Tf you will take the advice of one of such limited’ mental ability as myself,” she retorted, “vou will do nothing of the kind. You will find that he will agree with me entirely, and will uphold me,” ‘‘ Well, whether he a with you or not, you shall be mine. And now! will go, You will see me again ere many days, and then hope our interview will be more agreeable.” ‘‘Tt has been as agreeable as can be expected,” said Lucy; ‘‘and as I here end the matter so far as 1am concerned, I hope you will not call again upon the same errand, it will be unpleas- ant to have to go over it again.” ‘Girl, you do not know me, nor do you real- ize what it means for you when you refuse my honorable offer.” ‘Perhaps not, Mr. Lyman, but I think I know what I am doing. And Iwill bid you tag ll They had moved to the door while exchangin the last words, and the cashier now took his leave, muttering tbreats as be walked away. Lucy went back into the house with a sober, ou todo so, for my ave the only answer — : - ~~; —_* « # > w Sp es aa - — a - * ie wr. . 4 =. - b = 45 is > ; v « , sage Oe) sean a ee z Dele hk NES EEE AE TA ie Tein, et OR DS AE > os a or me ha