Page:What will he do with it.djvu/459

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
WHAT WILL HE DO WITH IT?
449

"He that is robbed, not wanting what is stolen,
Let him not know it, and he's not robbed at all."

After that, Losely became absent in manner, and seemed impatient to get rid of Mr. Gunston, hinting that he had the labor- book to look over, and some orders to write out for the bailifif, and that he should start early the next morning.'"

Here the Colonel looked up from his MS., and said, episodically, " Perhaps you will fancy that these dialogues are invented by me after the fashion of the ancient historians? Not so. I give you the report of what passed, as Gunston repeated it verbatim; and I suspect that his memory was pretty accurate."

"Well," (here Alban returned to his MS.), "'Gunston left Willy", and went in to his own study, where he took tea by himself. When his valet brought it in, he told the man that Mr. Losely was going to town early the next morning, and ordered the servant to see himself that coffee was served to Mr. Losely before he went. The servant observed " that Mr. Losely had seemed much out of sorts lately, and that it was perhaps some unpleasant affair connected with the gentleman who had come to see him two days before." Gunston had not heard of such a visit. Losely had not mentioned it. When the servant retired, Gunston, thinking over Losely's quotation respecting his money, resolved to ascertain what he had in his bureau. He opened it, examined the drawers, and found, stowed away in different places at different times, a larger sum than he had supposed—gold and notes to the amount of £1975, of which nearly £300 were in sovereigns. He smoothed the notes carefully; and, for want of other occupation, and with the view of showing Losely that he could profit by a hint, he entered the numbers of the notes in his pocket-book, placed them all together;n one drawer with the gold, relocked his bureau, and went shortly afterward to bed. The next day (Losely having gone in the morning) the tradesman came to be paid for the vinery. Gunston went to his bureau, took out his notes, and found £250 were gone. He could hardly believe his senses. Had he made a mistake in counting? No. There was his pocket-book, the missing notes entered duly therein. Then he recounted the sovereigns, 142 were gone of them—nearly £400 in all thus abstracted. He refused at first to admit suspicion of Losely , but. on interrogating his servants, the valet deposed, that he was disturbed about two o'clock in the morning by the bark of the house-dog, which was let loose of a night within the front court-yard of the house. Not apprehending robbers, but fearing the