1938-08-19 — Page 11

"THE CHINA MAIL PRI

"CONFLICTING EVIDENCE"

(Continued from Page 1)

unhappiness of his mind; inward- ly he seethed with a misery such' as he had never before experi-. enced.

He had always known that Jack was a weak character; Joyce he believed to be the exact opposite. He had regarded her as the per- sonification of truth and honesty. Had he not seen her with the

money in her hand no one could have convinced him to the con- trary. His little Joyce; to think that she was a thief.

He opened the door quietly and then halted in slipped inside; stark dismay. John Winter him- self was hunched behind his deck, his whole attitude reflecting a tortured mind. Lambert's heart sank within him. He was too late.

"Why, Mr. Winter! You are early this morning; I didn't ex- pect you for another hour.”

John Winter offered no explana- tion of his untimely presence. He merely turned a haggard face to his subordinate and nodded to- wards a chair.

"Sit down, Harry, I want to talk to you. I was just going to ring my bell."

Lambert dropped into the seat indicated. His mind was in a turmoil. Whatever defence could he put forward for the girl he loved?

He glanced anxiously in the direction of the safe. It was un- locked. How much money was missing, he wondered. If only he knew he could account for it in -

some way.

ed for the answer. His line of action depended on how much John Winter knew. If he had nothing more than a suspicion it could be stamped out.

The older man covered his face with his hands,

fo

"God forgive me, I have," he groaned. He looked up, his ex- pression revealing the depth of his suffering. "Harry, I suspect my own child !”

Lambert expended his pent-up breath in a soft hiss. In a flash he saw what he must dò. Sooner than let Joyce suffer, he would take the blame himself.

He clenched his fists and aquar- ed his shoulders.

"I'm afraid you're wrong, Mr. Winter. Ier" He swallow- ed painfully. "I never thought you would find out. I meant to put it straight; I swear I did. I

I took the money myself.” It was out now. A dead silence fell on the room.

- er

Watching closely, Lambert saw the emotions chasing one another across his employer's face--sur- prise, relief, horror, contempt, regret.

"You, Harry? You've been my trusted assistant for twelve-no, fifteen-years, and you've done a thing like this? I can scarcely be-- lieve it. What made you do it, lad?"

Lambert nearly broke down at the mixture of pain and sorrow in his voice; then he remember- ed how much worse it would be if the kindly Boss knew the real culprit, and hardened his heart.

On a sudden impulse he pulled

His employer quickly supplied the betting account from his poc the information.

"Someone's taken £48 from the cash box, Harry."

"Good Lord, £48?”

His exclamation was perfectly genuine. This was much worse than he had expected. A pound or two, perhaps, but not forty- eight. What on earth did Joyce want with $48?

"You may well cry out," de- clared John Winter bitterly. "This is the first time such a thing has ever happened in the history of my business. It isn't the money I'm worrying about; that's a sec- ondary consideration. It's the thought that someone I've trusted has stabbed me in the back."

"It might be someone outside," suggested Lambert half-hearted- ly.

"It couldn't have been. There are no traces of anyone having broken in.. Besides there's £20 left; four fivèrs. Only the pound notes were taken. A professional thief would have taken the lot. No, Harry, it's no use trying to blind ourselves. This job was done by someone who had the right keys. The safe door wasn't even forced."

He passed a hand wearily in front of his eyes.

Lambert watched him keenly, trying to read what was in his mind. Whom did he suspect? There were only two sets of keys as far as he knew.. He held one whilst John Winter had the other.

Did his employer know of his daughter's early visit? Had he seen, her leaving the building? Surely there was no concrete evi- dence to connect her with the theft

Whatever the outcome he meant › to shield her. By hook or by c

he would save her name; then he would return the money anony- mously. How could he beat divert suspicion from her?

"You have someone in mind?” he challenged.

He held his breath as he wait-'

ket.

W.

"This man called here last night," he explained, throwing it down on the desk. He said he must have the money at once or he would tell you about it. Knowing how set you are against betting I was afraid I would lose my job.” his *He plunged deeper into story.

"I was alone in the office and I paid him from the cash box. Then with the rest I tried to win ̈ ̄ it back.” He shrugged his shoulders. "Luck was against I'm me and I lost the lot. I'm sorry, Mr. Winter, of course I'll make the money right as soon as I can."

"

"It isn't the money, Harry.” Winter's tone cut like a whip. "Go to your room, lad. I want to think this over.”

Lambert obeyed quietly; there was nothing else to be done. As he passed through the outer of- fice he saw Joyce talking to her brother: She waved gaily and he forced himself to smile in reply. He had saved her father's faith in her at any rate.

"Tell Miss Simmonds to come one of the to me," he ordered clerks.

"Miss Simmonds hasn't arrived yet, Mr. Lambert.”

Lambert received the news without comment. Everything was topsy-turvy this morning. Jack and his father arriving early; Mias Simmonds late. Himself! Ah, what was to become of him t He could not stay in the Firm now after his confession. He would be lucky if he wasn't sent to prison.

He sank into his chair and stared vacantly at the opposite wall

The door opened softly to ad- mit Joyce. To his eyes she was a vision of loveliness. She was well worth any sacrifice, he thought, as he started to his fest.

}

"Harry! Why on earth did you tell father you took that money?"-

"I saw you in there this morn- ing," he explained simply.

She bit her lip in perplexity; . then she suddenly understood.

"You took the blame to shield me?" she queried wonderingly.

She looked at him with a smile of infinite tenderness. Her eyes shone like stars.

"Why did you do that for me, Harry?" she whispered.

He took her hands and drew her unresisting towards him.

"Because I love you," he said bluntly.

At that she flung herself into his arms.

"You're a darling, but I ought really to be very cross with you," she chided presently. "Fancy thinking I was a thief!"

"You mean it wasn't you?" he, stammered in bewilderment.

She shook her head. "Of course it wasn't. I was in there putting it back!”

"Putting it back? I don't under- stand. Unless was it Jack?" Her pretty face became sudden- ly grave.

"I don't know; I taxed him with it, but he swears he knows noth- ing about it. But I'd better tell you everything and you can judge for yourself.

"Jack came to me last night about his gambling debt. He was in an awful state in case father found out about it. Then father came in and said some money was missing from the cash box."

"Last night? If he knew then I wonder why he didn't speak to

:

me about it. I was here after he left."

"The first time, yes, but' not the second. You see, when he dis- covered he had left his keys some- "where. Thinking they must be in the office he ran down again after dinner. Fortunately he has a set of duplicates at home.

"What possessed him to open the cash box £48 missing. You can imagine the consternation...

"He came home nearly in tears, poor dear, and told Mother and me he thought Jack must have it. Well, you know what Mother is about Jack. She raised the money somehow and insisted that I came down here early this morning and hid it in the cash box under a lot of cheques.

་

"He'll find it's all square pre- sently."

Her prophecy was speedily ful- a rush of filled. There came hurrying feet and John Winter burst into the room.

"Are you mad, Harry Lam- bert?" he shouted. "The cash is right. What the devil made you say you had taken it?"

shield

He caught the smile which passed between them,and reach- ed the wrong conclusion.

"You

were trying to Jack, were you. It was mighty decent of you, lad, and I shan't forget it in a hurry."

He picked up the receiver as the telephone bell rang sharply.

"Hallo? Yes? What? "It's the police," he disclosed with his hand over the mouth-piece. "They've arrested Miss Simmonds with a gang of notorious crooks. They want to know if we've miss- ed anything?"

“Perhaps I'm hard to please

When I was younger

I didn't much care what I ate or drank or smoked. But nowadays I take my pleas ures, not sadly but seriously. I suppose you would call me faddy. I hate to be put off with second- best, no matter what it is. I won't eat a peach unless it is English. If I order caviare it must be Beluga.

You see what I mean about whisky, While I can obtain a whisky as soft and smooth as a fine liqueur, why on earth should I be put off with any

White Horse

that perhap

It from me, it

WHITE HORSE WHISKY

You can tell it blindfold!

Sole Agents for South China: Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd.