Digging for Gold 23

Digging for Gold 23

CHAPTER XXI.

ALBERT BENTON IS UNMASKED.

 

 

“That’s pretty conclusive evidence, isn’t it?” said John Vincent,

tapping the marked bills.

 

“I didn’t dream of it,” said the restaurant keeper.

 

“I did. I suspected him as soon as you told me he was trying to fasten

suspicion upon Grant Colburn.”

 

“You don’t think the boy had anything to do with the theft?”

 

“I feel sure of it. The boy is an honest boy. You have only to look in

his face to see that. I haven’t been a detective for nothing. I may be

mistaken at times, but I can generally judge a man or boy by his face.”

 

“Does Benton know that you suspect him?”

 

“No. I wasn’t going to give myself away. By the way, he had quite a

stroke of luck tonight.”

 

“At the gambling-house?”

 

“Yes. At one time he was a winner of nearly or quite five hundred

dollars.”

 

“Then he will be able to make up to me the amount he has taken.”

 

“Don’t flatter yourself! I said he was a winner of that amount at one

time. I didn’t say he went out with that sum. As a matter of fact, he

lost it all, and left the place probably without a dollar.”

 

Smithson looked disappointed.

 

“Then,” he said, “I shan’t get my money back.”

 

“I am afraid not.”

 

“He must have taken hundreds of dollars.”

 

“Quite likely.”

 

“The villain!” exclaimed the restaurant keeper. “And I have paid him so

liberally, too!”

 

“Well, Smithson, it might have been worse. I suspect you have a pretty

tidy sum laid by.”

 

Smithson’s face changed, and he looked complacent.

 

“Yes, Vincent,” he said. “I’m worth a little money.”

 

“Good! Look upon this as a little set-back that won’t materially affect

you, and put it down to the account of profit and loss.”

 

“Very, good! I will do so. But to-morrow I will give Mr. Benton his

walking ticket.”

 

Albert Benton came to work as usual in the morning. His employer came in

half an hour late. By this time the waiter had become resigned to his

disappointment of the night previous. He recognized his folly in not

making sure of the large sum he had at one time won, and determined to

act more wisely in future.

 

Presently, when he chanced to be unemployed, Smithson beckoned to him.

 

“Benton,” he said, “you remember my speaking to you about missing money

from the till?”

 

“Yes, sir; but I thought you decided that it was only a falling off in

receipts.”

 

“Yes, I said that; but it seems to me that the deficiency is too great

to be accounted for in that way.”

 

“You may be right, sir. You remember what I told you about the boy?”

 

“You think he took the money?”

 

“I feel about sure of it.”

 

“And you think he gambles it away?”

 

“Such is my impression.”

 

“How am I to find out the truth of the matter?”

 

“I would suggest that you have the boy searched. I feel sure that you

will find that he has a considerable sum of money in his pocket.”

 

“That may be, but he will say that he has saved it from his wages.”

 

“Oh, yes; I have no doubt he will say so,” said Benton, nodding his head

significantly.

 

“And it may be true. He doesn’t seem to spend much.”

 

“He has bought some clothes.”

 

“True; but he was quite able to do so out of what I pay him and have

money left over.”

 

“Well, I hope it is so. I don’t want to harm the boy, but I thought it

only due to you to tell you what I know.”

 

“You don’t appear to know much. You only suspect. However, I will call

Grant and see what he has to say.”

 

Grant, being summoned, came up to where they were standing.

 

“Do you want to speak to me, Mr. Smithson?” he asked.

 

“Yes, Grant; about an unpleasant matter.”

 

“Have I done anything wrong? Are you dissatisfied with me?”

 

“I can’t say. The fact is, for some time past I have been missing money

from the drawer.”

 

Grant’s look of surprise was genuine.

 

“I am very sorry to hear it,” he said.

 

“Of course the money could not have disappeared of itself. Some one must

have taken it.”

 

“I hope you don’t suspect me,” said Grant quickly.

 

“I have always regarded you as honest, but Benton here tells me that you

have formed some bad habits.”

 

“I should be glad to know what Mr. Benton has to say about me,” said

Grant, regarding his fellow waiter with indignation. Benton, in spite of

his assurance, could not help looking confused and ill at ease.

 

“He tells me that you are in the habit of visiting gambling saloons.”

 

“He has told you a falsehood,” said Grant boldly.

 

“I told you he would deny it, Mr. Smithson,” said Benton, determined to

face it through.

 

“Has he seen me in a gambling-house?” demanded Grant.

 

“I have seen you coming out of one.”

 

“That’s false. If he can find any one to confirm his false charge, I

will not object to your believing it.”

 

“I have no doubt a good many have seen you there.”

 

“Is there any other charge he brings against me, Mr. Smithson?”

 

“He says he has seen you under the influence of liquor.”

 

“That also is false. He has invited me to go into a saloon and take a

drink, but I always refused.”

 

“Oh, you are an angel!” sneered Benton.

 

“I don’t pretend to be an angel, but I am honest and temperate, and I

never drink.”

 

“I think, Mr. Smithson, if you will search the boy you will find a good

sum of money in his pocket.”

 

“Is that true, Grant?” asked the restaurant keeper.

 

“Yes, sir. I have about a hundred dollars in my pocket.”

 

“I told you so,” said Benton triumphantly.

 

“I never knew there was anything wrong in saving money,” retorted Grant.

“I am anxious to get together money enough to warrant me in going to the

mines.”

 

“There is nothing wrong in that,” said Smithson kindly. “And now, Grant,

that we have had Benton’s testimony against you, I want to ask you what

you know against him.”

 

“I would rather not tell,” answered Grant.

 

“That is very creditable to you; but you must remember that you have a

duty to me, your employer. Have you seen him enter a gambling-house?”

 

“Yes, sir,” answered Grant reluctantly.

 

“I told you, sir, that I had looked in once or twice,” said Benton, ill

at ease.

 

“Only once or twice?”

 

“Well, I won’t be precise as to the number of times.”

 

“Were you in a gambling-house last night?”

 

“Yes; I looked on.”

 

“How long did you stay?”

 

“A few minutes.”

 

“Did you play?”

 

“No,” answered Benton hesitatingly.

 

“I wish I knew how much he knows,” thought Benton. “Somebody must have

been telling him about me.”

 

“What, then, was your object in going in?”

 

“I was wakeful, and thought I would while away a few minutes there. When

I felt sleepy, I withdrew.”

 

Just then Vincent entered, as previously arranged between him and Smithson.