The Cambrian Sketch-Book Part 10

On the afternoon of the fifth anniversary of his official life, Mr.

Roberts called Cadwgan into his private office, and expressed to him the high opinion he had formed of his ability and character; and to his great surprise informed him that being about to rearrange the work of the office, he had resolved to divide the office work into sections, and that it was his (Mr. Roberts') intention and wish that he should take the position of chief accountant in the establishment, and that there would be a number of clerks under him; that for the future Mr. McLiver would simply receive moneys due to the firm, and pay all demands against it, but all accounts must pa.s.s through the hands of the accountants, which should bear the chief's signature as being correct.

Cadwgan's eyes filled with tears on being apprized of his promotion to so important a post, and he thanked Mr. Roberts from his heart of hearts for his confidence and kindness.

The morning on which Mr. Wynn was to commence his new duties, Mr. McLiver repaired to Mr. Roberts' private office, where he found that gentleman occupying his usual seat, engaged in reading the money article of that morning's _Times_. Addressing that gentleman in a somewhat peremptory manner, he said he had just stepped in to ask if it was really true that the young Welshman was to be placed in such an important and responsible position in the establishment.

"It is quite true, Mr. McLiver. The appointment has already been made, and in the opinion of my son and myself Mr. Wynn has richly earned the post a.s.signed him. We are of opinion that, of all the clerks, he is by far the best qualified to discharge the duties of the office."

"But consider, sir, my many years of faithful service in your house. I think that service merits some consideration from you."

"But what is your wish, Mr. McLiver?"

"My wish, sir, is, that you confer this appointment upon my cousin. He has been longer in your employ than Wynn, and I am sure he possesses ability far superior to that of this young man."

"That is quite impossible, Mr. McLiver. Mr. Wynn's appointment has already been made, and he has been duly informed of my resolve. In fact he has accepted our offer."

"In that case, sir, I fear I must send in my resignation. I could not think of having my books and accounts overhauled by this intruder."

"You may leave, sir, if you wish; and I will give you a cheque for your quarter's salary."

"Am I right then in concluding you have lost confidence in me? Are you desirous that the connection between us be severed?"

"By no means, sir. If you leave, it will be your own act and deed."

"Then you wish me to remain in your service?"

"Of course I do, Mr. McLiver. But you will bear in mind that all my arrangements and plans must be carried out to the letter. There must be no divided authority here, so long as I'm master. I desire you to confine yourself, wholly, to the duties of your department, which require your undivided attention; and I will be answerable for the proper discharge of the duties of the new accountant's office."

"I bow to your decision, Mr. Roberts, and hope you will not have any cause to regret the arrangements you have made."

"Of that, sir, time will tell. You, Mr. McLiver, will not have to make up my loss."

McLiver, finding it was useless to press the matter further, wished his chief good morning, and returned to his own office in a very bad humour.

On entering, he uttered the most awful imprecations against Welshmen in general, and Mr. Wynn in particular. He swore that he would be revenged.

He turned to his cousin, and thus addressed him:-

"It is owing to you, you d-d scoundrel, that I owe my present disgrace."

"To me, sir! What the d-l do you mean?"

"I mean, Donald, that if you had been steady and honest and plodding, this calamity would not have befallen our clan."

"A fellow must have a spree, McLiver, now and then. That is human nature."

"D-n human nature! Donald, you talk like a fool."

"I'm sorry for you, cousin. I'm truly sorry for you."

"It is a d-d bad job for me, that you have indulged in dissipation to the extent you have."

"But old Roberts has paid the piper, Mac, though he little suspects it.

He is little aware where the money comes from to keep up your grand establishment. If he knew all wouldn't there be a jolly blow up!"

"You son of paupers, you parish 'prentice, if you talk to me in that way I'll knock your b-y head off your shoulders, by G-d I'll do it, though you be my father's brother's son."

"Come, come, cousin; it won't do for thee and me to quarrel and fall out now. We've sailed too long in the same boat-I mean, we've dipped our fingers too deeply in the same till to peach upon each other, or to quarrel. Methinks our present duty is to guard against being found out."

"Your advice is good, Donald; but that our delinquencies will come to the knowledge of old Roberts, d-n him, is a matter of certainty. That young Welsh nincomp.o.o.p imp has his eyes everywhere; his ears are always open.

I should not be at all surprised even if our present talk reached him.

For us it was an evil day when he came here. If I were sure of not being found out, I'd soon put an end to his presence."

"Bad as I am, cousin, I'd not commit murder. That we must not do. Our best plan is to concoct some scheme to dethrone this upstart. Old Roberts has willed he should reign over us; be it our mission to bring him to the dust."

"A good suggestion, Donald. By gam! we must take care, though, to lay the snare well so as to be certain of our bird."

During several months succeeding the above conversation the business of the house of Davies, Roberts & Company went on in its usual quiet way, but in those months the young Welshman and his staff had succeeded in overhauling the books of the firm for several years. At the accounts they had worked night and day. When the investigation had been completed his clerks knew nothing about the result, nor indeed of the object which they had in view in making so strict an investigation. So far Mr. Wynn had discovered defalcations amounting to nearly 20,000, though the bottom of the peculation had not yet been reached. The books showed that McLiver had carried on his swindling in a regularly systematic manner, and had escaped detection for the reason that all his subordinates, which made up nearly the whole staff, were creatures of his own-princ.i.p.ally his own kith and kin. When Cadwgan had completed his labours, he had ascertained, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the amount abstracted was 24,500. During the months he had been engaged in auditing the books, Cadwgan had made certain inquiries of houses with which his employers had had business transactions, so he was in a position to prove by written evidence the particulars and the exact sum of each fraudulent transaction. These inquiries had been carried on privately; neither to Mr. Roberts, nor to any member of his staff, had he let fall a word calculated to awaken suspicion. It was late on a Sat.u.r.day night when Cadwgan finished his labours. When descending from his office down to the large entrance hall, with his papers in his hand, he was surprised to find Mr. McLiver and his cousin Donald there. They did not stop to speak, but pa.s.sed on into their own office. As they heard Mr. Wynn, before he descended, shut his office door and lock it, they naturally concluded he was the last person in the buildings. Presently, McLiver and Donald left the house together, the porter closing the door on their descending into the street.

That evening was anxiously spent by Mr. Wynn. He retired to rest late, but slept not. That the facts he possessed would be most damaging to his arch-enemy there could be no doubt; that he might possibly be the means of saving his employers from being ruined, was in his judgment equally certain.

On the following Sunday morning Cadwgan paid a visit to his friend Mr.

Owen Jones, to whom he revealed the state of affairs of the firm. Mr.

Jones was a man of the world, and, moreover, was a wise and sagacious man of business. After talking over the matter, it was arranged that Mr.

Jones should accompany his young friend to the establishment of Messrs.

Davies, Roberts & Company the next morning, when the whole facts should be placed before Mr. Roberts.

On their arrival at the establishment on Monday morning, Mr. Jones and Cadwgan at once went to Mr. Roberts' private office, when that gentleman looked at Mr. Wynn with a hard and scowling brow. As Mr. Jones had always experienced the greatest kindness from Mr. Roberts (they had been more like brothers than friends), he was surprised and astonished in observing his altered look, and boldly asked the cause of his seeming displeasure.

"Cause, sir!" exclaimed Mr. Roberts. "Did you say cause! There is methinks enough of cause! To be robbed of 3000 by this young man, whom you introduced to me, for whom I have done so much, whose interest and welfare I have done so much to promote-'tis enough to make me curse the day on which I was weak and foolish enough to comply with your pressing request to take him into my service. Cause, indeed! To be robbed thus is a sufficient cause for my anger."

"Did you say, sir," remarked Cadwgan, "that I had robbed you of 3000?"

"Certainly, I said so. And you don't deny it."

"I emphatically deny your charge, sir, and demand the name of my accuser."

"I accuse you, sir. Is not that enough?"

"But, Mr. Roberts, you are a just man, and I presume you will not condemn me before placing in my possession the evidence upon which your judgment rests."

"My informant, sir, is my confidential clerk, Mr. McLiver. He is prepared to swear to the fact of your being the robber, and his cousin Donald will corroborate his statement."

McLiver was then summoned by Mr. Roberts; and in reply to his inquiries stated, that on the previous Sat.u.r.day evening he and his cousin had secreted themselves in the house, that during the time they were in their hiding-place Mr. Wynn came down from his own room and went into the cas.h.i.+er's office, and by means of false keys opened the safe and rifled the drawers of their contents, which he put into a bag, then retired. He continued to say, that he and his cousin waited there some time, that Mr.

Wynn went back to his own office, and afterwards came down stairs with the bag in his hand, which was so heavy that he was almost weighed down.

He left the office taking the bag of gold with him. Donald corroborated his cousin's statement.