_THE VICTORY OF INNOCENCE_.
The establishment of Messrs. Davies, Roberts & Company, was situated in
one of those narrow streets, and was one of those dark and dingy-looking
buildings, which were far from being uncommon in old London. The
premises, however, were large and commodious, and were specially adapted
for their important trade. When Cadwgan saw it for the first time,
namely, on the morning succeeding the conversation between Mr. Jones and
himself recorded in the previous chapter, he was painfully struck with
the contrast it presented with his own light and airy home, surrounded as
that home was by rich fields of pasture land and trees of every kind and
hue. However, he was by no means disheartened, and was far from disposed
to give up the contest in life’s battle without a struggle, so he entered
the building with his friend Mr. Jones cheerfully, and presently was
asked into the presence of Mr. Roberts, the head of the firm.
“And this is the young gentleman you spoke to me about, friend Jones?”
“Yes. Mr. Cadwgan Wynn. I hope for the sake of our common country and
our friendship, that you will not be unmindful of his interest.”
“His progress here, friend Jones, will depend wholly upon himself. If he
prove himself quick, painstaking, and honest, he shall not want a
friend.”
“His honesty and rectitude I will guarantee; and methinks as he comes
from a shrewd stock, he will, with a few years’ experience, prove a
valuable hand,—one whom it will be difficult for you to do without.”
“I am aware, Jones, that I can fully rely on your recommendation. Now,
Mr. Wynn, when will you be ready to go into harness?”
“I am prepared, sir, to commence my duties at once. If convenient for
you to make arrangements, I’ll remain here to-day.”
“By all means remain. Come, follow me, and I will introduce you to Mr.
McLiver, our chief cashier, in whose department you will be engaged for
the present.”
Mr. McLiver was a Scotchman, who had been in the service of the firm many
years. From almost the lowest place, he had risen step by step until he
attained the most important post in the house. In him the firm had
unbounded confidence, and as he apparently managed his department with
skill and economy Mr. Roberts permitted him to select nearly the whole of
the clerks attached thereto. In less than two years from the date of his
appointment to his present post he had managed, by hook or by crook, to
get rid of nearly the whole of the old hands, and their places he
supplied with Scotchmen of his own kith and kin. From the first day of
entering the office, Mr. McLiver regarded Cadwgan as an intruder, an
interloper; hence he looked upon the youth with aversion, and availed
himself of every opportunity to vex and annoy him. But this was not all.
Any little mistake Mr. Wynn might make in his books or accounts, was
carried to Mr. Roberts. But to these complaints he turned a deaf ear,
while at the same time he strictly enjoined upon Mr. McLiver to take all
possible care to have Cadwgan thoroughly instructed in all business
matters; above all, that he should be made a good accountant. Though the
Scotchman faithfully promised to carry out to the letter his employer’s
instructions, yet he intentionally refrained from doing so; while he
continued to annoy the youth by making personal allusions to his country,
and on more than one occasion he called him a Welsh blockhead. Of his
conduct Cadwgan never made any complaint, nor did he make the slightest
allusion to it, even to Mr. Jones. He worked on, was constantly
labouring at his books and accounts, and in spite of the cashier he soon
became a first-rate accountant. Before he had been in the establishment
five years, he was the best man in the house as regarded profound
knowledge of intricate details.
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 pass 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 assigned 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 nincompoop 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—principally 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 Saturday 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 passed 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 Saturday 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
cashier’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.
Mr. Jones, as was natural, appeared much excited during the Scotchman’s
narrative. He almost believed in his young friend’s guilt, because the
evidence was so direct and circumstantial. Mr. Wynn stood calm and
collected; he never moved during the few minutes which the delivery of
the evidence against him occupied, though his dark piercing eye, intently
fixed upon McLiver, made that man quail beneath its penetrating glance.
When they had finished their story, Mr. Wynn asked his employer’s
permission to call evidence in his favour,—a request which was readily
acceded to, because he really loved the youth. He then called into the
office, one by one, six of his confidential clerks, the gentlemen who had
been specially engaged with him in investigating the old accounts, who,
in reply to his question, said that Mr. Wynn never left the office until
his final departure, which was very late, and that they watched him going
out though unperceived. The care-taker gave evidence that Mr. Wynn did
not return after his departure. When they had completed the evidence,
Mr. McLiver asked, “And what were you doing at the office that time of
night?”
“We were engaged in making copies of important documents for Mr. Wynn.”
“What became of those?” asked Mr. Roberts.
“They were all put, sir, into Mr. Wynn’s bag.”
“Who put them into the bag?”
“We did, sir,” replied Mr. Williams.
“Was the bag locked, Mr. Williams?”
“Yes, sir, it was locked; and the key has been in my possession since.”
“Before we examine the contents of the bag I wish to know if you are
quite sure that Mr. Wynn did not leave the office during any portion of
the evening, that is, before his final departure; and that you and your
fellow-clerks saw him out.”
They replied, that they were prepared to make oath on the point.
“Why did you watch his departure?” asked Mr. Roberts.
“I had overheard a conversation,” said Mr. Williams, the clerk of Mr.
Wynn’s department, “between Mr. McLiver and his cousin Donald, in which
certain threatening words were used towards Mr. Wynn. We watched his
departure, thinking it quite possible that they might be lurking about
the buildings in order to effect his ruin.”
When McLiver and Donald heard the above evidence they became agitated,
and their faces became as white as snow. Mr. Roberts scarcely knew what
to do. After considering a few minutes, he turned to McLiver, saying, “I
fear your tale is untrue; for these six gentlemen, whom I have always
found truthful and honourable, have in the most direct manner flatly
contradicted you in every particular. I hope you and your cousin have
not conspired to injure this young man.”
“You have hit the right nail on the head this time,” said Mr. Jones, “and
no mistake. But is this £3000 the whole of your loss, friend Roberts?”
“The whole as far as I know.”
“Happy man! what a blessed thing it is to be rich, and unable to reckon
up the whole of one’s profits.”
“I suppose, Jones,” remarked Mr. Roberts pettishly, “you wouldn’t like to
lose £3000.”
“I am afraid, my friend, you will find your loss not £3000, but nine
times three, if the £3000 has really disappeared.”
“What do you really mean, Jones? You appear to know more of my affairs
than I know myself.”
“In a few words, I mean to say, Roberts, that that immaculate gentleman,
the accuser of my young friend here, who is also the best friend you ever
had, has robbed you to the tune of some £25,000, in addition to this
£3000; for I presume he has taken that sum too; and Mr. Wynn has evidence
in his bag,—it is still locked,—which will completely substantiate the
fact. When you know the whole, you’ll bless the day, friend Roberts, on
which my child was introduced into your establishment.”
“For the present we will suspend our judgment. Jones, Mr. Wynn, all of
you, go to Mr. Wynn’s office. We will compare Mr. Wynn’s papers with our
ledgers and day books.” The bag was unlocked, and paper after paper was
produced, and document after document submitted for inspection and
comparison. Cadwgan detailed step by step his proceedings in order to
ascertain the exact sum total of the money abstracted by Mr. McLiver and
Donald. After he had gone through these, he produced the documents and
vouchers he had collected from firms with which Messrs. Davies, Roberts &
Company had had transactions, and on being compared with the ledger, it
was found that in many cases the actual sum paid to merchants for goods
did not amount to a moiety of the sum inserted in the ledger. The
evidence of McLiver’s guilt was overwhelming. When Mr. Roberts saw this,
he took Mr. Wynn into his arms, embraced him as if he was his own child,
and with tears in his eyes besought his pardon for having for a moment
entertained suspicions of his honesty and rectitude.
“The matter to me is now made plain. The real culprit is the man whom I
regarded as upright, pure, and honest. He has shamefully abused my
confidence. To him I entrusted my money; and what, sir,” turning to
McLiver, “have you to say in your defence?”
“I will neither acknowledge nor deny my guilt, sir, in the presence of
that Welsh puppy, who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a caitiff cut-throat
miscreant, a cunning, intriguing, and deceitful urchin from the Welsh
mountains. When he meets me and Donald in the street, I promise him he
shall be well paid for his treachery and circumvention.”
“That is,” said Mr. Roberts, “on condition you leave me a free man. For
the present, sir, you must consider yourself and your cousin—I believe
him to be equally guilty with yourself—in the hands of the authorities.
The officers of justice are now in an adjoining room. They are there
awaiting my orders. There is no occasion to detain them, as your guilt
is but too clearly made out.”
The door was then opened, and McLiver and Donald were placed in their
charge, and were marched off to prison.
On the room being cleared of the presence of all excepting Mr. Jones and
Cadwgan, Mr. Roberts asked the latter how he had succeeded in making such
important discoveries, and the reason which had moved him in entering
upon an investigation which had cost him and his staff so much time and
labour.
“For a long time, sir, I have firmly believed in his dishonesty. In the
first place, and this fact first awakened my suspicion, I, by means which
it is unnecessary for me to detail, ascertained that he was keeping a
grand house, and had livery servants and carriages, and gave grand
parties, which I knew he could not do with £400 a year. His cousin,
Donald, is a fast young man who spent his earnings in dissipation, and
for years has been the constant companion of young men who are believed
to live by swindling their respective employers. On making these
discoveries, Mr. Sykes, who is an honest Yorkshireman, and my friend Mr.
Williams, resolved to take special notice of their movements, and wisely
kept records of what they saw and heard, which could at any time be
produced in the event of anything turning up. We discovered first, that
tea had been bought by your house of a very inferior quality, which was
paid for at double the actual invoice price, and in some cases the charge
was sixty per cent above the actual cost.”
“But, Mr. Wynn, how did he manage this?”
“Oh, easily enough, sir.”
“But how?”
“We found by inquiry, that McLiver had two relatives as cashiers in the
houses with which you did business; and as all moneys passed through
their hands, they could commit frauds to almost any extent without fear
of being detected. They had confederates, so by acting together had but
little difficulty in carrying out their system of plunder, especially as
the books and accounts were under their control. When you made your new
arrangements, they, that is, Mr. McLiver and Donald, were apprehensive
that disclosures would be made, and you will remember, sir, that McLiver
almost protested against your scheme.”
“I well remember, Mr. Wynn, that he was terribly angry, but little did I
then think that its cause originated in fear.”
“After the appointment had been made, and we had entered upon our duties,
Mr. Sykes ascertained—in short he overheard a conversation between the
two in which certain threats were made towards me, and in that
conversation McLiver and Donald upbraided each other about their
peculation. We had thus sufficient evidence to warrant us in concluding
that they had robbed you. Having discovered this, we then planned the
investigation, which has occupied our evenings ever since. It was late
on Saturday night when we arrived at the final result. The rest you
know.”
“Yes, yes, Cadwgan, I know the rest. In the presence of my dear and
valued friend Jones, I offer you my humblest apology for having suspected
you of dishonesty; I shall never be able to repay you for the services
you have rendered me.”
“I’m repaid already by your confidence and esteem.”
“And hereafter, Mr. Wynn, I will seek to do so in a more substantial way.
But tell me, what can you possibly know about the quality of tea? You
remarked just now it was inferior; how did you ascertain this?”
“I know the quality of teas by the smell.” {178}
“By the smell!”
“Yes, sir; by the smell.”
“Is that really so?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Here are two samples: please give me your judgment upon them.”
Mr. Wynn took the samples, and having smelt them, returned them to his
employer, saying, this is worth so much, the other sample is not worth
buying.
“Well, Mr. Wynn, I am satisfied, and more than satisfied, with your
conduct during the years you have been in our house. For your goodness,
and the deep interest you have taken in all matters connected with my
affairs, from the bottom of my heart I thank you. You are necessarily
agitated by reason of the scene through which you have just passed. You
must be fatigued too by reason of the extra work you have, for my sake,
imposed upon yourself. I cannot now say in what way I shall reward you,
but if you and friend Jones will come and dine at my house (bring Mrs.
Jones and your daughter with you), I will then tell you the course I
shall adopt, and the arrangements I propose to make with reference to
your position and prospects. Your disinterested service calls for an
ample reward.”
“I require no reward, Mr. Roberts,” said Cadwgan. “I have simply done my
duty.”
“Well, well, Mr. Wynn, you may think so. You must not, however, condemn
me for holding the contrary opinion.”
“I should esteem it a favour, sir, if you would give Mr. Sykes and Mr.
Williams a holiday. They are not well, and I fear the pressure upon them
during the past few weeks has overtaxed their strength.”
“By all means let them go. Please give them this, and tell them it is a
small token of my high appreciation of their conduct.”
Mr. Wynn was delighted at being made the channel of Mr. Roberts’s
communication. When the papers were opened, it was found that they were
two £10 Bank of England notes. On receiving the gift, the Yorkshireman
held it up, and said,—“I little expected this.” Mr. Williams, too, was
equally surprised. They then wished each other good morning, and it need
hardly be said that Mr. Wynn’s assistants thoroughly enjoyed their day’s
trip to Windsor.