".&
v'i
m.pi
THE LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCER, SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1889.
-
CHEQUE NO. 9031.
A FASCINATING ROMANCE OF A LONDON
SUBURB.
By the Auther of " By Crooked Paths," "Sheathed
in Velvet," Etc.
There was none en It neither date nor
any ether particular. It was quite cleant
With a feeling of horror nnd deypatr I
tamed back the next tally, and found it
was, eaj-expected, th&one I had filled in
the night before and given te Levens just
before I went up te dress!
Then where had the missing cheque
gene? The cheque book had net been out
of my possession since Herace had Riven
it te me that morning. The inference
was plain the cheque corresponding te
this blank tally had been abstracted dur
ing the tlme Herace had had the book in
his possession.
Together with this thought came an an
ether the recollection of the words he
had spoken when he returned the book
te me "I thought I should hare been
here before you had had tlme te miss It"
I understood new hew much mere there
was in these words than appeared en the
surface. If he had reached the office in
tlme te restore the book te the place he
took it from befere I had discovered its
absence, I should never hare heard that
he lied taken it home.
I dared net leek at Cynthia for fear
she should see any sign of my horror in
my face. Se I kept my head bowed
down ever the book and forced myself'
te go en filling in the date in a methodi
cal manner. Then I cleared my threat
and steadied my volce carefully, and
asked her for the amount.
"Forty pounds," she answered; and
her volce was anything but steady peer
soul!
Even ns she speke, and befere I had
tlme te fill In the amount, I heard Hor Her
ace's key in the lock of the deer below.
I left the sum unwritten and caught
her for a moment in my arms, holding
her clese te me almost as if I had teme
occult premonition of what was te come.
"Remember," I whispered, "you are
te leave us presently."
The next moment her, brother was in
the room.
CHAPTER IV.
Heraco saw that there was something
wrong the moment he entered. I noticed
the bleed mall te lib face as his eyes
glanced from our faces te the cheque
book lying open en the tahle, and I was
afraid nt first lliut he would nmke seme
admission of his guilt befere Cynthia.
AIkjte all things I wished te keep all
knowledge of his backsliding from her,
se I speke nt once.
"I've overstayed my tlme te-night, you
sec. Cynthia lias persuaded me te have
seme heavy tea with you Instead of get
ting back te Clayhill te dinner."
"I'm afraid you'll find it a bad ex
change," he said; "we don't keep the
sort of table you are used te."
"Oh, I shall de well enough!'' I an
swered; and then, seeing Cynthia meve
tewanls the deer, I opened it for her te
pass out, and turned round with my
back against it te speak my next words.
Heraco had gene te the fire, and was
steeping with his hands held towards the
warmth; but he raised ills head when I
spoke, and steed with ene hand holding
nervously en the mantelpiece, looking
down nt the flames with Ills proflle to
wards me.
"I have found out every thlng,Herace,"
I said.
He made no answer, but his face
turned deathly pale.
"It would be only a waste of time te
tell ycu what I think of your behavior
te Cynthia," I went en, "because you
knew, without nny telliug, hew utterly
coutemptlble it has been from beginning
t ad. Hew any ene having the poorest
spark of manhood in him could take
such cruel advantnge of a woman's for fer for
bcarance Is beyond my understanding."
"Did she tell you?" he asked sullenly,
and net raising his head.
It would have given me unqualified
gratification te have stalked across the
room and shaken him until the breath
was nearly out of his body; but I remem
bered Cynthia, and kept my anger well
under control.
"She tell iuer I cried witherlugly.
"Yeu knew she did net. New the only
question is, What am I te de with you?
I suppose, with your usual delicacy, you
have counted en my relations with your
sister le save you from public exposure;
but I'm net sure after nil that a period
of imprisonment would net be the very
best thing that could befall you! At any
rate it would remeve you from the influ
ence of your present circle of acquaint
ances." "Imprisonment?" he echoed, turning n
scared, incredulous face te me. "Yeu
would never de such a thing you would
net darul Besides, what have I dene te
deserve it?"
"Done te deserve it! Why, hanging
would be tee geed for you if every ene
get Iii3 deserts, you geed for nothing
scampi" I whispered vehemently, trciu
bllug with the effort it cost me te keep
quiet "Don't mistake me, and think
I nm alluding te your paltry theft from
me; it's your dastardly conduct te Cyn
thia that I bheuld like te punUh you for.
Hut I can't touch you for that, se I'll
take it out by punishing you for tins'
ether matter."
"What ether matter?" he asked, re
suming his sullen contemplation of the
fire. "I don't knew what you mean."
"That's nil rubbish I" I said, feeling
ashamed of myself for bullying him.
"Yeu knew well enough I mean thi6l"
I took up the book from the tabic and
showed him the blank tally. "New wait
just two minutes, and let me speak be bo be
fere you perjure yourself. This cheque
was tern out of my cheque book between
the time I left my ollice Inst night and
the time you returned the book te me
this morning, after having it in your
possession all night De quiet, will you,
and let me finlsht Yeu must see for
yourself hew clearly suspicion points te
you; and, if I put the matter in the hands
of the police, you will find yourself in.
the uncomfortable position of n man un
der police surveillance. But I'm going
te make, you nn offer. Gtrw me back the
cheque if you have net parted with it
or tell me te whom you have given it,
and I will prevent its being presented
for payment, and 60 bave you the dis
grace of n bank prosecution."
"Yeu're uncommonly kind, Mr. Quln Quln
ten," he said, w ith a mixture, of bravado
and fear in his manner; "but I can't take
advantage of your generous eiler, for I
neither liave the cheque in my posses
sion nor have I given it te any one; se
I'm afraid I shall have te stand the dls dls
grace of a bank prosecution, after all.
But, If you de put the matter into the
hand of the police, I think you'll live te
be sorry for It that's all!"
Of course this meant that my engage
ment with Cynthia would be endangered
if I prosecuted him; and yet there was
something in bU maimer that made me
wonder for a moment if it wexo-Dessihla
for any ene clse te hare get' at the book.
With this idea came the- memory of
Levens' remark that morning about the
queer company Herace went into, and
the chances of his pocket being picked.
I went te the wretched boy and put my
hand upon his shoulder.
"Herace, answer me ene question
truthfully," I said. "Where did you go
while you had the book in your posses
sion last night?"
He looked up at me still defiantly; but
evidently he caught my idea, for he an
swered: "I didn't take the book out with me,
if that is what you mean. I left it at
home en the sideboard, and there I found
it when I enme beck at 11 o'clock."
"And that is what you call 'taking it
away for safety? "
"Cynthia was here all the evening,"
he began, and then stepped himself ab
ruptly. "I quite see the force of that remark,"
I said, "but since you had undertaken
the guardianship of the thing you ought
te have put it under lock and key. Hew
wcre you te knew who came in and out
of the room whlle you were away?"
"Cynthia knew it was there, and I felt
sure she would leek after it"
"Oh, Cynthia knew It was there?"
"Yes; she saw me turn it out of my
pocket, and asked me what it was, and I
told her all about it It was through
her advice that I left it at home."
Again there was something In his
manner that puzzled me, but only for a
moment; then I instantly dotectcd his
meaning. Either he doubted Cynthia
in the matter of the stolen cheque, or he
wished te lnfuse a doubt of her in my
mind!
Tills idea reused such a storm of indig
nation in inp that I hardly knew hew te
keep my liands away from his rascally
threat I really think it was a fortunate
thing that the table was between us; hed
he been within reach of my grip in the
first moment of my passion I should cer
tainly have dene him seme bodily harm.
As it was, I only glared at him speech
lessly as he sank into the easy chair be
hind him.
He seemed ignorant of my rnge, how
ever, and went en in the satne sullenly
injured tene he had used throughout,
but without ence looking at me:
"I think you ought te have considered
the matter mere fully befere you made
this accusation against me. Yeu knew
ns well as I de that the book lay en your
ofllce table, open te nil comers, for a
clear quarter of an hour whlle you wcre
dressing."
"But evcry ene had gene; there was
net n soul in the outer offices as I passed
through en my way up stairs."
"There was Richards."
"Richards!" I exclaimed, Indignantly.
"I would as seen suspect myBclfl He
has Ikxmi in the employ of the firm ever
since he was a small lad aud bes nevcr
been a penny out"
"Yeu're net se reluctant te suspect
ether people."
"Because 'ether peeple' are te my cer
tain knewledge spending niore money
than they can obtain liencstly."
He sprang up from Ills chair and faced
me with scarlet checks, finding, like all
weak natures, a strength In his rage that
was denied him in his mera sober mo
ments. "Yeu shall net stand there Insulting
me any longer!" he cried, his voice trem
ulous with nnger. "If you don't choeso
te lclicve my denial, you must de the
ether thing and act accordingly; but I
won't nllew you or any ether man le call
me a thief te my face. If you say it
again I'll de my best te pitch you neck
and crop down the stairs. I den sup sup
pese I should succeed, but I'd try my
best"
")'ou thai! net ttand there intuiting mt
aijy longer"
He stepped suddenly, and, turning te
leek in the direction of his glance, I
found Cynthia standing, white and
motionless, in the doorway behind me,
with her eyes fixed in horrified iuquiry
upon her brother's enraged face.
"Cynthia, go away, my dear!" I cried.
But she did net attempt te meve until
I took her cold hand in mine and gently
forced her out of the room.
"A thief!" she muttered in a low tene,
as I closed the deer upon the angry boy.
"Did he say you had called him a thief,
Gerald?"
"Ne, no," I answered, niore annoyed
nt this ceiiscqucnca of the Interview
than ut nil the ether details put together.
"He wnsnngry and did net knew what
he was saying. Yeu mustn't give an
other thought te it de jeu hear me,
Cynthia':" for blie was looking at me
with a vacant expression in her ejes
which convinced me she had net gath
ered the sense of my words. "He was
angry, nnd, like nil angry people, said a
great deal mere than he really meant.
He won't forgive me te-night, though,
m I'll get away at once. Come with me,
Cynthia; we'll go west and have boine
dinner together. I've wired te the
mother net te wait, se I shall get nothing
at Clayhill. Come and dine with me,
nnd leave that angry boy te get cool
again!
Cynthia shook her head, and took her
cold hand away, gently hut decidedly.
"I could net leave him just new," she
said; "he might think I tee believed him
te be a thief If I w ent away and left him
just new."
I tried hard te persuade her te changa
her mind, but nil my efforts were futile
she must fatay and comfort Herace, she
said; and I was obliged te givein nt last,
and go away in a very dissatisfied frame
of mind, te dine by myself.
All through the night I thought deeply
ever the mutter, and, just befere fat
lest dropped off te sleep, I had decided
en my line of action.
I was just a little surprised, when I
reached the office the next morning, te
see Herace at his desk, looking much as
he usually did, except that he did net
raise his head te join in the murmured
"Geed morning" as I pasted through,
and I wondered whether It was sulky
guilt or Indignant virtue that kept him
silent
As seen as I had get through the morn
ing letters and given directions thereon,
I wrote a line te the manager of the bank:
"Dear Cresloy Will you let me knew
directly my cheque Ne, ,081 Is present
ed for payment? Yours faithfully,
"OSKALD QCWTOH."
1 sent Richards off with this, bidding
him held his tongue outside; and in less
than a quarter of an hour the answer
cemeback:
"Dear Quintea 9,081 was presented
yesterday and cashed between IS and 1.
Your inquiry has led te the discovery
that the signature is a forgery. We have
put the matter in the hands of our usual
agent, who will call en you during the
morning for any information you can
give him en the subject Yours faith
fully, AUSTIN CROS8LKY."
This was quicker work than I had an
ticipated. The person who had present
ed the cheque had certainly lest no time;
and this hurry looked te me like guilty
knowledge as if the presenter had
known of the doubtful nature of the
cheque he was offering, and was anxious
te get it off his hands befere its worth werth
lessneas was discovered. Then the time,
tee between 13 and 1, when the first
batch of clerks was out for dlnncrl The
mera I thought of it tlie blocker it looked
against Heraco, and the mere decidedly
I made up my mind that I should have
te lese the amount of the cheque and the
price of a geed round bribe te the detect detect
ive besides te hush the affair up with the
bank people.
Whlle I was still thinking ruefully of
the less of this unknown sum for no
man relishes the notion of sitting down
quietly while another puts his hands into
his money box and helps himself ene of
the clerks knocked at the deer and an
nounced that a lady wished te bee me.
Thinking it was n Bister of Charity en
a begging expedition, or something of
the kind, I was about te say I could net
be seen just then, when I heard the rus rus
tle of skirts, and, turning round, I found
that it was Cynthia!
This was the first visit she had paid
me slnce her father's death, and I sprang
forward eagerly te greet her. Befere I
reached herslde, however, seme indo inde indo
scribable change in her manner checked
my impulsiveness.
As I held her hand tightly in both of
mine, I saw with pain hew her sweet
hazel eyes seemed te have lest all their
charming tenderness, and gazed upon
me with a cold, stern, resolute expression
which filled my soul with a presenti
ment of coming evlL
"Come and sit down, Cynthia," I said,
trying te draw her te my easy chair by
the fire; "you must be cold. I am se
glad te see you In Billitcr street again I"
"I'd rather stand whlle I tell you what
I have ceme te say," she answered, hold
ing back, and speaking in n curiously
constrained tene; "I shall say it a little
easier standing."
"There's something odd about you,
and I fancy yeu've get 6ome silly bee
buzzing in your bonnet," I suggested, as
lightly ns I could, though my volce
quavered and my heart was heavy.
"Come let us get it ever! What won
der have you ceme te tell me?"
"Heraco told me everything last
night!"
'Just what I expected!" I returned
carelessly, though I watched her nar
rowly the while , "And I suppese yeu've
rushed off down here te me with an ab
surdly exaggerated idea of this peccadillo
of the boy's! My dear Cynthia, let me
beg you net te get a morbid idea of this
business into your head. Many a boy
makes a little mistake of this kind in the
beginning of his career, and finishes by
being a thoroughly trustworthy man of
business. I assure you we think nothing
of a first event of this nature!" Geed
heavens, hew eagerly I piled up the lies
ns I saw her face hardening slowly but
surely hardening under my gazel
She put up her hand and looked at me
with such sternness in her beautiful eyes
that further lying was impossible.
"I had a very long talk with Heraco
last night," she said, in measured tones,
as though all feeling and emotion had
ceased te stir her breast, "and he told
me it meant five years' penal servitude,
and moral and social ruin afterwards,
no said, tee, that even if you let the
matter drop the bank would insist upon
following it up."
"But the bank shall de nothing of the
kind! I'll manage that nevcr fear!" I
cried, trying again te draw her te me,
for I ycirned te comfort her nnd drive
that tcrrible expression of despair out of
her face. "It's a splendid sign, his
having cenfessed. We'll pull him
through"
She pushed me from her witli sudden
vehemence.
"What are you saying?" she asked. "I
did net tell you he had confessed! I'll
swear in a court of law that I never said
such a thing, new could I when it is
net true?"
"Net true?" I echoed incredulously.
"But I understood you that he had told
you everything?"
"Yes everything you 6ald te him
your accusation, your threats and the ro re
8iilts if he wcre tried nnd found guilty;
the strong appearances against him tee;
all this he told me, but net that he had
really dene this thing. Hew could he
say such a tiling as that? He did net
steal your cheque It was H"
I took a step liackwards, and felt
blindly for something te held en te, for I
was falling, falling, falling always fall
ing into nn abyss of pitchy blackness; and
as I went down, down, down, down, there
wa3 the rearing of a veritable Niagara
In my ears. It seemed te me that I went
en thus falling through space, with that
hurrlcane of sound In my cars, for many
years; and yet, when my sight and hear
ing came back te me, I was standing
there in my office, holding the back of
my easy chair, with Cynthia's white,
6tricken face clese te mine, as she loos
ened the fastenings round my threat and
said:
"My peer Gerald you must learn te
rcconclle yourself te the trutli. It was IP
CHAPTER V.
I seized Cynthia's hand and stepped her
nervous attempts te set my threat free,
vv ith impatience at my own weakness.
"I'm all right!" I said; and then
stepped te wonder if it waa really I who
had bKkcn, or some enu clse, for I did
net recognlze my own voice.
"Yeu really must sit down," I urged,
pushing her towards a chair, which she
no longer refused, for she saw I was
shaking like a man with the palsy.
We sat there in silence for fully a min
ute, nnd during that thne I remembered
Herace's manner en the previous even
ing, his reluctnnce vv hen he eald he had
left the !oek at home, anil that Cynthia
had advised him le de se. Whlle I
thought thus, a feeling of intci6e pity
flooded my heart ns I realized what my
peer, proud, honerablo Cynthia must
ha eendured befere such a ceurse !ccaine
passible te her even te 6a've her brother
from expesure and shame. I found It
impossible for n moment te leek at her.
I knew what she must be buffering, and
I would net willingly add te her distress
by ene glauce In her direction.
Then at last, after what Beemed'an
eternity of silence, she spoke, and, If I
had been Martial at tlie chance in mr
own voice, I was shocked at the change
in hers.
"1 won't waste any mere of your time,"
she said. "I have dene what I came te
de, and I'll go. One thing first, though
I should like you te knew that if any
thing in this world could have Increased
my pain and humiliation in this matter
it would have beeu the sight of your
suffering under the discovery of my in
famy. Goed-byP
She was moving towards tlie deer, and
I was rising with the intention of stop step
ping her, when we wcre both checked
by a knock at the room deer nnd the en
trance of the clerk again, this tlme with
a card.
I recognized the name at ence it was
the dotective from the bankl At all costs
he must net bee Cynthia! I waa unnerved
nnd almost incapable of clear argument,
but I saw that much.
"In ten minutes," I said te the clerk,
with a glance nt the timepiece.
Tlie moment the deer was closed again
I turned te Cynthia.
"Yeu must net step te ask questions
nor make objections," L eald, "but de as
I tell you There is no way out of this
room except through the outer ofllce,
where this person Is waltiug, and I don't
wish him te see you nevcr mind why.
Yeu must go into this large cupboard,
which Mrs. Richards has had fixed up
ns a wardrobe for mc, and remain there
quietly until my intervlew with this man
is ever. See I'll meve the coats, and
then there will be room for a chair. De
you think you can keep quiet?"
She nodded In acquiescence. I saw a
new fear in her face, and fancied she
had guessed who my visitor was. With
out another word I mixed a half tumbler
of strong brandy nnd water, nnd told
her authoritatively te drink it up; then
I kissed her forehead and closed the deer
without latching it
I tried hard te recover something of
my every day manner befere the detec
tive came in, but failed utterly. Tlie
moment Mr. Bensen's keen glance fell
Upen me, I knew he saw the traces of
my recent disturbance, se I made a vir vir
tue of necessity at ence.
"Geed morning," I said. "Serry te
have kept you waiting; gentlemen of
your calling are always busy, 1 knew.
Tlie fact Is, I have received seme news
tills morning which has upset me thor
oughly, and I've beeu trying te pull my
Bclf together u bit befere seeing you, but
I'm afraid I have failed. I'm net in a
fit state te discuss this business."
"I shan't trouble you much, Mr. Quin-'
ten," he answered quietly; "I only want
nfew scraps of information which, you
can give me. Te begin with"
"Sit down," I said, "and help your
self te the brandy."
He thanked me and took the proffered
chair, but he refused the drink.
"1 want te keep my head cool, you
see, and pick up this trnll while it is still
fresh. Te begin with, when did you first
discover that this cheque, Ne. 0,031, was
missing?"
He took the cheque from his pocket
book and smoothed It out en the table ns
he speke.
I looked at it eagerly, nnd saw that It
was drawn in fnver of Mr. l'ettio-Jenrs
for forty pounds. Forty pounds! The ex
act sum, neither niore nor less, of Hor Her
aco's present dcbtsl Peer Cynthia)
"1 found it was missing last night"
"And have you any Impression of your
own as te when it was abstracted?"
I was just going te prevaricate, when
I suddenly remembered that Levens
knew Heraco had had the chcqiiojbeok;
In Ids possession the whele of the night
befere last If Bensen did net get the
information he wanted from me, hhtfirnt
proceeding would he te "pump" and
'"ferret" cautiously among tlie clerks,
and Levens would be only tee glad te tell
him all he knew. As a natural result,
Bensen would wonder why I had kept
this very suspicious detail hack; se I
breke right away from tlie beaten track,
and opened out a new read en my own
account
"Loek here, Mr. Bensen," I said, very
quietly, getting closer te him, and hop
ing with all my heart that Cynthia
would net hear what I eald; "would you
mind telling me what you are likely te
get for a job of this kind from the bank
people?'
Mr. Bensen half closed ene eye nnd
turned the ether upon me with n sw 1ft
glance of preternatural neutencss.
-mas weuiu uepenu greatly en me
amount or worn, me time it loot up,
ahd se en," he observed, slowly.
"Well, new, suppese you found out
this person, what sum would you take
te bring the news te me befere you took
it te any ene else?"
He looked at me again, this time mero
slyly.
"I don't see that there could be any
harm in that," he said, In n tene that
was impressively cautious.
"Harm! I should think net! Hew
could there be any harm in your letting
me knew befere nny ene else? Would
you take fifty pounds, and eblige nieV"
Bensen looked nt me for a few mo
ments as though he would read my very
soul, nnd I met his glance unflinchingly.
"I bollevo you mean square," he said,
at the end of his scrutiny; "and, If you'll
pass me your word ns n gentleman that
this U no trick te catcii me tripping,
why, I'll ohllge you."
1 held out my hand te him.
"I give you my word that this) is a
purely personal matter, only interesting
te myself," I said, with quiet emphasis;
and I saw he believed me.
After I had given him a few facts in
connection with the matter in hand
carefully withholding nil these likely te
be of any value In the event of his refus
ing the offer I was going te mnke pres
ently I brought the conversation back
again te what was really my main pur
pose, by asking what was the biggest
price he hed ever received for carryinga
job of this kind through te a successful
finish.
"This cla33 of job doesn't pay be well
as fcouie ethers," he told me. "We don't
leek te make much out of n forgery busi
ness. Our inst chances ceme in when
wo've get family hatred:) te work en.
New two years age I had what threat
ened te Ik ii diverce court job en. I
lived in a house in tlie country for three
months for the purposaef watching the
mistrcs.1 of it. The hu&band'n mother
hated her like mad, and I really belie ve
would have given ene of Iter fingers if
we could have pulled the busbies off.
Well, she enme te me when I had been
in tlie heuse a week the mother, you
knew a powerful old swell the was, but
as cruel as a cat -and offered te pay me
five hundred pounds if the case against
her daughter-in-law was proved through
me. Thut was the biggest chance I've
ever had;" nnd Mr. Bensen sighed re
signedly. "Yeu did net 'pull the husiucaH off,'
then?"
"IS!i.v you, no, sir! The woman was
ns innocent of any teal harm as n babe
unlxrn. A flighty, bkittlnh piece of
goedn, hut ns heucbt u woman as you
could wljh te uiett. The appearances
against her turned out nil moonshine, us
I knew they would. Her husband get
ashamed of having listened te hi moth
er's nasty Insinuations, and begged hU
wife's pardon most humbly lu my pres
ence; and they're as happy a ceuple new
as you'll find anywhere. But it was a
big chance. you knew five hundred
pounds!"
Here was my opportunity, and I seized
it, cropping my voice te tne taintcst
whisper.
"Yeu shall have the chance' again,
Bensen; but this tlme yen can cam It
niore cosily by simply holding your
tengue."
"11 ve hundred pounds!" hoexclalmed,
In a clear, penetrating whisper, which
was terture te me, knowing hew Leen
these peer Ilatenlngcars would be, "Five
hundred pounds only for holding' my
tengue I About this, of course, you
moon?" with his gloved finger en the
cheque.
"Yeu must undortake net te try te find
out even yourself," I murmured, nodding
in assent; "and you must play with tlie
bank peeple until it is tee into te put any
One cue en the job."
"Is that nil?" he asked. "Thore are no
ether conditions whatevcr attached te
earning this meney? Yeu won't ask me
te de half n dozen ether tricks aud in in in
olude them in tlie same bill by nnd by?"
"I will ask you te de nothing but what
I have new stated."
"Then I'm your man!" he said reso
lutely) and this tlme it was he who of
fered his hand and I who grasped it,
with n relief nnd grntitude in my heart
far beyond the power of words te express.
After this I get rid of him ns quickly
as I could, dreading the effect of this
enforced silence en peer Cyuthia in her
present nervous Btnte, I bustled through
tlie arrangements for paying the money,
at the same tlme being careful te avoid
arousing his suspicion, nnd hurried him
oil under the protenso of having another
appointment
He turned, en his way out, as though
a sudden thought had occurred te him,
and pledged me te secrecy as a brother
Masen. I answered his sign at ence;
and I fancy we both separated all the
mero satisfied with each ether for the
discovery that we wcre fellow crafts
men. "Don't interrupt me fern quarter of
an hour, Levens," I called out, as I shut
the deer and went back te Cynthia.
I found her se prostrated that alie was
unahle te rlse from the chair; but she
looked at me with Euch pathetic earnest
ness and she tried se hard te speak that
I felt sure she had heard the greater
part of my intervlew with the detective.
It was most grloveus, but there had
been no help for It
My heart nehed for her, as I mero than
half carried her te the easy chair again,
and took off her bonnet nnd cloak as
quickly as my foolish, cluuiBy fingers
would let me, stripped off her gloves aud
undid the dress buttons nt her threat.
"Don't try te speak n word," I said
sharply, when her lips began te meve
again; "sit still and rest Don't worry
newl You'll be hotter presently."
I bathed her temples with the brandy
and water nnd chafed her peer cold
hands vigorously; then as I knelt Ixjfore
her a sudden overwhelming feeling of
compassion seized me, and I bent for
ward and kissed her whlta lips impetu
ously. "Oh, Cyuthia, my dear," I cried heart
brokenly, "why did I give in te you?
Why was I feel enough te let you ceme
te this lonely life In Londen? I should
have forced you te stay In comfort nt
Clayhill Instead of subjecting you te
this. Hew can I ever fergive myself?
Hew?"
.-T"-"
"Oh, Cynthia, my tlcar," I crUil heart
brokenly.
"Kind old Gerald," she said presently,
putting up her finger nnd touching my
check gently; "geed, kind old Gcrnldl"
I nmlled ut her.theugh I fett mero like
weeping.
"What are your two charming Utile
women doing without you this morn
ing?" I asked, anxious te ensa the painful
strain en her nerves by n change pf sub
ject. "Yeu forget It is holiday time. We de
net begin lessens again until Monday."
"Yeu will never begin lessens again,
Cynthia," I answered quietly, hut very
decisively. "I gave in te your whim lest
September, nnd you see what has coma
of it. This time I mean te have my own
way, and nothing you can say or de will
induce me te make the least alteration
in my plans. I am going te marry you
this day wcek nnd carry you off te Italy
for a long honeymoon of threo months.
We'll disponse for ence with wedding
breakfast, trousseau and all the rest of
the usual absurdities, and de just as we
like, without nny reference te tlie opin
ions of our acquaintances."
"Yeu mustn't de it, aerald," she cried,
trying te withdraw herself from my cm
brace "you must net even think of such
athlugl Have you considered what it
would mean for yourself? ThiB shamo shame
f ul crime of mine cannot be kept secret
it will leak out seme day, try as we
will te keep it quiet; and hew would you
feel when you found iieople ppoke of
your wife behind your hack as a thiel
and a forger? Yeu .don't seem te liava
realized the enormity of my crime! Yeu
don't appear te understand that what 1
have told you tills morning places ma
outsldetho pale of rcspectable society!
Yeu don't Bccm te bee"-
I slopped her peremptorily.
"I see a woman who has licen tried
ah, be sorely tried, my Cynthia! beyond
her strength. I see a woman whose
warm affection has for ence overcome
her power of judging between right and
wrong whose great leve has, in etn
solitary Instance, warped her moral
judgment; hut I see no criminal, nern sin
ner who h:is sinned beyond forgiveness.
I see the woman I leve just at I have
always loved her, as I always mtibt leve
her, until heaven seed fit te divide us by
death! Cynthia, we will Ik married this
day week, and we will go away for n
time nnd lw very, very happy se happy,
my love, that we will forget all about
till wave of sorrow that has swept evei
us."
She did net attempt te nrgue tlie mat
ter any farther Indeed, If I looked nl
all as I felt, she must have been hew use
less ull argument would have been In mj
then btate of mind, for I waa firmly re
belved tliat Heraco bheuld no lengei
have it in his power te cause, or even
threaten te cause, uiihappluu&i bctwcci
U3.
"I shall tell the mother nnd Jem to
night," I said, when I had put her into
tlie cab ami given tlie man the address.
"They will ceme te bee you te-morrow,
I expect; and you must arrange with
them about a dress for next Wednesday."
Khe did net answer, but looked nt m
with a world of meaning in her bad eyei
as the cab drore away.
CHAPTER VI.
The next day or two I was busy enough
making arrangement! for my Jeng jl
sence rrem txmaen. Amongetncr miags
I telegraphed te our head man at Mont
real te come home at ence te leek after
things when I was away. Then I had
te contrive te pay that five hundred
pounds te Bensen, tlie dotective, in such
a manner ns te avoid arousing suspi
cion, besides settling up aud giving my
decision en n thousand and ene ether
matters en which the master's word is
needed. My tlme was se fully occupied
that I was only nble te get up te Kent
ishTewn ence between Cynthia's visit
en the Wednesday and the day I had ar
ranged for the marriage, and even then
I was only able te spend an all tee brief
hour with her.
On the Saturday morning Herace
knocked at my deer a little befere the
tlme for leaving, and asked te be allowed
te speak te me privately.
This was the first tlme we had met
face te face stneoeur stormy encounter
en Tuesday evening. I had written a
full withdrawal of and apology for my
accusation, thinking te Bpare us both the
awkwardness of a Dcrsennl Interview en
the matter for I was obstlnate enough
te think him still the sinner and Cynthia
the sinned ngahist In the whele matter,
nnd I would net rhk a discussion, fear
ing I might be led Inte an expression of
my opinion. Consequently, when Hor Her
aco asked te see me en the Saturday
morning, I was unpleasantly surprised,
nnd gave a rather grudging assent te hit
request
"I blmll net keep you five minutes, Mr.
Qulnten," he said, still with that same
sullen deflnnce In his manner which had
been se neticeable at our last Intervlew;
"what I have te nay can be said in a very
few words. I wish te lcave your em
ployment, and the sooner you can ar
range it the better pleased I shall be
indeed, if It won't luconvcnlcnce you nt
all, I should prefer net te ceme te the
ofllce again."
I looked nt him with what I could net
help feeling was a ludicrous stare of per
plexity. Here was anew and unexpected
complication.
"Sit down, Heraco, nnd let me knew
what this Is about What Is your reason
for wishing te leave the Ann?"
"Why," he nnswered, in n faltering
volce, first speaking a few words very
hurriedly, but without expression, as if
he had learned them by heart, and then
stammering ever the next few ns though
he woie ashamed of what he was saying
"why, the fact is, I can't stand the
hints and sneers of the men in the ofllce
any longer. I can see that they all bo be bo
leovo me guilty about that cheque busi
ness; nnd of ceurse it is impessible that
I should be openly exonerated by a pub pub
lle declaration of the real of the truth,
se that I think it best for nil concerned
that I should leave Only I de hope, Mr.
Qulnten, that in your recommendation
te my next employer you will make him
understand that lam Innocent of this
crime of which they suspect ma"
I felt the het bleed rush te my face as
he speke; it was strange hew my dislike
for this boy clung te me through every
thing. "It is net likely (hat I should know
ingly let the Innocent Buffer for the
guilty, Herace. Although you seem te
hint it, you cannot really bellove it I
am disposed te think you are mistaken
In your leading fact I don't think the
men in the ofllce knew anything nt all
about the matter you speke of, and 1
certainly don't see why they should asso
ciate you with It in nny way, even if
they did knew. Try te shake off the
morbid fancy and make yourself con
tented." "There is no morbid fancy in it," he
answered, doggedly. "Thore has been a
dctcctlve asking seme curious questions
of young Phillips the man who works
at tlie name desk with me and yester
day old Lebciw heard of it and said ha
thought he knew what the dctcctlve was
driving nt, for he had heard from ene of
the hank clerks that there was something
wrong with enu of Mr, Qulnten'tf private
cheques. 'I supiiose that was the de de do
tectieo who called here en Wednesday
morning,' he said 'tlie morning your
sister was here; Dcbcnhain,' There was
nothing In the words, I knew," added
Heraco; "but from the way they wcre
spoken nnd the queer leek he gave me, I
saw he had seme suspicion in his mind.
Tlie ethers looked at me tee, and there
was an awkward silence when Luvens
had finished speak big, nnd I could see
that they scented something wrong
somewhere and that I was mixed up in
it bomchew; be I think I'd better go I
should be mero comfertnhlo elsewhere"
As he finished speaking a sudden idea
occurred te ma
"Yeu had a great wish te go abroad
after your father's death, Heraco; have
you that wish still?" IIe looked at me
Inquiringly. "Because, if you have," I
went ou, "I think I can help you. Hew
would you like te go out te our Mel
bourn e heuse for a year or two?"
The cloud en hU face lifted as if by
magic.
"De you really mean it, Gerald?" ha
cried, forgetting in his delight the stiff
"Mr, Qulnten" which had soauiuscdme.
"It would be tlie best turn you could
possibly de me."
"When could you Iw ready te sail?"
"Ready? Newl OuMenday any time
you like te rmmel"
"Nuy, nay; stay and see Cynthia and
me made ene first," I said, smiling at
his quickly fired enthusiasm. "The Se
, rati sails en Wednesday, and you could
overtake her at Plymouth en Thursday
night. Is that Boen enough for you?"
Fer answer he steed up and took my
hand, and there wcre signs of tears in
his eyes.
"Yeu and I have nevcr been very geed
friends," he said, with a eense of shaina
in his manner at last "Yeu have al
ways thought I behaved badly te Cyn
thia, and I have always resented your
interference between me aud niyewii
sister, I have behaved like a beast all
the way through, and I beg your pardon,
and am very grateful te you."
"Thore'u nothing te be grateful te mc
for, hut I am glad you can see you hava
been rough en peer Cynthia. New fei
business. I'm going te give you a cheque
for twenty-flve pounds yeu're sure ta
want seme extra things. After the
wedding I'll give you uuethcr ten for
your wlne bill going out, nud this you
must manage en. I've had ene or two
heavy expenses lately" his face Hushed
quickly, and I saw that foolish Cynthia
had told him something "be that I can
not afford te Im munificent."
"It's mero than I debcrve," he mur
mured. "Then if you really think be, try te
deserve it better by letting Cynthia hear
of your doing well out yonder. It's net
my way te lecture, you knew, Heraco,
and I don't want te Impese conditions or
hind you down In any way, because I
don't bellove it ever docs a bit of geed;
hut, if ) ou care for your bister the least
bit in the world, show it by steering clear
of the herse racing fraternity, my boy
And new 1 must Iki off. I wish I ceuid
come out te Kentish Town with you, hut
it is ImjKis-iible; I have nn appointment
at 4 o'clock. Don't trouble te ceme
te the ofllce again unless you wish te.
You'll have plenty te de between new
and Thursday morning, and I'll ect
things right with Levens. By the by, I
don't think I Bhall see either Cynthia or
you again befere the fatal day se, re
member, 10:30 sharp at the church!"
He wrung my hand and lift the room;
hut he opened tin deer again tlie instant
ha hed clrfied it te &uvt
"I'll never put n shilling en a I
again as long as I live I swear itP
When I get beck te Clayhill thatnlffct 1
I told my mother and Jem what I hs4 "'
dene with regard te Heraco, and the;
rejoiced openly ever the plan. H
"It will relieve peer Cvnthia fc'-
tlme, rfc nny rate," Bald Jem, "although
tlie wretched cub is sure te turn up
sooner or later te wear her life out of
her."
I had told them that Cynthia's pest )
worry had been d ue te Ilornce's gambling
debts, nnd Jem's indignation had known
no Ixiunds; but en the subject of the
cheque I had been as silent aa the grave. !j
"Have you seen Cynthia today, Ger
aid?" said Jem.
"Ne," I nnswered; "I have been tee
busy."
"We went up this morning and tried '
hard te persuade her te ceme down and
spend te-morrow with us, but she would
net hear of it It would be her last Sun
day with Herace, she said, and she must
have hlra quite te herself. She is se
strangely quiet and self possessed, she
seems te me te be in quite a dreamy state.
She started In a most extraordinary
manner ence or twice today when I pes
tered her for an answer te my questions.
Tlie mother says her nerves nre shaken
by being se hurried ever her marriage;
but it seems unnatural te me for s
woman te be se scared at the prospect
of luarriage with a man she cares for. I
don't think it would affect me like thatP
Although I should have found It diffi
cult te put my thoughts en the subject
into words, It Is nevertheless a fact that
Jem's remarks produced n certain new
anxiety In my mind about Cynthia. I did
net like te think of her as being se calm
nnd still, be intent upon her own thoughts
as te need nn emphatic reminder te re
call her te what was going en round her.
Considering hew thoroughly satisfied
I was with my scheme for her cure, it
was n little surprising that, when Wednes
day at last arrived, it found me tortured
with a ccrtnlu unnccountable conviction
that something had geno wrong.
I slept Inte in the morning, for I had
lain nwake well en Inte the small hours,
thinking of many tilings, and the mo
ment I began te recover consciousness,
befere I was sufficiently awake te think
clearly, I was in terror of seme Impend
ing misfortune. When I was at last
fully aroused from Bleep, my first clearly
formed thought was the recollection that
this was my wedding day. Savage with
myself for allowing my waking moments
te be clouded by nn Impression of ill
omen, I sprang out of bed and bustled
through my dressing arrangements with
mero expedition than usual, trying ta
"make bollevo" that I had quite forgot
ten the uncomfertablo feeling, and that
I was ns jelly "as a sand boy." But all
the tlme that conviction of coming evil
was present in my mind; net all my ef
forts could drive it out, until at lest it
made me feel quite faint at heart
Tlie mother and Jem started before
me. They wore'golng te Cynthia's first,
te accompany her te the church; I, ei
ceurse, was going straight te the scene
of the ceremony. After they had left
I dawdled in nnd outef the sitting rooms
In n restless, aimless manner. My mod
est ceuple of portmanteaus had been for
warded te Folkestone en the pre vleus day,
se that I had nothing te occupy these
last moments of my bachelorhood.
I strolled into the morning room by
nnd by, and steed for seme minutes
looking nt the envelopes containing the
wedding cards, lying in a big heap en
the center table, and addressed in dear
old Jem's mascullne hand, nil ready te
pest en her return from the ceremony.
I was at the church in geed tlme
twenty minutes past 10. I looked at my
watch as I get out of my hansom at tn
corner of the street, and strolled lewlj
up te the perch, thinking I should havi
sorue tlme te wait
Aa I turned in at the gate, noticing
with BomeBurprlso that the church doeri
wcre net yet opened, a young man who
looked like a stable helper ceme forward
nuu luuviiuu inn imv.
"Mr. Oulnten. sir?" he inauircsl .-
"Yes," I replied, wondering' what thl
man could want with ma
"A nole for you, sir."
A geed deal surprised, I was just going
te slip it into my pocket, when I saw thf
writing was Jem's. I opened it, and fount
it was addressed from Cynthia's.
"Mr. Qulnten, ttrf A note for you, sir."
"Come here nt ence" It ran. "Deu
be frightened; hut something has hap
pened te defer the wedding."
I de net think I was really surprised
I had been expecting something of thli
sort all the morning. I turned and hailed
the first passing hansom and went off a!
ence.
Jem came running down stairs ana
hurried me up teCyuthla's pretty sitting
room, where my mother wej quietly sit
ting, with a pained, anxious leek en hei
gcntle face.
"My peer, dear old boy, ehe hat
geno," cried Jem the moment I wai
BaMy inslde "geno and left yeul"
"Gene? Where?"
"Te Australia with Herace. Read
thatl"
I seized the letter she held out out
read:
"Jem dear, forgive mc! I knew it will
be a hard thing te de, for you would for
sooner fergive an Injury te yourself than
ene te Gerald; btlll I ask you net only te
fergive me yourself, but never forest
until you hav e made him fergive me loe.
Perhaps you will find this easier when I
tell you that I should de him n far great
er wieng by marrying him, as things are
at prebcnt, than by running away from
him as I am doing. If you waut te knew
what I mean, ask him; It he wishes you
te knew he will tell you. Your most un
happy friend, Cynthia Dedknuam."
"Hew de you knew she has geno with
Herace?" I asked, looking despondently
round the room where I had been se hap
py with her, and noting tlie nbbcnce of
many things of value a portrait of her
mother by a celebrated painter, her
"Broadwood" and ether things sold
deubtlesd te raise her fare.
"Because the man down stairs helped
Herace with the luggage last night, aud
saw the laliels."
I sat down, hid my face In my hands
and groaned aloud ferhcr mero than for
myself. What would her life be In a
strange country, utterly dopendont for
companionship and comfort en ene un un
rellable lad, without even the sympathy
and support of the few friends she had
hed In Lopden? The thought was unen
durable! She might repulse me it she
chose, but I would make ene mere effort
te b has. fl,,,,,, na twvni
SB4B WVBF
fer BM
fflW sstH's! '
w
r
kl
!?
-?
hi
""C
:
i ?)'
wJ i -J$& imfj&d. &2z&jA'K)lti,dt' &&jS&&fc
s4&J.SgJUfct ,afe.WUA.S,
MSgSfcUw IrfJM.
rtit. ii.;
Atifcffc t-.. r iS, , Wil.j
.