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FllAXK 31 Oil TIM IJ II, 1
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CORRIE SHERWOOD'S HERO.
An Excellent Story.
A II, SHERWOOD," the man said,
.jLJl with a short laugh, "everybody
understands tho move, as cleverly as it has
been done. Of course you aro expected to
deny it ; but any ono with half an eye can
see whero tho next partnership is to come
in."
"By Heaven! Mordaunt, I'll not listen
to kucIi senseless talk," cried a quick, pas
sionate voice, which poor Lindsey knew all
too well.
" Ah ! is that it ?" in a surprised tone.
" I thought you understood tho turn mat
ters were taking, and took the young fel
low into tho firm to take tho curso oil par
don nic for saying it."
"Perhaps you will enlighten mo a little
in regard to this matter," Sir. Sherwood
said, in his haughtiest tone. "It is not
possible any ono has dared associate my
daughter's name with this this Lindsey !"
" I am sorry I mentioned it, really," Mor
daunt said, apologetically. " It has been
thought possible and even probable that
Lindsey would some day marry Miss Sher
wood. You surely arc not blind to the fact
that they aro very intimate for friends,"
" I would sooner see my daughter lying
dead, than married to Lindsey, Mr. Mor
daunt. You can contradict all such shame
ful rumors," Sherwood replied, coldly.
If tho allegation had been true, Alfred
Lindsey could scarcely havo felt worse, and
the evening which had passed so delightful
ly, set in mortification and sorrow. A
weary, restless night followed a night of
discouragement and bitter despair. It is
no use, the tempter whispered, try as hard
as you may, you will never bo anything
but "a Lindsey." You might just as well
givo up tho struggle first as last.
Tho morning found him feverish and
nervous. It was later than usual when ho
went down to tho store. Two men wcro
standing on tho sidewalk, and when ho
opened tho store, followed him in, amus
ing themselves by sauntering about, look
ing at the show-cases, and apparently mak
ing a mental valuation of tho contents of
. tho storo.
" How long beforo I could seo ono of tho
partners ?" ono of them asked, sauntering
to the door and looking back.
"I am ono of tho partners," Alfred an
swered, in a rather ungracious tono.
"Ah I May I ask if it is not something
quite recent ?"
" It is sir."
The men glanced at each other, and, ono
said in a low tono, "wait."
" We will come again. Good-morniner,
sir," bowing, and passing out as uncere
moniously as possible.
It was perhaps half an hour later when
Mr. Sherwood, senior, came In, and passed
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY
at oneo to the office. Two hours wore
away ; a few straggling customers dropped
in, then came the post-boy bringing rather
more than his usual complement of letters.
Alfred took them into tho ofliee at once.
Mr. Sherwood was sitting in a listless atti
tude, his chin resting on ' his hand. lie
sprang up with a little Hash of excitement
in his face as Lindsey came up to the desk,
and took the letters with a short nervous
clutch, running them over rapidly in his
hand till he came to one superscribed in a
coarse, scrawling hand. Tossing tho rest
on the table, he tore this open with hands
that trembled visibly. It was very brief,
for he crumpled it in his hand almost in
stantly, and sank back in his chair with a
low groan.
"Tako mo hoirio," ho said, in a hoarso
whisper, as Alfred held a glass of water to
his white, drawn lips.
A carriage was at once brought to the
back entrance, and leaning on Lindsey's
rni, ho walked out to it, and was driven
speedily homeward, leaving his bewildered
junior in a state of doubt and perplexity.
Slowly the hours dragged away, and the
bell of the ollice clock rang out sharply
one sharp, ringing stroke. Ono o'clock !
No word or hint from tho great silent houso
on tho knoll not so much as an open door
or blind all that long, long forenoon ! Al
fred Lindsey grew positively nervous watch
ing it through tho restless leaves of the
beeches that ran in a slender zono about
tho soft, velvety knoll. Had some fateful
hand fallen upou and paralyzed every liv
ing thing ? Tho snspenso was becoming
intolerable, when the fiont door opened,
and Robert came swiftly down the street.
Lindsey stood in tho door awaiting his ar
rival, a strange, overwhelming senso of
danger shutting down upon him. Ho lean
ed forward eagerly, scanning his face, try
ing to get some hint of the story he felt lay
behind its immobility and pallor.
"Ah, Lindsey 1 how hungry you look!
Don't devour a fellow so with your eyes,
man," ho said, with a laugh, as he came up
tho steps.
Something in his tono its lightness, per
haps jarred upon his highly-strung nerves
with such suddenness that it was with dif
ficulty ho could repress a cry. A moment,
and ho had himself in hand, and could
laugh at his nervous anxiety.
" I believo I am a little faint," ho said,
taking up his hat. " I have no recollection
of eating any breakfast," his face darken
ing at tho remembrance of what it was
that had taken away his appetite, and driv
en sleep from his pillow.
"You need not hurry back, Lindsey,"
young Sherwood said, turning over tho
leaves of a huge ledger, " I am at liberty,
and if you aro back by three, the time trade
usually sets in, it will bo soon enough."
"I have nothing to keep me so long un
less I tako a row up tho river.
" Do, by all means," was tho eager an
swer ; " you keep too close indoors. Yes,
tako a good long row, and don't feel hur
ried about it."
"Thank you, I believe I should feel bet
ter. Do you know," laughing still a little
nervously,. "I imagined all sorts of terrible
things about you up at tho house, this
forenoon."
""Why?"
The question camo sharp and vibrant,
and in a voice so strange that Lindsey in
volutarily stopped and looked back at tho
speaker, feeling very much as if ho had
been hit by some invisiblo ball. But tho
face was turned away it. had been all tho
time and the leaves of tho ledger turned
slowly, tho white fingers slipping down
mechanically. Ho quite forgot tho ques
tion for tho moment, but presently recol
lecting, answered :
"Your father was taken ill here this
morning, you remember, and I suppose
that, added to a sleepless niirht "
" You should know nothing of sleepless
niguts you who aro free from "
lie paused abruptly, and as Alfred did
not choose to enlighten him as to the cause
Of Ills sloonloKSllPs. llinrn ivlio iw. ...M
i the sul jee1, or indeed on any other, for
indsey went immediately out.
His dinner eaten, he went to the boat-
house, but both boats were out. "Well. l,n
might go back to the store. He would take
Mrou uown street first, he thought, turn
ig involuntarily in the direction of Mr.
Sherwood's. Ho passed the house, noticing
how still everything seemed, and howclosc-
-snut uio blinds were. He remembered
11 at once that he had not asked if Mr.
Sherwood was better or worse. Ho saw
Terry Dcrmott, the gardener, out in the
field, and went out to him.
" How is Mr. Sherwood, Terry, better ?"
!io asked, as soon as he could make a break
in Terry's oration upon tho relative merits
ii tnc various lertilizors in the market, and
tho mode of applying the same.
Ocli, and ye must ask somebodv ilsn
but I," ho replied, with a mysterious nod
which was very vaguely expressive. " I
reckon though he be mighty bad, for there
was no dinner ate in the house, only what
I ate meself in tho pantry, and Miss Cor
ric's eyes looked as if she had cried a week,
when she came out to ask mo to stav about
the house somcwhero within call, she said
the atternoon."
"There's something strange about it,"
Lindsey said, under his breath, the old nnr-
VOUS, uneasy sensation taking possession of
nun, together with a feeling that ho was
needed at tho storo immediately. Ho had
been away scarcely an hour, vet, ns lm
walked down the street it was with difficul
ty ho could keep himself from breaking
into a nin. It seemed as if his feet were
made of lead, they dragged so. Ho had
experienced a similar sensation during
sleep, but never beforo in his waking hours.
The storo door stood slightly ajar when
ho camo up. Ho walked directly throusrli to
tho office. Something told him he would
find the door locked, and without trvinn- it
he took a duplicato key from his pocket and
endeavored to fit it in tho lock, but the key
on tho inside prevented. There was, how
ever, a smothered exclamation, and a sud
den rustle of paper, and a hurried voice he
scarcely recognized, askod, hurriedly :
" Is that you, Lindsey?"
', Yes, open the door, I want to come in,"
was tho quick answer.
" Wait a minute, I am busy."
Lindsey went back to tho store, and two
ladies coming in, kept him busy perhaps
fifteen minutes. At tho end of that time,
and just as they were passing out, Sher
wood camo to the door and called him.
IIo was deadly palo and his hands trem
bled, but thero was a firm, hard look about
his eyes and mouth which Lindsey had nev
er seen thero before.
"I want you to bo off for Hartford in the
half-past five train, Lindsey," he said, in a
hurried, nervous way, quite unlike his
usual open, calm manner.
" Certainly ; but I must know what tho
trouble is, first. You look liko a maniac."
" Do I?" passing his hand hastily across
his forehead. " Well, I am not sure but I
am or shall be. You seo wo aro in rather
a tight place if you insist on knowing. A
bill for ten thousand dollars worth of goods.
It is in tho hands of ono tho hardest men
in existence. IIo would not hesitate an in
stant to shut up tho store if every dollar
was not forthcoming at tho preeiso moment
it was due. Five thousand dollars takes
every cent of money tho linn can command
for a week. In this extremity wo aro oblig
ed to borrow. You are thoreforo to tako
this check to Hartford, get the money, and
return immediately."
"Mr. Morrison?" Lindsey said, looking at
tho check.
" Yes ; ho has accommodated us beforo,
you probably remember."
" I think I onco took one of his checks
into tho bank. A year or more ago, wasn't
it?"
" I don't remember. IIo has helped us
scvoral times. I am going down to the
NEWSPAPER.
house, and will send Terry down with tho
team. Ho has got to go down to Windsor
Locks, and you can ride down so far with
him and tako the train from there. I want
you to attend to a few small bills that are
due. I'll come down to the store again be
fore you leave. By the way," pausing and
looking back with his hand on the knob,
and speaking cautiously, " I wouldn't say
anything to any one, if I were you, about
going down to the city."
"Very well,'' turning and going behind
the counter, a troubled, perplexed expres
sion on his face.
Several customers came in, and among
them ono of the men who had been in to
inquire for one of tho partners that morn
ing. He said nothing about them, now,
however, but bought a pair of gloves,
loitering about flic store till Terry drove up.
Lindsey at once went out, leaving him in
the store. Robert had ridden down with
Tony, and paused a few moments, giving
some additional directions concerning the
business at Windsor Locks. Just as he
was turning away, the man in tho store
sauntered leisurely out, bowing coolly to
Sherwood as he passed.
" Who is that man Lindsey asked. "lie
came in company with another man very
early in the morning and asked to seo one
of the partners, but ho went away without
mentioning any business."
" It is Clark Hunter," Sherwood replied,
his face darkening.
Lindsey said no more ; he understood at
once, Clark Hunter had been a former suit
or of Miss Austin's, Robert Sherwood' s
bride elect, and ho had heard that there
wcro not very pleasant relations between
the rivals. Terry tried very hard to inter
est his companion in conversation during
tho journey to Windsor Locks. At length
ho hit upon a new topic.
"Some trouble atween yerseif and the
ould one?" he asked, insinuatingly.
"Mr. Sherwood, do you mean?" looking
up surprised.
" Yes, the ould gintleman. You seo I
heard it all last even," looking exceedingly
wise. " It was after tho company had all
gone, and I jist in from the stables, stop
ped a bit in the kitchon. The doors was
open, and I heard tho ould chap say angry
like, 'I'll niver havo my daughter a disgra
ein' herself in such a way," or sumthin'
like it."
"What did Miss Sherwood say?" Lind
sey asked involuntarily, yet despising him
self for listening to what was not intended
for his ears.
" O," said the garrulous Torry, "sho said
niver a word, only cried as if her little
heart would break. And the ould one, says
he, 'Lindsey will not come hero again, and
I forbid you from meeting him, only in tho
presence of others ' "
"Stop, Terry!" Lindsey interrupted,
suddenly. " I havo no right to listen, or
you to tell me this private conversation."
" But thero wasn't only a bit more,
and"
"Not auother word !" was the peremptory
answer.
"Och, jist as ye likes, though if a nice,
swale young lady said tho likes of me I
wouldn't stay away for as many ould ones
as there is stars in the skies." And Terry
chuckled inwardly at his smartness in put
ting tho gist of Miss Corrio's answer so
cleverly.
Tho business at Windsor Locks was duly
attended to, t ho journey to Hartford mado,
tho check duly presented, and at onco cash
ed without question. Tho cashier know
young Lindsey, and had that morning seen
among tho business notices in tho "Cour
ant," tho advertisement of the new firm.
Mr. Sherwood and Mr. Morrison wera both
old tjustomers at the bank, and had often
accommodated cadi othor, but never to
quite so large an amount. Morrison was
good, however, for five times that amount,
and he dismissed all thought of it from his
mind.
The ovening train found Alfred Lindsey
among its passengers. Just as they were
TcmiH : IX A D VA X CET
One Dollar per Year.
No. ia.
on t he point of starting a young lady touch
ed his arm timidly. He looked up, and in
stantly his face Hushed scarlet.
"Mr. Lindsey, pray pardon me, but I am
alone, and I suppose you ar.i going to Grant
Icy ?"said a soft, he, itating voice.
Alfred arose hastily, and amid a little
confusion on both sides more than thero
was any apparent cause for Miss Annie
Morrison was seated beside him.
"I was so pleased when I saw you," sho
said the faintest bit of an accent on tho
"yon" for I'm a perfect coward about
riding alone at night. I missed the other
train, and if I had not feared mother would
bo alarmed about me,should not have come
tonight at all. I am so glad now that T did!"
And she settled herself cosily down beside
Lindsey, who most cordially echoed the last
sentence.
Ever since Alfred Lindsey, could remem
ber, Annie Morrison had been the most
beautiful and wonderful of creatures to his
fancy. Ho had never touched her hand,
or sat beside her, before he had never ex
pected so much happiness and it is no
marvel that the moments flew, and all tho
trouble and perplexity of tho day were for
gotten in the sweet delirium of tho mo
ment. " I read something in the Hartford pa
pers about you," sho said, just before they
reached Grantlcy. "Father said a year
ago that Mr. Sherwood ought to take you
into the firm. He didn't know it when ho
went away."
" Your father gone away !" Lindsey ex
claimed, so suddenly that sho gave a
quick start, laying her hand on his arm.
"O Alfred, how you startled me!" she
said, withdrawing it with a vivid blush.
"Pray pardon me," he stammered, be
tween two contending emotions, of joy and
alarm. "Iliad not heard your father was
away when did ho go.?"
"Yesterday morning. I went as far as
Hartford with him. IIo has gone out to
Undo Charles' in Pennsylvania."
A terrible crushing sensation almost took
his breath away how camo Robert Sher
wood by that check?
A moment's reflection, however, served
to allay the fearful suspicion that had
forced itself upon him. Knowing of tho
impending emergency, ho had doubtless
procured it several days before ; but, in
spite of this reasoning, ho felt uneasy, and .
the strange illness of Mr. Sherwood, and
Robert's subsequent unusual lehavionr
tho anxiety to get Iiim out of tho way,
tho locked door, the runtlo of paper aJl
combined to fill him with a vague senso
of apprehension. Even Miss Annio Mor
rison's sweet f;vco was for the moment
quite forgotten in the fever of emotion.
"Orantley !" called the conductor, put
ting his head in at the door.
Lindsey sprang up norvously, then col
ored suddenly as ho caught the slightly
surprised look in Miss Morrison's face.
She followed him out without speaking.
The carriage was waiting for her, and Lind
sey went with her, and though thero was
no particular need, as tho coachman was
waiting, handed her in, and heard her low
"good-night, Alfred," with a vaguo im
pression that is was only a beautiful
dream ho had heard that voice so often in
die a ins.
Mr. Sherwood still remained ill at least
ho was not soon out. Throe days has
passed three of evident anxiety and ex
pectancy on tho part of young Sherwood,
who now remained almost constantly in
tho storo, watching the mails with feverish
eagerness. The morning of the fourth day
Lindsey noticed among the letters one with
the peculiar scrawling hand he had remark
ed beforo the one had such a remarkable
effect on Mr. Sherwood. He observed that
Robert grew a trifle palo when ho saw It,,
and that his hunds trembled when he tore
open the envelop, but he was not prepared
for the bitter groan that burst from bis
white lips as they syllablod the ono word,
"ruined!"
CONCLUDED NEXT "WEEK.