The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-04 00:00:00

A

CHAPTER VII.

A FRIEND IN NEED.

HOWARD BELMONT found himself, on his arrival in
America, in a sufficiently embarrassing condition; for
he had lost all his baggage, and with it a considerable
sum of money, and a letter of credit on a New York
banking-house, on which he had relied for obtaining
funds.
He had saved only a small sum which he had about
his person, and he had not an acquaintance in the
city to whom he could apply for aid. Yet, confident
of extrication, in some way, from these difficulties,
he had courteously declined accepting other assist-
ance than a borrowed change of garments, and re-
paired at once, with Ms servant, to one of the prin-
cipal hotels.
It was not until the following morning, when the
excitement incident to his adventures had in some
degree subsided, that he began to realise the extent of
his destitution.
He had followed his usual custom, in selecting com-
fortable quarters; but how was he to pay for them,
or submit to the humiliation of a protracted indebted-
ness for the month or more which it would require to
obtain remittances from England?
He took Hugh into consultation, and the result was
an immediate proposition to pawn his watch and a
diamond pin; a remedy so obvious to the Irishman,
that he greatly wondered that his master had not
thought of it himself.
"It's a power of money ye'll get on them same," he
said; "to say nothing of Carl, there, who might be
sould, or, leastways, rinted."
"Sell Carl 1" exclaimed Howard.

"Not for thrice

his weight in gold would I part with him. If there is
any Landseer here, I am going to have his portrait
painted, as soon as I am in funds again."
"Is it the dog's portrait ye'll have, thin ?" asked
Hugh, with undisguised amazement.
"Most certainly."
"And him standin' up on his hind legs, like a
gintleman ?"
, "Not at all—standing on his four legs."
"On his fore legs, is it ?"
, "On all fours, you booby, or sitting, or lying, as the
artist thinks best."
" ! It's meself that 'ud like to see that same.
The dog's portrait! Sure, and would he know himself
" That's more than I can tell," replied Howard.

laughing.
When Hugn had sufficiently expressed his astonish-
ent, his master at once directed him to learn where
the could safely make the little business transaction he
had proposed. But before Hugh had started on this
errand, a circumstance occurred which rendered this
unpleasant arrangement unnecessary.
Mr. Walworth, who, after several hours' search, had
succeeded in tracing the preserver of his children to
his hotel, called upon him, and was, of course, at once
received with much cordiality. Mr. Belmont did not
affect to disavow or underrate the favour he had been
the means of conferring upon the happy father, who
'expressed, as well as his renewed emotions would per-
mit, his gratitude and his appreciation of the noble-
ness of character displayed by his benefactor.
The young man manifested the liveliest satisfaction
on learning that Eda had not suffered from her ex-
posure, and that the children were also apparently un-
harmed. He was surprised to find that the infant
had remained unclaimed when Mr. Walworth left his
home in the morning, but neither doubted that before
that hour some mourning family had been gladdened
by its restoration to them.
"And now," said Walworth, "you have lost your
baggage and wardrobe, perhaps your money. You
are a young man, in a strange country, and you must
allow me to take a little charge of you."
Howard smiled, and said he hoped it would not be
necessary to trouble him.
"You cannot possibly trouble me," replied the other,
"excepting by refusing to let me be of some service to
you. lam sure I can assist you, for lam much your
senior, and I know the country and its customs, which
probably you do not."
The Englishman confessed to a most profound igno-
rance on these points. He certainly could have given
a better description of ancient Athens, Rome, or
Carthage, and of their people, than he could of the
western metropolis and its citizens.
"In the first place, then," said Walworth, "what is
the value of the baggage you have lost ?"
Belmont seemed a little surprised at this inquiry, but
after a few moments' reflection he replied—
" About a hundred and forty pounds."
"I do not mean the weight."
"Nor I," rejoined Howard, laughing, "I mean about
a hundred and forty pounds sterling."
It was now Walworth's turn to be surprised.
"Well," he said, "the steamboat company is liable
to you for this ; or, if not strictly so for the 'whole
amount, it will still, probably, be promptly paid, on
producing proof of the loss."
"Is it possible? Really, I should neverhave thought
of that. It would, indeed, be a timely aid; but I do
not know how I can furnish the proof. There were
three large trunks, two of which were paid for as
extra baggage, but the contents were too various and
numerous to be mentioned, even if they would receive
my statement."
"Your sworn statement will, probably, be accepted ;
but, the amount being so large, it may be more
satisfactory to make a memorandum of some of the
principal articles. Of course, no money, drafts, or
vouchers of any kind must be included."
Belmont rang for pen and ink, and, while Wal-
worth waited, he hastily made a list of some of his
valuables. -

The list comprised a complete outfit for a sportsman
who designed spending a shooting season on the
prairies and in the western forests.
"The value is considerably understated here," he
said, as he handed the memorandum to his friend.
"but I will be quite satisfied with even a moiety of
this sum, that will suffice me until I can get remit-
tances from home."
As Walworth was about departing to lay his friend's
statement before the owners of the lost boat—for all
proffers of more direct pecuniary aid had been de-
clined—young Belmont requested his servant to go
and bring him a newspaper.
In the journals, which Hugh soon brought him, he
found full details of the preceding day's accident, in.
eluding many particulars of which he had before bee%
ignorant; and he was not a little surprised and gratified
to see that honourable mention was made of his
services in saving the lives of three of his fellow-
passengers.
"Here's a flourish of trumpets, -indeed," he said,
reading aloud:

Howard Belmont, Esq., a young English gentleman, him.
self an invalid, displayed the most unparalleled bravery
(wh-e-e.w !), and, at the most imminent personal risk, saved
the tife of Miss Ada NV alworth, her brother, and an unkalown
Infant.

"Small thanks to me for the baby," he said. "Carl
saved that in spite of me."
And giving many particulars of the rescue, the
notice closed as follows:
Will not our humane societies take some notice of so
praiseworthy an act, and one which so richly deserves
ooramemorstion 7 Their medals have rarely rewarded nobler
deeds.

Ilugh, who was awaiting some expected orders,
listened with open mouth to this statement.
"Is it yourself that's in it?" he said, nodding
towards the paper, and not a little doubtful whether
his master was not jesting.

"Yes."
"And Carl, and ale, and the raft, and all, jist as ye
read it ? "

- " Exaatly."
Hugh nearly turned a somersault in trying to express
his delight.

"Thin it's wan of them papers I'll buy to send home
to my ould father, to let him see how• I've got into
print here in Amiriky."

- Mr. Walworth succeeded in his errand even better
than he anticipated; for his friend's declaration in
regard to his losses was accepted by the company
without question, and a cheque for the amount was
promptly given. On this he obtained the money, and
brought it at once to the young stranger, who was not
a little surprised and gratified.
"Yet I am almost ashamed to take it, unless as a
loan," he said, fingering the money hesitatingly, "it
was an accident."
"It was probably the result of gross carelessness.
The company is rich, and is glad to make reparation
as far as possible. Have no scruples."

"They certainly show the right spirit," replied
Howard, putting up the money.
"Troth, and it's my own portmanty and bist clothes
that's drowned too," said Hugh; "and ye didn't rickon
them in at all. Wouldn't ye be after sinding another
little bill for it—say twinty poun's or so ? "
"Certainly not," said Belmont, laughing; "twenty
pounds, indeed!"
"What nade to be so particular about the valley
of 'em, if it's so rich and free they are?"
"I'll see that you have no loss, Hugh. Say no more
about it."

Belmont, although not, as he thought, quite pre-
sentable, called on the afternoon of the same day to
see Miss Walworth.

The interview was by no means an embarrassing
one, for both these young people were too sensible
and unromantic to imagine that a love affair must be
the necessary or even the probable result of the ex-
traordinary events which had befallen them.
Eda was most grateful to her preserver, and ex-
hibited this sentiment naturally, without thought or
fear of misconstruction; while Howard, though much
impressed with the artless young lady's charms, clic/
not dream that they •would ever disturb his peace, '
in any way affect his destiny.
(To be continued.)