Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-03-01
sTAUNTON, VIRGINIA. TUESDAY, MARCH l. 1859.

my surprise, the partner did not seem to notice
the lamentable lameness of my excuses, and did
not additionally confuse me by asking any ques-
tions. A weary, absent look, which had Oh.
served on his face, when l came in, remained
on it, while was speaking. 1t seemed to be
an effort to him, even to keep up the appearance
of listening to me. And when, at last, fairly
broke down in the middle of a sentence, and
gave up the hope of getting any farther, all the
answer he gave me was comprised in these few
civil, commonplace words:-
"Never mind, Mr.. Towbridge; pray don't
think of apologising. We are all liable TO make
mistakes. Say nothing more about it; and
bring the money back on Monday if you still
honor us with your confidence"
He looked down at his papers, as If he was
anxious to be alone again; and / had no alter
native, of course, but to take my leave immedi.
ately. Invent home, feeling little easier in
my mind, now that / had paved the way for
making the practical atonement in my power,
by bringing my balance back the first thing on
Monday morning. Still, passed a weary day
on Sunday, rejecting, sadly enough, that had
not yet made my peace with Mr.. Fauntleroy.-
My anxiety to set myself right with my gener.
Gus friend was so intense, that risked intruding
myself on his privacy by calling at his town res
idence on Sunday. He was not there; and his
|servanRcould tell me nothing of his whereabouts.
There was no help for it now but to wait till
bis week day duties brought him back to the
bank.
went to business on Monday morning, half
an-hour earlier than usual, SO great was my i'm
patience to restore the amount of that unlucky
draft to my account as soon as possible after the
bank opened. On entering my Office, stopped
with startled feeling, just inside the door
Something serious had happened. The clerks,
instead of being at their desks as usual, were all
huddled together in group, talking to each
other with blank faces. When they saw me,
they tell back behind my managing man,
who stepped forward with circular in his
hand.
"Have you heard the news, sir Z" he said.
mo. What is it.2"
He handed me the circular. My heart gave
one violent throb the instant looked at 1t. /
felt myself turn pale; / felt my knees trembling
under me.
Marsh, stracey, Fauntleroy and Graham had
stopped payment.
"The circular has not been issued more than
half an hour" continued my managing clerk
81 have just come from the bank, sir. The
doors are shut--there is no doubt about it,
Marsh and Company have stopped this morn
ing"
/ hardly heard him; I hardly knew who was
talking to me. My strange visitor of the Satur-
day had that instant taken possession of my
thoughts; and his words of warning seemed to
be sounding once more in my ears. This man
had known the true condition of the bank, when
not another soul outside the doors was aware
of it! The last draft paid across the counter OF
that ruined house when the doors closed on
Saturday, was the draft that had so bitterly
reproached myself for drawing; the one bal
ance saved from the wreck was my bal
ance. Where had the stranger got the infor-
nation that had saved me; and why had he
brought it to my ears2
was still cropping, like q man in the dark,
for an answer to those two questions-I was
still bewildered by the Questionable mystery
of doubt into which they had plunged me,
when the discovery of the stopping of the bank
was followed almost Immediately by second
: shock, far more dreadful, far heavier to bear,
so far as | was concerned than the first
While and my clerks were still discussing the
failure of the firm, two mercantile men, who
were friends of mine, ran into the office and
overwhelmed Us with the news that one of the
partners had been arrested for fogery. Never
shall l forget the terrible Monday morning wher
those tidings reached me, and when knew thai
the partner was Mr.. Fauntleroy.
was true to him-I can honestly say l was
true to my belief in my generous friend-wner
that fearful news reached me. My fellow.mer
chants had got all the particulars of the arrest
They told me that two of Mr.. Fauntleroy's fel
low trustees had come up to London to make
arrangements about selling out some stock
On inquiring for Mr.. Fanntleroy at the banking
house, they had been informed that be was no
there; and, after leaving message for him
they had gone into the city to make an appoint
ment with their stockbroker for future day
when their fellow trustee might be able to at
tend. The stockbroker volunteered to make
certain business inquiries on the spot, with 6
view to saving as much time as possible; ant
left them at his Office to await his return. Ht
came back, looking very much amazed, witt
the information that the stock had been solo
out, down to the last five hundred pounds. The
affair was instantly investigated; the documen
authorizing the selling out was produced; an(
the two trustees saw on it, side by side will
Mr.. Fauntleroy's signatures of their own names
This happened on the Friday; and the trustees
without losing a moment, sent the officers o
Justice in pursuit of Mr.. Fauntleroy. He wa
IoiiOolCu1 UlOuSuO uP UOlOiO WIG hioSiodotOt ohs
remanded, on the Saturday. On Monday heart
from my friends the particulars which / hav,
Just narrated.
But the events of that one morning were no
destined to end, even yet. l had discovered th
failure of the bank and the arrest of Mr.. Fsun
ltleroy. / was next to be enlighted, in the stran
gest and saddest manner, on the difficult ques
tion of his innocence or his guilt. Before m.
g.. IL, bol Ioft+ bofo holo ovbap
ed the arguments which my gratitude rathe
than reason suggested to me in favor OF the IN
happy prisoner, note, marked immediate, wa
placed in my hand, which silenced me the in
stant looked at it. 1t was written from the
prison by Mr.. Faunteroy, and it contained two
lines only, entreatiDg me to apply for th'
necessary order, and to go and see him imme
diately.
SHAH not attempt to discribe the hutter o
expectation, the strange mixture of dread an(
hope that sgitated me when l recognized hi
! handwriting, and discovered what it was tina
he desired me to do. | obtained the order, and
went to the prison. The authorities, knowing
the dreadful situation in which he stood, were
afraid of his attempting to destroy himself, ant
had set two men to watch him. One came ou
al they opened the cell door. The other who
was bound not to leave him, very delicately ant
CONSIDERABLY affected to be looking out of tht
window the moment was show in.
He was sitting on the side of bis bed, with
his head dropping and his hands hanging list
lessly over his knees when first caught sigLt
of him. At the sound of my approach, he start
ed to his feet, and, without speaking word
flung both his arms round my neck.
My heart swelled up. "Tell me it's not true
sir For Gods sake, tell me its not true !" was
all | could say to Kim.
lie never answered-Oh, mel he never an
swered, and he turned away his face.
There was one dreadful moment of silence