, 1859-02-18
Did you not ask him for it," T,
"Yes, sir; And he said you would be none

lie looks little shabby, sir but he doesn't
talk at all like begging letter-writer He spoke
sharp and decided, sr,-and said that b was in
your interests that he came, and that you would
deeply regret It afterwards il you refused to sec
him." - 'T
ale said that did he Show him in at once
then" p's t.s
He was shown in Immediately. A middling.
sized man, with sharp, unwholesome.l looking
face, and with flippant reckless manner
dressed in style Of shabby smartness eyeine
me with bold look; and not 50 overburdened
with politeness as to trouble himself about tax.
ing off his hat when he came in; I had never
seen him before in my life; and could not form
the slightest conjecture from his appearance to
guide me towards guessing his position in the
world He was not gentleman, evidently; but
as to fixing his whereabouts in the infinite down
ward gradations Of vagabond existence in Lon.
don, that was a mystery which was totally in.
to solve.
as your name Trowbridge ?" he began.
eyes" I answered, driy enough.
"Do you bank with Marsh, Stracey, Faunt.
leroy, and Graham" ?"
"Why do you ask 2"
Answer my question, and you will know I"
"Very well, | do bank with Marsh, Straccy,
Fauntleroy, and Graham-and what then 2"
"Draw out every farthing Of balance YOU have
got, before the bank closes at FIVE to-day"
] stared at him in speechless amazcment.
The words, for the instant, absolutely petrifed
me.
"Stare as much as you like" he proceeded,
coolly, al moan what | say. Look at your clock
there In twenty minutes Il will strike five. and
the bank will bo shut Draw out every farthing,
I tell you, again; and look sharp about it"
"Draw out my money!" exclaimed, par
TALLY recovering myself "Are you in your
right senscsS Do you know that the firm bank
with represents one Of the first houses in the
world What do you mean-you, who are q
total stranger to me--by taking this extraordi.
nary interest in my affairss If you want me Ia
act on your advice, why don't you explain your.
selfS" .. a.. Is.1 s
al have explained myself Act on my advice,
or not, just as you like. II don't matter to me.
I have done what promised; and there's an
end Of it." a'l as~4.1. .-
He turned to the door. The minute hand Of
the clock was getting on from the twenty minutes
to the quarter. 1.
"Done what you promised {" repeated
getting up to stop him. Dit
have given my message. Whatever happens, re.
llSulbSE Juu| uOOu
He was gone before could speak again.
tried to call after him, but my lips had suddenly
got dry, and the words seemed to stick on them.
| could not imagine why, but there was some
thing in tho mans last words which had moro
than half frightened me. .f.H...
looked at the clock. The minute hand was
on the quarter. Ny Office was just far enough
from the bank to make it necessary for me to de.
eide on the instant If had had time to think
| am perfectly certain that l should not have
prOiited by the extraordinary warning that had
lust been addressed to me. The suspicious ap-
pcarance and manners Of the stranger tho out
ragcous imprObability Of the inference against
the credit Of the bank towards which his words
pointed; the chance that sone under hand at.
tempt was being made, by some enemy of mine,
to ffighten me into embroiling myself with one Of
my best friends, through showing an ignorant
distrust Of the firm with which he was associat
cd as partner,-all these considerations would
have occurred to me if could
have found time for reflection; and as a neces
Sary consequence, not one farthing of my bal
ance would have been taken from the keeping o
the bank OF that memorable day.
AS il was, Ihad just time enough to act, and
not spare moment for thinking Some heavy
made at tho beginning Of the week,
had so Ear decreased my balance, that the sum ia
my credit in the banking-book barely reached
e1 800 snatched up my chcque-book, wrote
q draft for the whole amount and ordered ont d
my clerks to run to the bank and get il cashed
before the doors closed What impulse urged
me on, except the blind impulse Of hurry and
bewilderment, can't say. acted mechanically,
under the influence Of the vague, incxplicablC
fear which the mans extraordinary parting words
.ol a.
my own sensations, almost without knowing
what was about. In three minutes from the
time when the stranger had closed my door, the
clerk had started for the bank and was alone
again in my room, with my hands as cold as ice,
and my head all in whirl.
did not recover my control over myself until
the clerk came back with the notes in his hand
lie had just got to the bank in the nick Of time.
As the cash for my draft was handed to him over
the counter, the clock struck five, and he heard
the order given 10 close the doors.
When had counted the bank-notes, and had
locked them up in tho safe, my better sense
seemed to come back to me on q sudden. Never
have reproached myself before or since, as
myself at that moment What sorl
Of return had made for Mr. Fauntleroy' 8 iath.
erly kindness to mel had insulted him by tho
the grossest distrust Of tho honor and
the credit Of his house-and that on the word Oi
an absolute stranger, Of vagabond, If ever
there was one yet 1t was madness, downright
madness In any man TO have acted as had done.
| could not account for my own inconccivably
thoughtlcss proceeding. could hardly believe
in il myself opened the safe, and looked al
the bank-nOtcs again. | locked it once more,
and flung the key down on the table in fury ol
vexation against myself There the money was,
upbraiding me with my own inconceivable folly
telling me in the plaincst terms that had risked
depriving myself Of my best and kindCst friend
henceiorth and forever
It was necessary to do something at once to-
wards making oil the atonement that lay in my
power. | felt tliat, as soon as began to cool
downa little. There was but one plain, straisht-