The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-10-11

He was afraid Harcourt would mention
it, and he wanted to get away. In his
unbusiness like fashion, Harcourt had
neglected to take any acknowlelg
ment of the money he had lent, and
there was no legal proof of it.
"Of course if can help you in any
way, | will, he said coldly. 81 suppose
you will be looking for n situation in
some counting room p
Have you a vacancy in yours, Boil
ton p asked Harcourt beginning to
understand for the first time n man
whom he had feted and obliged.
Well, no, said Bolton, but may
/ hear Of one somewhere.
Il won't trouble YOU. Mason has Of
fered me clerkship.'
HAS he indeed You had better
take it by all means.
4 don't know; | thought / might
like to 90 into business for myself"
but you would need capital"
eyes, know Bot have provided
for all my deb $, and have enough ow-
ing me TO start me in a small business
Talbot owes me three thousand dollars,
Gray one thousand, you two thousand
then there are some smaller sums
"I owe you two thousand dollars
surely you are mistaken.
"Not at all A year since you Dor
rowed a thousand"
81 repaid it. You have forgotten"
"And three months since you Dor
rowed a thousand Both are still
due"
Then you have my notes ?"
"None were given.
81 regret to say YOU are under a
misunderstanding. owe you nothing,
but if loan of fifty dollars will be Of
service
1T will not, said Harcourt haugh-
lily. Il bid you good morning sir
There has indeed been q misunder-
standing. thought you my friend; L
4 discover my mistake"
''Lordly airs, for a bankrupt !" said
Bolton to himself "He can't prove
the debt, and ! can't afford to let two
thousand dollars go when 1 can just
as well retain them
Harcourt, indignant and disappoint-
ed at Bottoms baseness, kept on his
way until he reached Talbots store
rs Mr.. Talbot in ?" he inquired OF
one of the clerks
Il will go and see"
"Who is it ?" asked Talbot, who was
reading the newspaper.
"Alr Harcourt
Tell him | am particularly engag-
ed, was the reply.
This answer was carried to Lionel.
does he know who it is ?"
Yes, sir he inquired
Lionel smiled slightly and left the
store
He caught sight Of his friend Gray
on the other side Of the street.
ooh, Gray, good morning !"
Good morning, Harcourt,' said
Gray, half cordially, curious to know
the particulars of his friends ruin
What is this l hear? Are you real
~ bankrupt? Shan't you save any
. thing?'
My debts are all provided for lucki-
ly, and shall have clear money | have
lent out l believe YOU"
Excuse me, Harcourt," said Gray
, hurriedly There's IA man opposite
wish particularly to speak to-"
And he turned away fearful of what
was coming.
"All alike" said Harcourt bitterly
Il couldn't have believed it. And vel
these men have eaten at my table ano
professed the greatest friendship fol
me. Ha, who comes here. 1t is Miss
/ Ridgely l wonder whether she vii
act III the same way"
Miss Ridgely was fashionable
young lady, who for the last three
months had Ibid violent siege to Lion
, els heart He was not in love Will
her, but might have been fattered into
offering himself if his prosperity had
: continued
, Miss Ridgely made very slight ano
, cold inclination, ignoring Lionels evi
} dent intention to speak to her.
"She too p he said to himself "Thi'
repays me for all l might have beer
fool enough to marry her and so wreck
ed my happiness.
/ This was enough for one day. Lilo
mel was convinced that his friend wai
right, but was resolved to carry out hi
t original plan and keep up the show o
e poverty for month.
The next Monday he went into Ma
4 sons Office, clerk on six hundred dol
3 lars salary, as he took care to have i
understood. He obtained board at {
t cheap boarding house, and entered up
e on n new life. Every day he met hi
y old friends in the street. They JUS
acknowledged his bow and no more
/ Lionel looked after them with quie
= smile.
81 am glad" he thought, "that m,
= eyes are open at last.
so things continued for q month
But one morning Bolton and Talbot
{ walking arm in arm, were almost par
alyzed with establishment at encoun
S term Harcourt driving up street in
, stylish turn out, behind handsome
0 pair of bays. Lionel was elegant,
y dressed never in his life had h
looked handsomer
{ "Good Heavens, is that Harcourt Z?