Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-04-01

II
Ashton Cooke was tracking me all over Ell
rope, and supposed he was doing it at tn
instance Of your firm. have been keT
constantly busy with contrivances and di,
guises to throw him off my track. until /
despair at his pertinacity, and stricken wit
remorse, have come back to offer wha
reparation yet might for the wrong hav
| done you.''
1t was now Mr.. Baync's turn to be aston
ished. He said "Do you mean to tell m
| that he did not follow you to Europe +
| share your plunder'? If he was not your nc
complice, how do you explain those falls
entries of his to cover your deialcation ?"
81 directed him to make them from M,
memoranda to avoid suspicion which nigh
be aroused by having too many of them il
my own handwriting. 1 had no intention
of duplicating him in my guilt neve
even thought of the matter. wonder tina
he did not explain the matter to you ans
clear himself of suspicion" answered Mr.
Chapman.
$50 he did-so he did," said Mr.. Bayne
"only we would not believe him, or any
body, after you had failed us"
81 had no idea of this, eagerly continued
Mr.. Chapman. l can prove his innocence
have with nc my memorandum book from
which he copied several of the entries yor
speak Of kept in it an accurate account
of all my transactions, always expecting tc
be able to pay you some day from the profits
of my speculations."
Some further conversation ensued which
had the effect of forcing on Mr.. Bayne the
conviction that Chapman spoke the truth
and there followed a keen sense Of remorst
for the wrong he had done Ashton Cooke
and the pain he had caused Nettic. He could
find no excuse for himself, for the same
dogmatic frame of mind which had made
Netties faith in Ashton's innocence seem sc
cxasperalingly absurd to him when he be.
lievcd Ashton guilty, prevented him, now
that he was convinced of the young mans
innocence, from seeing anything at all rea
sonable or excusable in his former opinion
He sat in silence for some time, and then
suddenly awaking to a consciousness o.
Cha.,man's presence, he turned to him ant
asked, "Well, what is it you want ?"
"To be allowed to live here, and to be
helped to some employment by which car
make money so that can pay back all your
firm lost by me. only want for myself .
bare subsistence, and all l can make ovel
that l will pay over TO the firm, answered
Chapman.
al will make no such exaction," said Mr.
Bayne.
sit will not be an exaction," said Chapman
with tremulous eagefness. :" beg you to
let me do this; could not look death in the
face without having made full reparation
For my conscicncc's sake, for my very souls
sake, beg that you and your partners viii
not deny me this. can never feel myself
an honest man until have undone the
wrong did,
Mr.. Bayne, though sometimes violent,
with an almost savage hatred Of dishonesty,
and, withal, man to whom charity fol
others weaknesses did not come easily, fell
all his resentment melt away before Chap
mans sincere penitcnce and would gladly
have forgiven him his offence without any
restitution at his hands; but hc saw thai
this would not satisfy the mans aroused
conscience, So he seriously considered his
request. AS he did so ii flashed across his
mind that nothing but full reparation would
satisfy his own conscience for the wrong he
had done Ashton and Nettie, and he saw
that he could do no act of kindness so great
to his old clerk as to grant his request. Sc
he promised to see what he could do.
lie insisted on Chapman staying all NIGH
at his house, as it was now late, and himself
showed him to a room. He fingered at tht
chamber door minute ard then suddenly
said ''good night and turned away. II,
walked half the length of the passage, ther
stopped and thought awhile, then, suddenly
turning again he returned to Chapman
room and tapped upon the door. Chapman
said ''Comein" SIS the bed fixed all right?
Mr.. Bayne asked
"Yes sir" answered Chapman.
81 thought may be il wasn't" he said, ,ant
then fingered awhile apparently undecided
about something.
The silence had grown embarrassing whel
Mr. Bayne suddenly blurted out, "See her
Chapman, wish hadn't talked quite 81
rough to you, and slamming the door be
hind him hurried back to hi; own room
feeling immensely relieved by his awkwar
attempt at an apology. He next went t.
bed but probably spent quite as much of th
night in thinking out plans Of reparation t
Ashton Cooke as he did in sleep. Before Ii
closed his eyes the matter was fixed in hi
own mind
He was up bright and early next mornin
and after hasty breakfast started in CON
pany with his strange guest for the city
Arriving there he and Mr.. Chapman pre-
ceeded directly to Savage, Bayne & Miller
warehouse and there was long private con
sultation in the office, in the course OF whic
that memorandum book was produced re
moving from the minds of the other partner
the last lingering doubt of Ashton Cooke
innocence. The book gave detailed an
accurate account of all of Mr.. Chapman
miserable speculations, and an exact state
ment of the amounts he had drawn from th
firm. and it convinced the firm that their ol
cashier had been weak rather than wicked.
Mr.. Chapman leaving The book with ther
went to hotel and lengthy consultatio
between the partners followed, which led
results which shall be chrdnicled more full
in the next chapter.
CHAPTER V.
HOW IT ALL RNpRD-THR QUESTION AN
swERRD.
Mr.. Bayne went directly to Baynevill
and before he even went home called o
ClarcEce Cooke.
"Where's your brother Ashton was h
unceremonious question The moment he Ell
tered the door.
s'On the Atlantic, bound for America,
suppose, from letter have just received
answered the somewhat surprised youn
man.
l . A.. 4 4 n