Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-11-17
Selected Storp.
HOW HARTLEY. PRANK & co. SUS-
.a PENDED. s 81
Prom Appleton.s yonrnar.

1t was in May, 1863. L had been up il
Pennsylvania on q visit to some relatives
of my wife's, and returned on Saturia-
afternoon. called atmy ofice in Wal
street, and found both my partners in higl
glee. Business bed beeo even more pro
ftable than usual during my temporar,
absence; and so rapidly was our reputation
for skill and straightforward dealing ris
ing and extending. that telegrams had tina
very afternoon been received from one OF
the departments at Washington, urging
ny immediate visit there, IN order to up.
dertake some financial negotiations requir
ing more than ordinary tact and manage
ment. Itwas already late Both my part
ners we're anxious TO get sxay-one to at
tend rowing match, the other to take biz
young wife ont riding. But few words
could be exchanged in reference to thS
Washington enterprise, and scarcely Q
word was said in relation to business mat
ters in geEersl Tney hurried up town;
and went over 10 Brooklyn to dine, and
packed a fresh valise, so as to leave fol
Washington by the 9:l5 p. NJ. train.
Through one of our messenger-boys
fror4 the office. / had secured state-rcom
in the sleeping car, and, on reaching the
train, walked through the entire length OF
it to find that ny state-room was st the
very rear end Of the last car. Tie couch
in it had not vet bees made up; but on
the seats were sitting two gentlemen. with
heads bowed down, in earnest, whispered
conversation. peered through the mar
row door in the dim light Of the car, to
make sure that it was letter X the letter
70 my room-and. not desiring to sit down
then, was quietly stepping back into the
sx,fr~ - a
the platform, when onesof the gentlemen
looked up, and recognized a we'll known
New York merchant. with whom nv Arm
frequently had large business transsc-
tions. and whom had repeatedly happen-
ed to meet on the Washington cars within
the last few months. Referring mentally
to remark had made to him the last
time we met on the cars, said, iokircly.
as 1 held out my hend to him;
81 knew should find you somewhere on
board; looked all through the train for
you"
.You did?"
thought his hand trembled as held it,
and noticed strange look of fear and
agony upon his countenance, er .irely un-
suited TO the prin, half-reserved, wholly
self satisfied expression which the wealthy
Mr.. Brisket generally wore. But paid
no special attention to it. The cars had
started: there was the usnal jolting. and
jsrring, and locomotive-screeching, and
bell-ringing. on goipg out of the depot
aud iu the dina light of the sleeping-car-
DINNER than elsewhere in this corner state
room-eveIytbing looked unnatural and
distorted thought no more of 1t.
did you look for ne?' he repeated
"why?"
.'You have forgotten, it appears. what /
tod you two weeks ago that We always
seem to ito Washington together.
'Oh, I remember, he sid; "but Frank
told me this morning that you were out OF
town, somewhere up in Pennsylvania. and
were not expected home till Monday"
For some reason or other. il struck me as
strange, that Frank. my partner. woo him.
self attended TO all of Mr.. Brisket's busi-
ness, should have mentioned my absence,
which ordinarily would pass entirely unno-
ticed by any one OF Franks particular Gus.
toners, for the reason that in those days
I was scarcely ever in the Office. but at
tended to outdoor work exclusively. Ii
was besides, one of my pet rules, both
with rny clerks and junior partners, never
TO tell any one anything in connection with
business that could possibly be avoided.
But, before the thought could really as
sumo . definite shape. inspy mind, Mr..
Brisket gently drew me down on the seat
beside him. saying, In very absent-mind-
ed way, TO the gent eman opposite him
"Mr. Brandon, this is Mr. Hartley, oi
Wall stress, whom you have often heard
of:
The person addressed looked up some
what peevishIy, saying:
D..-
sir. Do get the mama night; it Is simple
enough"
To my astonishment, Mr.. Brisket made
no reply, offered no explanation for mis-
naming his acquaintance, but isept look
passage way Of the ear, as though he mo-
mentssily expected an .apparition to enter
by the door at the opposite end.
offered someapologetic remark on the
facility of making mistakes, spoke about
the we:thef, the crowded train. the great
CO mfort of the sleeping cars; and. finding
my compani ons rather tedious, / walked
to the front platform of the car, and Lit 0
cigar, the aroma of which mingled not IN
pleasant with <sn occasional Whit OF sea
breeze coming across the salt meadow -
The cigar and the night-sir sharpened my
brain, for Like lightning the thought fash
ed upon me suddenly: There is something
wrong about Brisket. he is after some
great game. or he is in some mischief :
What can ii be? woman? There had
been rumors, faint and fleeting, that the
great merchant was not altogether imma-
culate. But somehow his manner did not
look like that Gambling? No! BE wa;
too timi i. too sensitive; and. IL be had,
no sum that he could hose could hurt him.
1t was impossible. But who was that man
with him? / had an indistinctr recollection
of having seen him before, and the impress
sion was by no means in his favor. He
had the look of Southerner. and in those
days men readily thought i'll of any one
whose complexion was little darker thar
his neighbours. WIS he. mixed up with
Brisket In some way? Were they engaged
in some smuggling operation, OF worse?-
But, while was specializing. the train ran
into the dimly-ligted Newark depot
drew the last Whit of my cigar and enter.
ed the but, a. Ishus the door behind
me, heard distintly firm and somewhat
authoritative but not loud voice cry, "Po-
liceT 1t came from the rear md Of the
car, and sounded precisely as though some
one in the state-roon, where had left Mr..
Brisket and his friend, had put his head
out of the window to utter the cry.
1 stepped rapidly along tne car, and
locked into the room. The two wee lean,
ing back on their couches, ape Arantly
asleep. I could not resist the temptation
to say:
sWas it you who called for the police?'
Grant only opened his eyes. as with half
sleepy curiosity; but Brisket fairly jumped
to his feet, hvid with terror. e.rF =.
And now, almost at our ears. the sams
voice, not louder, but with more emphatic
authority, again cried, Policeman
Bnsket put his hand to his coat-pockei
II knew be was feeling for revolver anf
raised himself to his iull height, with 81
air of desperate resolution that did mo-
think his countenance capable of express
iog. But, The next instant a. II sndden
ly recollecting himself he sank back in hii
seat. saying, as If to sxrlain his excite
ment;
The air is perfectly sitting here; / an
almost choked-"
/ was now thoroughly convinced tha
something vas wrong with Briskst. I step