Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-22

my depth and not 70 forget small beginning
may lead in time to great ends. 4 prospec
OF one or these great ends-great, mean
to such small trader as / was at tha
period showed itself to me When ha,
been some little time in the business. Il
plain terms, had chance Of joining in
first rate connection which would give M
profit and position, and everything
Santed, provided could qualify myself fol
engaging 10 It BY getting good security be
forehand to a large amount
In the emergency; l thought Of my kind
friend, Mr. Fauntleroy, and went to the
bank and saw him once more in bis private
room.
There he was at the same table, with the
same hearty easy way Of speaking bis mind
to you at once in the fewest possible words.
| explained the business came upon with
some little hesitation aud nervousness, for
was afraid he might think | was taking an
unfair advantage Of his former kindness 10
me. When ! had done he just nodded his
head, snatebed up a blank sheet Of paper,
4 scribhlaG farp lines IL ia a rapid way,
handed The writing to me aud pushed me
7 out Of the room By the two shoulders be-
/ fore | could say single word / looked at
the paper in the outer Office. 1t was my
I security from that great banking house for
/ the whole amount aud for more if more was
wanted.
could not express my gratitude then
1 and don know that can describe it now.
/ can only say that it has outlived the crime,
the disgrace, and the death on the scafold.
/ | am grieved to speak Of the death at all;
/ but / have no other. alternative.
The course of my story must now lead me
straight on to the latter time and to the
terrible discovery which exposed my bene
factor and friend to all England as the for
ger Fauntlleroy.
must ask you to suppose alapse Of some
time after the occurrence Of the events that
/ have just been relating. During this in
terval, thanks to the kind assistance ] had
received at the outset, my position as a man
Of business had greatly improved
Imagine me now, if you please, on the
high road to prosperity, With good large
Offices and respectable staff Of clerks, snd
I picture NE to yourself sitting alone in my
private room, between four and Eve O'Clock
on certain Saturday afternoon.
All my letters had been written, all the
people who had appointments With me had
been received l was looking earelessly over
the newspaper, and thinking about going
home when one Of my clerks came in and
said that a stranger wished TO see me imme-
dately on veTy important business.
Did he mention his name en-
qaired.
''No sir.
did you ak him for II r.
Yes, sir And he said you would be
none the wiser if he told NE what it was -
Does he look Ike begging letter
writer %
she spokc sharp and decided, sir. and
ssid it was in your interest that he came,
aud that you would deeply regret it after
ward you refused to see him.
'He said that did he Show him 10 at
once.
He vas shown in Immediately: midlling
sized man, with a sharp, unwholesome-look-
iag face. aud with a fippant, reckless man
ner, dressed in a style Of shabby smartness,
eyeinr me with a bold look, and not 50 over
burdeued with politeness as 70 trouble him
self about taking'off his bat when he came
IN.
had never seen him before in my life,
and could not form the slightest conjecture
from his appearance toward guessing his
position in the world He was not a gentle
nan, evidently; but as to fixing bis wherea-
bouts IN the intimate downward gradation
Of 7agaboni existence in London, that was
a mystery which I was totally Incompetent
to solve
SIS your name Trowbridge % be began.
'tYes, I answered, dryly enough.
'sDo you bank with Marsh. Stracey,
Fauuderoy and Graham ?
"Why do you ask -
answer my question and you will know
''Yery well, | do bank with Marsh, Stra-
csy. Fauntleroy and Grabam-and what
then p
..Draw every farthing Of balance you have
got before the bank closes at Eve to-day.
I stared at him in amazement. The words
for an instant, absolutely petrifed me
stare as much as you ike, he pTocee-
ded, oooIly, 1 mean what l say. Look at
your clock there. In twenty minutes IT will
strike FIVE, aud the bank win be shut. Draw
out every farthing, l tell you again, and
look sharp about it.
Draw out my money e. | exclaimed par
italy recovering myself Are you IN your
right senses? Do you know that the firm !
bank with represents one Of the first housesin
the world ? What do you mean-you, who
are total stranger to me-by taking this
extraordinary interest in my affairs If
yUu want me tU act On your advice, why
don tyou explain Yourself p
Il have explained myself Act on my
advice or not, jnst as you Ike. 1t don t
malter to me. have done what prom
isei, and there an end Of it.
He turned to the door, The minute band
of the clock was getting on from the twenty
minutes to the quarter.
Done what you promised, repeated,
getting up TO stop him.
Yes be said, with his hand on the
loek. Il have given my message Whatever
happens, remember that Good afternoon.
He was gone before / could speak again.
tried 10 call after him, bnt my speech
suddenly failed me- 1t was very foolish, it
was very unaccounlabie, but there was some
hing ia the mans las words which had
more than half frightened me.
| looked at the clock. The minute hand