The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-08-12

tics to their united intcllccts. Mr..
SwInlon, tho middlc-agcd clerk, who
was mado iicrs" at tho consultation,
for the profcsscd purpose of taking
on himself the young mans ncrlcc,cI
dntios, and perhaps also for the object
OF playing II kind Of malo chapcron,
used to cnlivcn his drcary Iabors by
hunmlng, soto v0ce: "Shc showed him
tho way-sho showed him tho way
she showed him the way to WOO"
But this was probably an old bach
clor's tcstincss, for not one word ever
passed between the grave Young nc.
countants that might not havo been
uttered i'll tho hearing of Mr.. Bah.
bagc himself And at length tho "bal-
ancc shccts was finished. and Mr..
Partridgc's claim reduced from e5. 900
TO i3,5G0, even ut tho most cxtrava-
CANT amount Of interest that could
have been cXactcd from an unsccur-
cd debtor.
at is perfectly wonderful, my dear
uncle" was Erncst's remark, as he
laid it before his uncle, ut the end of a
week from the commencement of
their labora. "Miss DeCHlrcy is as
clcar-headcd and accurate us Mrs
Somcrvillc herself, and yet as gentle
and feminine as thc.vcricst child who
sports in tho green h,ncs at Fernidalc," :"
Possibly" was The dry reply "but
what l. asked for from you Ernest,
was q report Of Mrs. DcCourcy's aC:
fairs, and not of her daughters attrac
tions and [ would Just givo YOU n
hint my boy, that if 1 am to set the
ono straight you must not cntanglc
yourself with the other. Any non
sense Of that kind and Kthrow the
thing up at once"
Ernest Pagct was portionlcss
nephew Of the millionaircs, and had
he been ever so lovo stricken, he
could not have extended the slightest
aid to the fair "quccn of his SOUL"
and as she had no tangible reason to
suppose Miss DcCourcy had bcstow-
cd one thought on him, save as the
assistant in her difficult task, he wise
~ held his peace, and concluded his
explanation in moro busincss-lillc
style than its commencement.
1t was some three days later when
Blanche was summoned to the pres
cncc Of tho banker in brief, though
courteous terms, which gavc no clue
to tho result Of his deliberations, and
hcr heart beau wildly as she was
again ushcrcd after brief delay into
his presence.
"Miss DeCourcy," said Mr.. Brown
low, gravcly. 81 am n man of business,
and seldom waste words; SO wo will
come at once to tho point. From the
account submitted TO me by my
nephew, 1 find that your mother owes
MI. Partridge, G3,5TG, a"d l darcsay,
| am not far wrong in estimating her
other debts at some $500 more, ere
she and you would be quito straight.
Now [ am wiling to advance you
$1,000 at four per cent, which will be
about 91GO per annum, leaving you
some G2O0 to live on, and ut your ma
jority, which you tell me is about n
year and half from this time, you
will make over to mo tho principal Of
the loan. Is this according to your
idcas?"
"Gladly-thankfully will do all
you say" said tho girl, with glistcn-
ing eyes. "And 1 shall remain your
debtor till the last hour Of my life"
IL hope not" said tho banker, with
a grave smile. 81 should be very
sorry to think your life would DO q
very short one. But mind young
lady, l shall expect a punctual fulfill
mcnt Of tho engagement. It is easy
TO promise in excitement, but tho
great thing is to perform in sober dull
earnest. However this timo will
prove"
Hc rang n silver bell as he spoke,
and in another moment the door open
cd and "Mr. Partridge, Sir" was an
nounccd.
Blanche shrank back near to tho
old banker, as tho dark, ovcrhung
eyes of tho usurcr fell Indignantly
upon her, and his thin, looscly-hung
figure advanced with exaggerated af.
fcctation of respect to the chair point
cd out to him.
"Wcll, sir, 1 havo sent for you to
arrange your claims on tho widow of
the late Admiral Do Courcy," said
Mr.. Brownlow stcrnly. at amounts,
l find, TO the cXorbitant sum Of 93,-
50O."
"Pardon me, sir, that is q slight
mistake My claim against tho lady
in question is for $4,000, and I can
not take five pound note less"
"Is that your final resolve sir7"
"Aly dear sir-considcr-yoursclf.
You are accustomed to business.
Evon at that tho delay and anxiety
and risk make mo loscr."
"That is pity" said the banker,
scornfully. "Since, in that case, l
fear you will be really ruined by tho
result Of this disgracefnl business. In
q few words, sir, you are usurious
rascal, and have acted UNANIMOUSLY in
lending such sums to married lady,
without the knowledge of her hus.
band. You may thank the filial devo-
tion and honor Of this young lady for
receiving one penny of our uncon-
scionablo demand. There is check
for the corrected amount; and if YOU
hesitate to give q full receip ipt at once,
pledge word which has never been
brokon, that you shall be exposed and
punished for your nefarious dealings,
and forfeit every farthing Of this i'll.
gotten gain.
There were few, perhaps, who
could have borne without quailing tho