Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-22

Iul, lar heavier 10 pear, SO lar as was
concerned, than the first.
While | and my clerks were discus
sing the failure of the firm, two mer-
camille men, who were friends of mine,
ran into the Office and overwhelmed
US with the news that one of the part
ners had been arrested for forgery
Never shall | forget the Monday NOR
ming when those tidings reached me,
and when knew that the partner was
Mr.. Fauntleroy.
| was true to him can honestly
say that | was true to my belief in my
generous friend-when that fearful
news reached me. Ny fellow mer-
chants had got all the particulars of
the arrest. They told me that two
Of Mr.. Fauntleroy's fellow trustees
had come up to London to make ar
rangements about selling some stock.
On inquiring for Mr.. Fauntleroy at
the banking house, they had been in-
/ formed that he was not there; and,
after leaving message for him, they
had gone into the city to make an ap-
pOintment with their stock broker for
a future day, when their fellow trus-
tee might be able to attend. The
stock broker volunteered to make GER
tain business inquiries on the spot,
with view to saving as much time as
possible, and left them at his Office to
await his return. He came back, look
ing very much amazed, with the infor-
nation that the stock had been sold
out down to the last FIVE hundred
pounds. The affair was instantly in
ve8tigated the document authorizing
the selling out was produced, and the
two trustees saw on it, side by side
with Mr.. Fauntleroys signature, their
own names forged. This happened
on Friday, and the trustees, without
losing a moment, sent the officers Of
justice in pursuit Of Mr. Fauntleroy.
He was arrested, brought before the
magistrate, and remanded on the Sat
urday. On the Monday | heard from
my friends the particulars | have just
narrated.
But the events Of that one morning
were not destined to end even yet
had discovered the failure of the
bank and the arrest of Mr.. Fauntle-
roy. | was next to be enlightened, in
the strangeSt manner, on the difficult
question of his innocence or guilt
Before my friends had left the Office
before had exhausted the arguments
which my gratitude rather than my
reason suggested to me in favor of
the prisoner, note, marked Imme-
date, was placed in my hands, which
silenced me the instant looked at it.
1t was written from the prison by Mr..
FauntlerOy, and it contained two lines
only. entreatins me to obtain the ne
cessary order, and 90 to see him i'm
mediately.
| shall not attempt to describe the
futter Of expectation, the mixture of
dread and hope that agltated me when
| recognized his handwriting, and dis
covered what it was that he desired
me to do. l easily obtained the or
der, and went to the prison.
The authorities knowing the dread
tul situation in which he stood, were
, afraid of his attempting to destroy
, himself, and had set two men to watch
him. One came out as they opened
his cell door. The other, who was
/; bound not to leave him, very delicate
: ly and considerably affected to be
, looking out of the window the moment
: | was shown in.
| He was sitting on the side of bis
bed, with his head dropping and his
hands hanging listlessly over his knees
| when | first caught sight Of him. AT
, the sound Of my approach he started
t to his feet, and, without speaking a
? word, flung both his arms around my
, neck.
Ny heart swelled up.
Tell me it's not true, sir! Fol
? Gods sake, tell me it's not true" was
= all | could say to him.
He never answered-oh me! he ne
, yer answered, and he turned away hi:
+ face.
/ There was one dreadful moment of
? suspense. He still held his arm:
: round my neck, and on sudden pu
$ his lips close to my ear.
/ Did you get your money out? ?" he
whispered. Were you in time OIL
o Saturday afternoon ?"
broke free from him in tie aston
ishment of hearing those words.
What" | cried out aloud, forget
ting the third person at the window
=, " That man who brought the messag
: ="
Hush" he said, putting his hant
upon my lips. Thre was no bette
, man to be found, after the officers hat
taken mel know no more about hin
than you dol paid him well, as
- chance messenger, and risked his cheat
: ing me Of the errand."
"You sent him, then ?"
" sent him."
= My story is over, gentlemen. Their
! is no need Of my telling you that Nj
Fauntleroy. was found guilty, aud tha
" he died by the hangman's hand.
was in my power to soothe his las
moments in this world oy taking o
= myself the arrangement of some of hi
> private affairs, which, while they re
- NAMED unsettled, weighed heavily o
=, - his mind. They had no connectio
. with the crime he had committed, S
| could do him the last little serviC
be was ever to accept at my hand
! with a good heart and clear col
~ science.
le say nothing in defence of his cha
re- acter-nothing in palliation Of the Q
q fence for which he suffered. But
cannot forget that in the time of h
W most fearful extremity, when tt
~ strong arm of the law had alread
, seized him, he thought that the you1
= = man whose humble fortunes he ha
~, ~ helped to build; whose heartfelt gra
- itude he had fairly won; whose siI
!; pie faith be was resolved never to b
or tray. l leave it to greater minds thu
G of mine to reconcile the anomaly of h
= reckless falsehoOd toward others al