Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-08-03
A Case Of Conscience.

areunu. NO WOnuef UuaG- Tie SInalleT
concerns were fairly swallowed up il the
crashes going on in the business world
No wonder that Harry Tyndall, young
city merchant, sat in his Office gazing with
pale and despairing eyes at the spectre
ruin which stared at him from no great
distance. He bad weathered the storms
ofthree brief years-he had soon hoped
to weather this, but the loss of thousand
pounds held by friend deprived him of
the means of making payment due in
three days, and he felt that all was indeed
lost, Cor his efforts to negotiate loan in
the present state of the money market had
been worse than useless.
The prospect before him was not cheer
full one. 1t is rather hard to begin life
over again at thirty. especially when one
has reached that age after years of power
ty, toll and self-exertion. In his younger
days, Harry Tyndall had known want in
its cruelest, most savage form; he had
battied its grim legions and risen to inde-
pendence and now, at the threshold of u
higher life, he was hurled back, with just
glimpse of the enchanted grounds with
in.
. AS he sat confronting the heap of pa
pers on his desk, the office door opened
and lady entered. mechanically y Harry
threw back her veil. lie exclaimed in sur
prise: Miss Berwick"
Pardon my intrusion, Mr.. Tyndall," /"
said the most musical of voices. Il have
been on the Upper floor looking forf the
office of Graves aud Waldron, and was
told they were on this floor [ wish to
give Mr.. Waldron this package. May l
ask you toidehver it? will remain here.
OF all things dislike to lose myself in
these dark passages hunting for Offices"
Harry took the package with alacrity
was gone but moment, and on his re-
turn found Miss Berwick standing by the
window idly looking down the street. She
turned at his entrance, thanked him With,
a smile and bow, and then took her
bright presence out of the room, aud Har
ry was left to his meditations
Il may just as well give it up. have
not friend who could help me i'll this
strait" hc muttered, after half on hours
deep thought. II will make an assign
ment or go into bankruptcy, and then de-
part for America, where tell is better re-
Quilted.
And as be spoke he rose to his feet, his
eyes falling on the floor He was vaguely
conscious of some dark object at his feet,
stopped carelessly to lift it, and saw that
it was pocket et-book-leather, and rather
the worse for wear, but was very plethor-
ic. He sat down again, and opened it
There were various compartments, but all
of them empty save one. That ono con-
tanned just ten one-hundrcd-pound notes.
Just the sum that would save him froui
ruin. If it were his he could pay that
bill falling due, sell off his stock. and
seek situation until the panic was past
He looked the et-boOk over again.
There was no clue to the owner, yet he
felt convinced that it must of course be-
long to Clara Berwick. She was the only
person who had been in his Office that
morning. 1t was a terrible temptation to
Harry. Had his visitor been any other
than Clara Berwick it Is hard to say whe-
ther conscience or inclination would have
prevailed; as it was, conscience won the
day, and he started out after Miss Ber-
wick.
She was not to be found, however and
Harry concluded she had gone home. 80
thither he bent his steps. Clara was an
beiress, and something of belle. too
She was not classically beautiful, but she
was young, and bad good figure, clear
complexion, frank gray eyes, and very a.
bundant hair; all of which good points
she made the most of, as every daughter of
Eve is bound to do She came down in
response to Harry's double knock, and
looked quite surprised, though she en-
deavored to conceal it. .
When Harry showed her the pocket
book she looked at it attentively, and
laughed merry peal of laughter.
"Why, Mr.. Tyndall," she cried, "you
must taink L have poor taste, to own such
a purse as that. See, that is my pocket
book - and she drew out dainty pur-
pie velvet purse, to which was appended
a geld chain.
"But no one has been to my Office to-
day save YOU
Indeed The pocket-book is certain
ly not mine," she responded, very ear
nestly.
"What shall do with it?' said Harry,
in perplexity.
.'Why, keep it, of course" responded
Miss Berwick. with a bright smile; and
she seated herself upon the sofa and be-
gan discourse on something else.
She and Harry had often met i'll socle-
ty, but he had never called upon her be-
fore, and when he rose from his chair to
90, she said: Really, Mr.. Tyndall, l
ought to be grateful to the owner of that
pocket-book, since it gained me the pleas
ure of a call. May hope that you will
repeat it some time when you have no.
stray articles to dispose of?''
Harry blushed, murmurcd something
about the pleasure all being on his side,
and hurried away.
'Oh. dear.' he said to himself, ''she
actually believes that trumped up that
story of the pocKet-bool for an excuse to
call on her, Wealth privileges her to be
impertinent. But oh, if | only dared to
use It'll And just the amount, too! But
L must advertise i"
Harry Tyndall did not advertise the
lost pocket-boak, and when, three days
later, his bill fell due, he paid it, and was
a free man.
1t is not necessary to recount the sue
cessive steps in tempta tion which finally
led to the first dishonest act of a hitherto
spotless life. How the pocket-book came
there he could not even guess. But 1t
was there; it just supplied his needs, be
appropriated it, and was henceforth brand
ed thief in bis own eyes. W
Those months of financial eInbarrass.
ment that followed were safely tided over
.r,l ticn Lie 6nvntnd him nscif u lis htIsi-