St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-02-17

"ItHOul "cItiH8 your iccl tne rest Ol III
year. Poor Flamen-it is to be hope
the ialsehood was forerven in the tidelii,
as hcern ole Mars Charles tell,''sai
he TO julie that night, dat when foil
fight ducls day aIus measures swords
and desc yer fcIlcrs come roun' chcatin
Mars Charles out'n his cye-tccth-gues
we's chen as we can get any ole way"
The unhappy Charlie Carlctan on hi
return TO the city went to his old board
ing-placc-hc had money left from til
sale Of his watch sufficient to meet til
new months bill thcrc-and locked him
self into his room, and sat down to med
ltatc on the fate that had snatched sucl
solid ground from beneath bis feet t,
wonder if it had really been an homes
timber and watcr-pOwcr speculation will
those men; to wonder if they had any
idea OF the petroleum hidden in its vas
pools. beneath that forest growth tc
wonder if it was bis duty 10 tell them o
lis existence. For another wonder h,
decided in hi, own favor in the last mat,
tcr-lt was no business of his to ruin
himself; and for the rest, if, by any
lucky chance, those men could possibly
become dissatisfied with their bargain,
and request RELEASE, they should have
it ON the moment. But no, it was little
likely that such straight, sound sticks rs
crowded that square mile, such water
course as travcrscd it, should not lave
found favor il their eyes and lie had
better, hc said, dismiss all thought of
any thing but tie way in which lc could
turn his poor little matter Of ten thous-
and dollars to advantage.
81, trying to reconcile himself to the
inevitable, Charlie went about town again
seeking avenues to be used at the cNpira-
tion of the thirty days
1t WAS the day before the thirtieth
when lie received note from one of the
two persons who had Inspected the wood
land with him, requesting him to be 50
good as to call that evening at his office
with tho bond, which the other contract
lng parties to the arrangement desired to
look over a"ain; AMI punctual to the
moment designated, ard 18th half Il hopc
that they might wish To cancel the bond
altogether. and with an impatient dec
laratlon as To the ah,ur,lIty of the idea.
Charlie presented himself
They were an angry and dissatisfied
st of m,n in the room that night before
his appcarnncc-thc cherries basement
room OF Il new builling where the gas
had not VT been brought in, and which
was lighted with but Il couple OF candles
that st all manner of shadows tlickcriur
in an uncarthIv fashion about the ccilin.
There were five of them talking together,
and all bitterly lamrnIin@ their unconsid-
e:rl bargain, and the two thousand dol
lars :'pi"c" which th,y were a. cool .~
throwing 10 the winds.
''lhrrr Is but one way. assure vuu,"
sud Mr.. llincks. ''Of course. ii hc can
sell \ tract ot rotten timber Il dozen miles
from amy market, and without u mill
privilege two months in the year to use
II on the spot, or u watrr-courSc to yet it
away, hc would he a condemned fool TO
let us oft.
"Slill," said another, '.we might ask
him, and lose nothing by doing that"
"OnIy excite his suspicious" urged
Mr., beverley, "and make him hold Us
the tighter, ii he 81 much as lets u> take
the paper into our hands ut all. Noyir-
tue IN halt measures: Ilinoks'S way Is
the only way, believe me"
Il don't know" pleaded a fourth;
Il think | should like to try fair means
iiISt-''
And Just then came Charles footsteps.
slower and slower IN the dark hall, and
the rap at th, ,loor-a doubtful sort of
rap, much as if its givcr was divided III
mind rs to whether he should await an
answer or should run away. But the
door was thrown back at once and, cor
daily greeted and seated at the table
among them, Charlie waited for them to
open the subject of the bond. which pre-
scntly was done
1--WE begged that you would call On
Us this evening, Mr.. Carleiau,' said one
of the gentlemen, "becau>e we feared
there might be some slight imtormality in
the bond, and, before executing the deed.
we wished to make reference to it; for
you will a"rce with us that it j. desirable
every thin" should h. done with exact
nc-s."
"Ccrtainiy," sail Charlie, but in :.
very uncertain tone, while producing his
wallet and extracting the desired pancr
therc!rom.
"Ot course you understand" continued
the first speaker, ''that it is our desire 10
make money by this transacliou-'
cor we shouldn't enter into it," said
another.
"And 50 we feel bound to state to you
that some doubts have arisen as 10 the
soundnrss of the timber
The color flushed all over Charities
face; il, after all, they were going 10
pray for rclcasc-to intimate the wish !,
His eyes sparkicd. his hand shook but
as they waited for his reply there was
nothing left for him 10 do but TO stam-
mcr, half inarticulItcly rs he dill, that TO
the best of his belief ,h4 timber WAS per
tectly sound
Best of your belief" said his chief
lntcrlocuIor, exchanging glances with his
partners, and all quite confirmed in their
suspicious by his peculiar look and man
ncr. ''But how as 10 yonr personal
knowledge p
'Why, Sir" said Charlie, in one OF
lis quick tcmp.rs ut the tone and the
seeming doubt Of his iruthfulncs<, 81 told
you in the beginning what this woodland
was; ; Eut now Mr.. Green and Mr. White
have rs much personal knowledge on the
matter rs | have"
"Do not be alarmel, Sir" said the