Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-20
walters Revenge.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

Walter HOlmSby paced up ana down
the counting house in his large store,
looking ruin in the face, and vowing re-
venge upon the crafty counsellor who
had duped and cheated him. 1t had not
been the work of one day or of one
year to undermine the fiourishing bust
ness, to scatter broadcast the notes signed
with the name of the firm in widest
speculations, to overthrow credit, good
name and business standing, till the
firm of Holmsby & Bates was a by
word and reproach among honorable
men.
Bates was far away, in some unknown
hiding place, on board an outward bound
steamer perhaps, with his ill-gotten gains
in his grasp, and Holmsby was walking
wildly up and down, now reviling him.
self for his blindness and stupidity, now
making bitterest threats of vengeance
upon the hand that had heaped this
wrong upon him. He was nearly crazed
with his misery and rage, when an
elderly man entered, closing the door
behind him, and advancing with an air
of cordial greeting.
"Wait," he said, 81 have just heard.
Boy boy!" he cried, looking full in the
haggard face. ''It is not SO bad as that 2"
''It is ruin and disgrace y said the
young man bitterly.
sit may be ruin, but / cannot believe
it is disgrace. Tell me all, said the old
gentleman, taking chair, and motion
ing Walter to another.
II have been a fool" said Walter
Holmsby, forcing himself to speak
calmly trusting a man who owes his
very life to me. | will tell you all.
When | was in Vicksburg, in the fall of
81, / met Gordon Bates, man old
enough to be my father, at the hotel,
where he was lying at deaths door with
| yellow fever | had been down buying
cotton, and was waiting to close large
/ contract, with no other business in hand.
Hearing that stranger was so i'll in the
room next my own, | went in to him,
having seen yellow fever in New Or
leans when l was on duty there during
the war. | nursed him, and finding he
was poor, lent him money. He had a
relapse, and was fearfully i'll. | staid
with him, and when he was better,
brought him here at my own expense.
You will say | was infatuated, but
did believe in the man. He seemed so
grateful and such "a good business man,
that | took him into the counting house,
and at the end of year into partner
ship. 1t must have been soon after,
that he began to use the signature Of the
firm for private speculations, for, you
see, in little more than eighteen months
he has ruined me.
''Not entirely. | have been among
your fathers old friends this morning,
Walter-men who understand pretty
we'll the state of the case-and we are
going to pull you through"
''Mr. Graham. Such unexpected
kindness" faltered the young merchant.
"Pshaw 1t is debt, remember.
You will pay me all again some time,
but you shall not sink now for want OF
helping hand. VIII you put the whole
matter into my hands? p
GLADLY"
"At once then. | see you have been
oyerhauling your books. Come; we will
sift the whole matter"
Hours of the most carful investigation
did not serve to make the complications
any more satisfactory, but Mr.. Graham
had spoken for several of the young
mans friends when he promised to ''pul
him through.
Walter Holmsby was man who made
friends and kept them. He had left {
good business to enter the army during
the war, and had returned to resume his
mercantile career, still young, and hay
ing preserved his bright face and honest
young heart noble and true through al
the varying trials of the campaign. His
rather QuiXotic attachment to his recent
partner had puzzled some of his more
cautious friends but when the crasl
came, there were many who owned il
their hearts that they too had been com
pletcly deceived in Gordon Bates.
He was middle aged man, represent
ing himself as a widower with ont
daughter, mere child, residing with al
aunt in the country. Perfectly gentle
manly, eyincing culture and refined
taste, he was also a keen man of bust
ness and at first the firm seemed to have
taken new impetus when the old sigr
of Holmsby & Son, that had remained
stationary long after Holmsby the frs
slept in Greenwood, was replaced by
that of HOlmsby & Bates. The senior
member, but younger man, being We
under thirty, had allowed the reins o.
business to fall from his own hands into
those of his partner Bates seemed &C
tually to like all the dry details that haC
been only duty to Walter and as money
seemed flowing in under the new man
agement, the young merchant allowed
himself rather too much leisure, tor
many afternoon drives and evening par
ties that left him weary in the mornings
He was drifting toward the vortex Of
dissipation that swallowed up so many
young idlers, when he was startled by
the sudden disappearance of his partner
into an investigation of his own affairs
1t was horribly sharp lesson tha
caught him back from pleasure and idle
ness, but bitter as it was, he blessed it
when his friends by timely aid and adj
vice started him again, with the name Of
Bates erased from the firm.
The only danger that threatened
Walter was that he would become /
mere money loving, money making ma
chine, for he toiled early and late
His best friend and adviser. Mr.
Graham, demonstrated at last.
'Holmsby, you arc killing yourself.
Let me clear myself, dear friend,
the young man answered, ''and repay
the money you and my other friends
have advanced to me, and will rest.
I'VE stand a better chance of getting
our money if you rest before you throw
yourself into brain-fever,' said the ole
gentleman $50 out of town for q
month or two, while this scorching heat
lasts
Il don't know but could leave now,
Walter said musingly. 81 have half a
mind to go to Europe"
''To Europe" cried Mr.. Graham.
Il live now for just two objects, Mr..
Graham, was the reply to this exclama
ton. Zone is to redeem my good name
by paying my debts and bringing my
business up to its former standard, and
the other is for revenge upon Bates. I'll
find him if he is above ground, and III
have my money again, or it will go hard
with | feel sure he is in Europe, lv.
ing upon the eighty thousand dollars out
of which he contrived to.cheat me, and
III run over there, | think, and try to
hunt him up"
''If that is what you are going to Eu.