The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-03
Selerted Sturg.


boys, must he kept under the seal q
secrecy" said our first clerk, as b.
squeezed lemon into his tumbler
We-lhat is TO say, |, Ned Bolton the
present writer, Herbert Engledue, an
young Harry Chester, all junior clerks
In the bank OF Baskerville, Troutman Il
Co, ,-solemnly promised that the seal
that was Tn lock up the communication
we were about to receive should never
be broken.
And yet" said Mr.. MintoD, with the
kettle in his hand, II hardly tl.-nk III
let it out to you youngsters; it's all
against myself"
Harry Chester's eyes looked eager ap-
peals, and Herbert said:
"0h, now, come, | say, Mr. MintOn,
you shouldn't have said so much, you
know, and then to talk about not lettn.
ii out you know it's 80 jolly myster-
iOus."
Well" said our CHEEKY chief, "a,
Ned here has treated us 80 well tonight
I'll make some return by trying to anus
you boys with the account of an incident
which happened to me some years ago"
We were dellghed-I especially so,
being the host for the night, and anxious
as such, that things should go of we'll. We
drew up to the fire, glasses were filed
and the relics of the contents OF the
hamper, which the dear people at home
had sent me were removed. The No
vember wind howled dismally over the
London roofs, and ratified at the window,
rs If anxious to join so pleasant party.
Mr. Minton took an approving sip Of his
hot hraU hio HnUnr thrnmmh hiQ
irOn-gray hair, and began:
In the year as, | had been some
seven years clerk in the bank. Our
Mr.. Baskerviles father was The princi-
pal then, and a very shrewd, cute old
fellow he was, can tell you. Mr..
Troutman was then clerk, and junior
to me, but every one knew that he would
be partner some day as he had married
Miss Baskerville. Young Baskerville,
who looks grave enough now, was boy
at Harrow, and used, in holiday time, to
run in and out OF the bank, and stare at
the piles Of sovereigns, just as he liked
81 had some troubles then, and was
looked upon as grave, sedate young
man, and, as Mr.. Baskerville told my
poor mother, as steady as the funds.
In consequence of this gravity of man
ner and character for steadiness, had
been several times employed in little
matters of a confidential nature, and my
conduct in these had been approved OF.
One afternoon in the latter part OF
August, in the year spenk Of, | was sit
ting at my uesk, with not very much to
do. | had been thinking a good deal
about my own affairs, and gone back
over ground rather painful for me to
tread, and was therefore rather sad that
sunny August afternoon. While | was
meditatng and idly drawing figures
on my blOtting-pad, the bank messenger
came to me and said that Mr. Basker-
vile wished to speak to me. went into
his private room and found him seated
at his desk, and, in an armchair beside
him, sat a middle-aged, invalid-lO0king
man, whose handsome face wore a peeV
ish expression, that seemed to be per
manent
This, my lord said Mr.. Basker.
vile, is the gentleman whom | should
have the greatest confidence in employ
ing in the matter
"' Rather young for such work, is he
not, Baskerville?'
90 No, my lord, l don't think So
Mr.. Minton is grave and steady beyond
his years, and The firm has very great
confidence in him.
Well, / will trust to you, and |
think you fully understand all that is
wanted. would rather not give myself
the trouble Of entering into explanations
with this young man, if you think you
thoroughly understand what l want
:" II you will leave it to me, my lord,
| will undertake that Mr.. Minton shall |
receive full instructions just see il |
Lord Valdane's carriage is at the door, |
will you, Mr. Minton''
e returned with the requisite informa-
tion, and his lordship after being care
fully wrapped up, took the arm Of one
OF his men, and went to his carriage.
" Mr. Baskerville then asked me to
shut the door, and sit down beside him,
and proceeded to give me full and com
plete directions as how to act.
" 1t appeared that Lord Valdane had
three daughters, beside several sons.
The youngest Of his daughters, when
just sixteen, had caused great trouble
and distress TO her family by falling in |
love with violinist, who had come con-
stantly to the house to give one of her |
brothers lessons on his instrument. This |
had been discovered about year before, |
and had given rise TO great recrimina |
h0ns, and the young lady had shown |
an amount Of obstinacy and temper |
which had quite alarmed her friends, 80 |
foreign was 1t, apparently, to her nature. |
She bad utterly declined TO give up her |
lover, and had openly declared her in |
tention OF hnhling any communication |
with him thnt circumstances might offer
Under these circumstances. and in con-
sideration of hor youth, her father de |
termined to send her to a school kept by |
an English lady in village about fifteen
miles from Brussels, and hoped that a
year or two Of entire change and absence
from home would make her get over and
forget IN affection begun at so early an
age. She was accordingly sent to Mrs.
Slalers school, but that lady had just
written to Lord Valdane, at the end Of
the first year, to say that she could no
longer unLertake the education of Miss
Valdane, as ber conduct was of such
a kind as to utterly destroy those rela-
tiOns which should exist between mis-
tress and pupil Lord Valdane had there
fore determined to bring her back to
England, and he the more readily con
. nted to this arrangement, as he had
had information that Mr.. Arne had left
this country for America. Having no
servant to whom he could trust the duty
Of escorting bis daughter home, Lord
Valdane had come 70 Mr.. Baskerville,
with whom he banked, to ask that some
- n. l. -
werp TO meet Miss Valdane, and bring
her home TO her fathers house in Easton
Square. A servant would be sent with
her as far as Antwerp, where she would
be met BY the person chosen to escort
her.
II asked Mr.. Baskerville II It was
thouRht that the young LADY would re-