The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-05-13

But 1t Is, was the broken reply
:'if L do not see my way out of the
muddle in a few days, the old house of
Baldwin must go into bankruptcy"
'.There is my money, Uncle Charles, y
said Nell.
"God bless thee child Do ysu think
| will touch that! No, no. 1 am past
seventy. and if must go down, l will
not drag your young life with me.
But / can't understand it all. Every
thing seems to have gone on well, and
vet we can not meet our obligations"
1t was late in the evening when they
separated 4; but, early in the merning,
Walter received a little note from Ell
len.
Uncle Charles is very ill. He wish
es 10 see you. Can you come NELL"
In answer to the sOmmOns, Walter
was soon at the bedside of the invalid.
He was very i'll, gradually losing con-
troll of-his own thoughts, but he SEEM
ed to wish Walter to examine his bus
mess. By great effort he wrote a
paper appointing the young man his
representative until he was better, and
before noon delirium held him fast.
For many long days Nell scarcely left
the sick room, save for few hurried
interviews with Walter. The old man
exhausted, by his unwonted anxiety
and application to business, after years
of comparative idleness, lay between
life and death, fighting q violent at
tack of fsver. Eyen when the raving
was over and he knew Nell again, he
lay in state Of pitiable weakness, un-
able to keep up settled train of
thought for two minutes together, aud
still in danger of sinking into a death
sleep.
Walter came often at night to take
Nell's place in the sick room, and gave
her some hours of sorely-needed rest,
and friends were plenty to help in
nursing. Still, it was more than six
weeks after the evening when he
opened his heart to Walter Grantly,
before Mr.. Baldwin seemed to remem-
his business perplexilies. But one
night, when all the household slept,
the invalid, seeing Walter seated be-
him, said i'll low weak voice:
SIS the warehouse closed?"
"Closed No, indeed. Business was
meyer more prosperous
"But how?"
have been very i'll, and must be pa
tient. Will it not be enough tonight
to know that all is going on we'll 2"
81 am stronger than you think. Tell
me how you saved the old ship from
wreck"
81 took control at once, as you gave
me authority to do. Before my grand
fathers death, and the legacy that
made it unnecessary for me to work, l
was boekkeeper in a large warehouse
similar to yours, for six years, and had
a knowledge of the business. An eX-
animation of your books soon convinc-
ed me that they had been falsified to
frlghtful extent, and that checks drawn
upon your bank, in your name, had
been used fer other purposes than the
payment of the obligations of the bus
mess"
GLOW could that be? James Nelson
alone had signed checks"
EXACTLY so; and James Nelson has
been Systematically defrauding you
for about fifteen years."
"Impossible
"Quite true. When he found l was
searching the matter to the bottom he
pocketed his iligottep gains and alb
seconded. AS you were too i'll to give
the order for any pursuit, I let him
go"
''But the money? How can all be
going on well if he has taken it with
him. Thore was deficiency of thir-
tv thousand dollars for immediate OBJ
legations"
And having this sum idle in bank,
I took the liberty of investing it in
your business"
"You threw in your fortune to help
a sinking ship!''
"The ship was not sinking, but fair
~ afioat, and l consider the money
well invested. ] have long wanted to
buy partnership in business l un-
derstand, having no love for an idle
life, and l hope you would not repay
this loan, but allow it to give me the
right to help you yet in business 5.
There is an opening even now, that
only needs little capital to largely in :
crease the business, and L waited for
youy authority to purchase it,"
The old mans eyes sparkled as Wal
: ter clearly explained the nature of the
proposed enlargement of the ware
house business.
''it had been Mr.. Nelson's policy to
keep all such opportunities hidden
from you," Walter said, "knowing
that such alterations would involve
such an examination of the books as
would expose his frauds. But there
is ne need now to fear TO open the
books for any eyes"
"Thanks to yeu."
of you will. You know what is
the dearest wish of my heart, Mr..
Baldwin, l love Nell, and l am fully
able to give her home as luxurious
as your own without touching her
own fortune. l know, that you have
thought me drone in the worlds hive,
unworthy of the love of such wo-
fare. l will not deny that the hope OF
winning your approval has been my
great stimulus in the efforts L have