Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-01-09

/ W Ills PROMISE, OncIe WRITES WIS VI gluB
to be friends with the young man, and
that he was succeeding, was proved by
his speaking in his presence.
"Bad news, Nell," he said heavily.
"I am a ruined man !"
"You, Uncle Charles 2"
Nell's arms were around his neck,
while his hand was taken in cordial
grasp by Walter, q
I "My dear sir" Walter said, in tone
of warm concern, 81 hope it is not so
/ bad as that" g.. #t 4 z 1
" &c But it is was the broken reply.
/ g If L do not see my way out of the mud
die in a few days, the old house of Bald
win must go into bankruptcy"
"There is my money, Uncle Charles,
said Nell.
"God bless the child Do you think
[ will touch that. No, no. lam past
seventy, and if L must go down, L will
not drag your young life with me. But
[ can't understand it ALL Everything
seems to have gone on well, and yet we
cannot meet our ODl1gatlOnS.
"Fraud!" suggested Walter,
I :" But where2 Nelson is as puzzled as
l am" -., .'.. ...
Walter Grantley frowned little, but
by few questions and an unfeighed
interest soon drew from Mr.. Baldwin a
long story of the perplexities and the
! gravity of the danger menacing him.
| Nell sat silent, her heart swelling with
| pride as she noted her uncles gradual
/ growing respect for his companions
I opinions, as the clear, searching cues
tions revealed his intelligent comprehen-
sion of the state of affairs. It was late
in the evening when they separated; but,
early in the morning, Walter received a
little note from Nell. .....,...,
"Uncle Charles is very i'll. He wishes
/ to see you. Can you Gomez
a' "NEL1."
In answer to the summons, Walter was
soon at the bedside of the invalid He
was very i'll, gradually losing control Of
his own thoughts, but he seemed to wish
/ Waiter to examine his business. By n
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 a violent attack of
fever. Even when the raving was over
and he knew Nell again, he lay in state
of pitiable weakness, unable to keep up
settled train of thought for two min
utes together, and still in danger of sink
ing into death sleep.
Walter came often at night to take
Nell's place in the sick room, and give
her some hours of sorely-needed rest,
and friends We're plenty to help in nurs-
ing. Still, it was more than six weeks
after the evening when he opened his
heart to Walter Grantly, before Mr..
Baldwin seemed to remember his bust
ness perplexities. But one night, when
all the household slept, the invalid see
ing Walter seated beside him, said, in a
low weak voice. .st
Is the warehouse closed?"
"Closed No indeed. Business was
never more prosperous.
But how?"
&C Are you able to hear about it? You
hfWe been very i'll, and must be patient.
viii it not be enough tonight to know
that all is going on well z"
81 am stronger than you think. Tel
me how you saved the old ship from
wreck"
= 81 took control at once, as you gave
. me authority to do. Before my grand
l fathers death, and the legacy that made
, it unnecessary for me to work, I was book
l keeper in a large warehouse similar tC
2 yours, for six years, and had knowledge
of the business. An examination o.
h your books soon convinced me that they
: had been falsifed to frightful extent
t and that checks drawn upon your bank
b in your name, had been used for othel
S purposes than the payment of the obi
/ cations of the business.
/, "How could that be2 james Nelson
!, alone had signed checks"
d Exactly 50 and James Nelson hai
+ been systematically defrauding you fo
,, abOut fifteen wears "
/ Impossible !"
II "Quite true. When he found wa
searching the matter to the bottom, h
a pocketed his ill-gotten gains and alb
y seconded. AS You were too i'll to Civ
the order for any pursuit, let him go.
is But the money? How can all b
IT going ON well if he has taken it witt
y him? There was deficiency of thirt
1t thousand dollars for immediate obliga
10 tions. - ...
rs "And having this sum idle in tn
v bank, took the liberty of investing it i
N your business"
y You threw in your fortune to he'll
1T a sinking ship ?"
te "The ship was not sinking, but fairl
y afoat, and / consider the money well il
!" vested. / have long wanted to buy
rs partnership in business y understand
y having no love for an idle life, and
hoped you would not repay this loal
le but allow it to give me the right to hel
We you on yet in business. There is a