The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-07-20


ring in by that time."s
$50 there might" said Higginson
land then again there mjghtn't. Pi
tell you the only way know o. x
help you, JaC K, and it's 3 mere caancs
at that. Tom Lippincott owes me
some money-not as much as q hun.
dred dollars, though-and he prom.
ised TO pay il as soon as he csme bach
! from Philadelphia. He's an ageni
= for Block & Gilsey, and l heard to.
day that he was due in town tO-mor.
row. II he comes, and If be pays me,
I'H divide with you, old fellow
How's that for high ?n
It was enough to make Ine give his
hand such q squeeze that tge jump
ed and wTung it away from me.
"DoD't puta mans kHaekles out OF
! Joint because he's trying to do you a
, good turn I' he said, laughing.
Never did drink to anything will
such a good will as that. To-day was
Friday, Tomorrow was Saturdsy-my
dreaded day of payment. II only
Tom Lippincott came back in time
/ don't know how / got through
the rest OF the day and round till
noon Saturday. Higginson went Of
to look for his man, then, and wait
ed for him at Crook q FOx's, in a per-
feet fever OF hope and fear, first one
thing and then another. 1t was ruin
ii he didn't com e, / knew, but it was
too good luck altogether for me II he
did. Still, il he only did, and l got
out of this one scrape, how / would
toe the mark in future-do justly, love
mercy, walk humbly before the
Lord
1t WAS no use, all nay vOEing aud
promising. HigginsOn came back
with long face. LippincOtt hadn't
arrived and it was uncertain If he
would come by an evening train, or
stay till Monday.
"J'm sorry for you, Jack, ~ he said,
kindly, "But don't let it worry you,
old fellow. Come home with me and
stay over Sunday. My little woman
will make you welcome, and we've
got oaby worth hooking at, can
tell you"
Poor old Higginsonl 1 felt ashamed
to have deceived him. wretched as 1
was, and was half tempted To tell
him the whole truth then and there.
didn't, though, aud excused myself
from geing home with him. I had q
friend in Brooklyn, / told him, who
wouldn't mind giving me q bed.
| When we went back to the office i
| found somebody was wanted TO carry
o messagesto the deputy-cOmptrOller
and offered to go. / knew / must
get word to Mr. Blackjack somehow
or other, and ask him for an extern
sion-that was my only hope This
was q good opportunity to do it, and
l went, though ! would rather have
taken q beating. He wasn't at his
desk, however, and not expected
again that day, the second auditor
said. Ny heart jumped up fOF
minute, with great sense of relief.
But It went doWn-again.
tIf your name is Stebbens," the
second auditor said, i'there's a mes
sage for you from Mr.. Blackjack"
That's my name, sir"
"Well, he expected you here before
noon to-day, and, as you didn't put
in an appearance, you're to report at
bis house tonight. There's 8 mes
sage going up in an bOur. or so, and
you can send any word you like"
"PIl write note if you'll lend ne
pen," said.
And he told me I'd find one at Mr..
Blacklock's desk. So sat down in
his chair and wrote that 1 would be
at his house by nine o'clock in the
evening aud hope TO make things
satisfactory. took care not to sign
my name or say anything that could
be used against me. Aud L went of,
feeling as i'll had lease Of life for Q
few hours longer, anyhow. Tom
Z H. i'll. raE hafnrn Il
had TO see Mr.. Blackjack, and Hig-
ginson had promised to be on the
watch for him and let me know. 1t
might be all right yet, tried to be-
lieve. And put itOut of my mind
as well as could till night came and
l got word from HigginsOn that it was
all wrong. POla IIinniueotE hadn't
come, and, worse still, didn't expect
to come for a week. Something had
got away in Pittsburgh and Block q
Gilsey had telegraphed for him to. go
on at once and wait instructions.
This knocked everything, of course,
and gave up beat. There was moth !
ing to do but to go and tell Mr.. Black
lock that couldn't pay and let him
do his worst. was so tired and dis
couIaged, and down.hearted that /
didn't seem to care much for any
thing-except Molly, at least. 1t was
rough on Eer, poor little woman !
And there was her ring in my pocket |
still, the nnlucky ring that had cost
me no dear.
went up to Mr.. BlackI0ck's house
q little before the time had named,
with a dOgged feeling that /
had best get to the bottom of things
as quick as possible. A servant-girl |
showed me into a beautiful library,
with books all along the walls, and
pictures, and easy-chairs, and every- |
thing warm and bright and elegant. !
Nobody was there, and / looked
around me, envious and bitter
enough, can tell you.
HE needn't be so hard on q poor
fellow like me. | wouldn't il l could |
sit down in such>a nest as this" l
thought. "But what does he care, |
cOnfound him wish he'd hurry |
along and put me ont of my misery |
one way or another
The door was partly open, and 1
heard q movement on the stairs I; |
presently the soft rustic Of lady's |
dress and the next moment, very |
much to my surprise, lady came in
aud spoke to me.
"You wish to see Mr.. Blackjack"
she said, "but he has gone out with q
friend and will not be in for some /
time. II you are the person who sent /
him this note to-day will attend to |
the business. am Mrs. Blackjack"
She held out my letter to me, and / |
took it and looked at It all ina fiuster, |
for this was something that / hadn't |
bargained for. / could stand having |
a man blow me up for rogue when
there was no help for 1t bat how |
was I going to talk to this lady about |
my own disgrace? The first thought
was to get out OF it with lie.
81 don't want you to think, ma'am,"
said, "this is any of my affairs.
came here at the request of a friend of
mine"
"TheR 1 have nothing to say 70 |
you, sir" she intercepted me, very |
quick. i'If you are not the person
who wrote this letter and brought Ar. |
Blackjack, check with false sigma !
ture two weeks ago, I advise you to
go back to your friend who did, and
tell him to speak for himself. Mr.,
Blackjack will net deal with any 60
between"
She looked at me with a fash in
her eyes that said, plain as words /:
"You need not try to lie to me
know the TRUTH And 1 hung my
head, tonRue-tied for shame, and my
face like fire to the tips Of my ears.
She looked at mel could feel her
look all over me, though / didn't
raise my head-Rnd said presently, in
q gentle tone
"If you would be honest with me it
would make the matter easier for US
both. am quite sure that what you
said just now was not the truth.
You can't look In my eyes and repeat
it."
"No. can't you're fight there! p.
cried out, hot and angry, and caring
not what said. "Bat it's Mr.. Black
locks fault II I told you a lie. He
wasn't called upon to expose me to a
lady 20
'i1ndeed! =" she answered, scorn-
fully. "I do not see Why you should
expect him 10 spare your feelings,
Perhaps you will say next that it was
his fauit that vou took the cheek ~