The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-09-27
NUMBER 2s.


contrary to his usual custom, had ar
rived before him. Though the two
friends greeted each other as usual, a
most unusual silence settled presently
upon them both. Eventually the senior
partner, making an effort, remarked on
the coldness of the weather; and his
companion, putting down letter which
he held, answered leisurely. But his
pleasant blue eyes were restless and
rather dim, and the moment the answer
was given, the silence wrapped them
both once more.
For an hour the office clock had tick
ed solo in the quietness, when Walter
Maitland rose slowly from his chair,
with the Times unfolded in his hand,
and, letting the paper fall, came and
stood upon the rug beside his friend,
who had just re-entered from the bank.
Very gently he laid his hand upon his
seniors shoulder.
"Dart, old friend! want to speak a
few words to you in great earnestness.
Since we met yesterday morning, have
grown to feel quite certain of one thing
quite. The time has not in reality
been very long, but it seemed so, and
gave me plenty of opportunity for
thought; and what have grown'to feel
SO sure of is this, shall never marry
now"
"Nor l." replied Maurice, meaningit
as men do not often mean the phrase,
/ though they utter it as firmly.
"I-fancied not. Now, we are both
wealthy men, Dart,' continued Walter,
bravely and gently, "and this wealth we
offered, day or two ago, to Isabel
| Conyngham You guess what l am
going to sayp Shall she benefit by our
love for her?'' 2@E
The senior partner looked up slowly,
questioningly. A thought which had
been haunting him all night made. the
full meaning Of these words quite plain
to him.
ssYes, see you have felt this" re-
sumed Walter, quietly, ''just as have
felt it. I see that my words only came
as an ending to your thought. Iunder-
stand how it put itself to you. Leslie
has invested all his fathers savings-all
his patrimony, as one may say-in our
bank, and spends his whole days here
most conscientiously, most trust
worthily. All he draws for this can not
keep house which we-you and /
like to picture as Isabel's home. And
then his mother has to be provided for.
You think, Dart, that it would not hurt
us and could not make any difference to
Captain Dart, who has no voice In any
bank matters, if Leslie had power to
draw what would keep them more COM
fortably. In short in short, old fell
low, you would make him equal partner
with me-"
"With ourselves" said Mn. Dart,
shortly, "with ourselves, you mean! If
we were all equal partners"
"Let us discuss it this afternoon.
Think it over till then, Maurice put
) in Walter, feeling that the senior part
, ner should have time TO make his decis-
ion; "we will talk it over again.
! The discussion was duly held that af-
; ternoon in the partners private room.
| result of it. Though not a long inter
; view, it was one impossible to describe,
: for how could any words show the utter
; failure of Mr.. Darts effort to maintain
his grave reserve through TOMS extrav-
: agant, boyish, humble, proud, ridicu-
e lous gratitude? Or describe Walter
' Maitland's persistent (theugh always
disregarded) assurance that, as Mr.
: Dart had decided to make this arrange
ment, he was very glad to accede to iii
{ And, after that interview, who could re
peat the limitless promises Tom made
to his fellow-clerks when he told then
e of his marriagep Or tell how he reached
home in half his usual time and put his
: arms around his mother, with his eye'
: full of tears, just as if he had been thir
}. teen instead of thirty? @.
y But, above all, who could describ'
- lsabel's mute, wondering gratitude t
d the two men whom she had given SC
:, much pain? 81 am very, very CRATE
II full, Tom,' she said, appealing to hin
with tears thick upon her lashes; 'bu
| would rather not talk about it--yet
st Let me have time to think about it
n Quick to understand her wish, an
delicate in carrying it out, Tom left lisa
bel, delighted that his news had move,
IS her so, yet wondering a little over il
n too-because the secret Of the partner
IS was so safe in the keeping of the gir
N whom they had-n unworthily-loyee
le But hardest of all would it be to dc
n scribe how brilliantly before Toms eye
lie that night there came a. vision of thu
h identical brass plate which really me
re him face to face, when, after his 6 hol
H. days. he first reached the heavy, +:
4. miliar doors Of the Highborough Ban
to Dart, Maitland, Dart Il Leslie.
II ssCo.n was no more.-Ersgssb Mage
W zine.
cd -~s ~s>----
be "WHY don't You speak distinctly ?
cried a passenger to a brakeman WI