Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-09-08
CHAPTER ".

When Mr.. Dart reached the bank next
morning, worn and harrassed after his
sleepless night, be found that Maitland,
contrary to his usual custom, had arrived
before him. Though the two friends
greeted each other as usual, most
unusual silence settled presently upon
them both. Eventually the senior part
ner, making an effort, remarked on the
coldness of the weather, and his COM
panion, 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
at once.
For al. hour the Office clock had ticked
a 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 I want to speak q
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 I have grown to feel
so sure of is this I shall never marry
now."
"Nor T." replied Maurice, meaning it
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 I am
going to say? Shall she benefit by our
love for her?"
The senior partner looked up slowly,
questioning. A thought which had
been haunting him all night made the
full meaning of these words quite plain
to him.
"Yes, see you have felt this" re-
sumed Walter, quietly, "just as have
felt it. see that my words only came
as an ending to your thought. 1 under
stand how it put it self 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 trustworthily
All he draws for this cannot keep a
house which we-you and Like to pic
ture 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 fellowl
you would make him equal partner with
me. !" t5sH
"With ourselves," said Mr.. 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 partner
should have time to make his decision
''we will talk it over again. +"
The discussion was duly held that
afternoon, in the partners private room
then Tom was summoned to hear the
result of it. Though not long inter-
view, it was one impossible to describe
for how could any words show the
utter failure of Mr.. Darts efforts to
maintain his grave reserve through Toms
extravagant, boyish, humble, proud,
ridiculous gratitude? Or describe Wal
ter Maitland's persistent (though always
disregarded) assurance that, as Mr.. Dart
had decided to make this arrangement,
he was very glad to accede to it? And,
after that interview who could repeat
the limitless promises Tom made to his
fellow clerks when he told them of his
marriage? Or tell how he reached home
in half his usual time, and put his armf