The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-09-19
"Leslie ought to CO."
Those were the words which at last
broke the silence of the room which Tom
had left.

| the DaQk steps, WeQG GQelT ScVeIdl way
thinking very longingly of one to whom
both had been faithful. This was the
first night for many months which either
had spent without these bright, vague
dreams of what his home might be with
Isabel at it's head; and their hearts were
! filed with resentment against the win.
ner of the prize which they had coveted.
"You knew this morning that she was
to marry some Que else; why should
your thoughts be harder, now that you
know who has won her?" So voice
seemed arguing with them, but below
all the angry thoughts surged on.
"For him to be the one to gain her
he paid servant in the bank -
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 an hour the Office clock had ticked
a solo in the quiesness, 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 80, 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 beth
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 slc~''y,
questioning. A thought which .lad
been haunting him all night made tie
full meaning of these words quite plain
to him.
eyes, I 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. I 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 trustworthy.
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 fellow!
you would make him equal partner with
me-"
"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 3" 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, rs 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 arms
around his mother, with his eyes full
of tears-iust as if he had been thirteen
instead of yhirty?
But, above all, who could describe
Isabel's mute, wondering gratitude to
the two men she had given such pain !?
81 am very, very grateful Tom," she
said, appealing to him with tears thick
upon her lashes ), "but I would rather
not talk about it-yet. Let me have
time to think of it,
Quick to understand her wish, and
delicate in carrying it out, Tom left
Isabel, delighted that his news had
moved her 30, yet wondering over it q
little, too-because the secret of the
partners was 80 safe in the keeping of
the girl whom they had-not unworthily
loved. But hardest of all would it be to
describe how brilliantly before Toms
eyes that night there came a vision of
that identical brass plate, which really
met him face to face, when, after his
"holidays, "he first reached the heavy,
familiar doors of the Highborough bank
Dart, Maitland, Dart & Leslie. "
"Co." was no more.
A Relic Of Antietam.