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

CHAPTER III.
The fire roared and cracked cheerily
in the private room at the bank, but
neither OF the partners had arrived.
"I never knew him so late," re-
marked Tom Leslie, as if finishing aloud
a puzzling conjecture.
Who?" Old Dart ?"
"Mr. Dart-yes."
"Leslie feels it incumbent upon him
to uphold the dignity of his partners"
put in another clerk. ellis breast
swells proudly with fellow-feeling.
What an idle set you are this morn
ing !" remarked Tom, turning from his
desk with a quick, kindly smile which
made his face SO pleasant to look upon.
" AS soon as senior partner 1 shall
give you all a sweeping dismissal.
The listeners laughed, enjoying the
absurdity of the idea and one or two
questioned him, with mock anxiety, as
to the treat he intended to stand them
on the occasion. ..t ..,
Through all the laughter Tom pursued
his work, and Dart noticed this when he
entered the bank, and though it was but
very curtly he answered Toms quiet
greeting, yet before he reached the inner
door he turned and spoke to him.
"Cool outside, Leslie. Keep up good
fres." "It is hard" he muttered to
himself, "to pass him without a word.
Then Mr.. Dart let the spring door
close behind him, and, sitting down in
his Office chair, leaned on. one arm only
AS very calm men do when they are i'll
at ease, as well as tired.
He was sitting SO, looking moodily
down into the fire, when Mr.. Maitland
entered the room. The senior partner
did not turn to greet him, and even
when Walter stood upon the rug beside
him he did not venture to meet his eyes.
Maurice" began the younger man,
''Isuppose [ may congratulate you. 1t
is rather hard, yet no one ought to do
it so heartily as II, who know what
good fellow you are and what-what
wife you have won."
A glance of surprise into his friends
face. and then Mr.. Dart spoke in a few
words, as was his custom
'She has refused me, Maitland" "
Refused you p
Walter repeated the words, though
not incredulously. Only truth, he
knew, could have weighted them SO
sadly.
"She has refused me, too," he said.
"She has never cared for me but as a
friend-simply and only as friend"
"In few kind words to me-" said
Mr.. Dart, without looking up, "she
told me she had given her love else
where. I was trying, when you came in,
to prepare myself to tell you, Il rejoice
in your happiness, Maitland, and now
you-you come and say the same to me. "
Buried in one long, sad thought, the
partners in the good old firm sat in their
silent room, while the work and pleasure
of the world went on without. But the
days duties had to be gone through, and
these were not the men to shun them
selfshly.
"I suppose we had better settle with
Leslie about his holiday" remarked Mr..
Maitland that afternoon, sending to sum-
mon Tom to the partners room. "He
will lose every glimpse of summer if he
waits longer"
He should not have postponed his
holiday; he had his choice. Well, Leslie,
when do you wish to start ?" inquired
the senior partner, when Tom entered
the room.
you said about the middle of Octo-
ber, and this is the twentieth"
"Thank you, Mr.. Dart, but if it
would make no difference, I would
rather take my holiday from the twenty
ninth"
"Then it is to be hoped you are
going on VISIT" remarked Walter
Maitland, pleasantly; "for November
days are not the pleasantest for a
tourist.
81 am not going on q tour, SIR" Tom
hesitated only moment; then both OF
his listeners were conscious of q new
earnestness in his voice:
"I should like to tell you, gentlemen,
why want my holiday then. The twenty.
ninth is to be my wedding-day."
Mr.. Dart returned quietly to his
writing. Mr.. Maitland arose from his
seat and moved to the fire, turning his
back to Tom. Before the eyes of both
the partners there lowered face which
had led them, too, to dream of possible
neutrality-suspicious. from which they
had so lately been awakened.
1t would be hard, with these memories
rising back, to talk to their favorite clerl
of his good fortune; yet it was not il
Walter Maitland's nature to let any sci
fish feeling prevent him.
"Indeed, Leslie" he said, at an
surprised; but very glad, of course, tt
hear it. prognosticate every happiness
for your wife. OF course I cannot do 81
for you until I know who she is.
"You know her well, gentlemen, sale
Tom, flushing. "Her father, Colone
Conyngham, is my mothers cousin. W,
} have rarely visited them, except whel
they were alone, because-at my moth
er's cottage, of course-we could no
entertain their guests. We have alway
} been-as old friends and relatives shoul,
| be; and / have always loved Isabel
But it was necessary for us to wait lii
, tie. Though it would be difficult for yo1
, to realize the fact, gentlemen, marriag
8 is an expensive debt -
"You can go, Leslie, remarked MI
3 Dart, without raising his head.