The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-10-24
A RAILWAY ADVENTURE.

The hour grew late, and Mr.. Brand
paced his chamber in moody silence
The train had come in, but his messen-
ger had not returned, and the merchant
was troubled--troubled by a vague sort
of doubt, which haunted him in spite
of his faith in Lake. A staid, sober old
trader, of long experience, had said that
Lake was too young to fill the impor-
tant position which he held, but Mr.
Brown had never found his trust in Tom
misplaced,
Having heard rumors concerning q
house with which he had extensive deal
ings, the merchant had dispatched Lake
to London, telling him to make nqui-
ries, and in any case to get the partners
of the firm in question to settle their
account.
So Lake had gone from Liverpool to
London. The time appointed for his
return passed, and still he did not come
A lady entered and stole to the meT-
chants side. Her own sweet face was
anxious, and there was tremor in the
music of her voice, as she said;
"Do you think he will be here to-
night, dear papa"
al hope so, Mary; but it is very
late"
as there no other trainW
"Only the night express, and that
does not stop except at the central sta
tiOns"
"Perhaps he will come, papa; he
would not mind coming ten miles, even
if he had to walk"
" He should not have missed the
train" said Mr.. Brand, sterny; "punc-
tuaity is an imperative duty with men
of business"
"But, papa, something may have hap
pened to detain him."
"Nothing should detain a man who
has given his word"
The fair pleader was silcnced; her
father was angry, and, knowing his
strictness of principle, and how inyet.
crate WAS his dislike to any breach OF
discipline, she did not venture to speak
again.
The time dragged slowly on; Mr..
Brand continued his restless walk, and
Mary sat subdued and quiet, watching
him. She saw that he was listening as
the night express went whirling by, and
from the depths of her heart there went
upa prayer that Lake would come safely
home. The girl loved him, would have
staked her life on his truth, and knew
that he was not beyond his time through
any weakness or wrong,
Two slow, weary hours passed. Mr..
Brand was reading the commercial news;
but for the first time in his life it did
not interest him. He was thinking of
the young clerk, and the heavy sum of
money that would be in his possession
should the London firm have paid him.
And Mary, reading her fathers counte-
nance, felt chilled and panied by the
slur cast on her lovers honesty by his
suspicious; her every thought was a
denial to his doubts, and, as the rapid
catter of horses feet rang out, she ran
to the window.
"Look!" she said, dashing the curtain
aside with eager hands; "loOk, papa; l
said he would c0me-I knew he would" ."
The merchants stern face relaxed
with a smile of pleasure; he was not
emotional or demonstrative, but his
daughters gladness pleased him.
There were few moments Of expec-
fancy, and then Tom Lake came in. He
went straight to Mr.. Brand, only no.
ti,ing, with bow, the lovely face whose
glance thrilled his soul.
"They have paid" he said, quietly,
as he put a thick pocket-book in the
merchants hand; but | think we were
only just in time"
Indeedw
"There was consultation at the
bankers before could get cal for the
check"
"Do you think they will break"'
Hopelessly. They have given me an
immense order, but it would not be wise
to forward the goods"
"You did not hint that we had the
slightest fear"
"No, but | was glad to get the money
Gl2,OO6 would have been heavy loss"
at would have done me serious in
jury just now" a,.
"And yet" said Tom, graveiy, this
morning the odds were considerably
against it ever reaching you.
"HowW
Tom took two chairs, placed them side
by side near the fire, led Mary to one,
and seated himself in the other. tie
had done his duty as the merchants
clerk, and was now Mr. Brands prospec-
tive son-in-law and partner. ~,
az had an adventure" he said; :"
was the hero of strange story in ride
by express" NJ
Mary bent forward to listen. Tom
clasped her hand in his own. MIR. Brand
sat opposite them, interested by the
speakers manner, as he began:
"When | got the check had an idea
that all might not be well, so to make
sure, / presented it to the bankers
There was, as told you, consultation
before they cashed it, and, while the
consultation was going forward, l no
ticed stranger looking at me intently
knew the man in my younger anc
wilder days / had met him often a