River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-07-03
4 eIo.OOO CHEOUE.

Crouch down, nor think what once was
| thInei
A e12,OOO CHEQUE.
| The hour grew late and Mr.. Brand
paced his chamber in moody silence.
| The train had come in, but his messen-
! ger had net returned and the merchan.
was troubled. Troubled by vague srt
of doubt, which haunted him in spite of
his faith in Lake. A merry, sober old
| trader of long experience had said that
Lake was too young to fill the important
position which he held :. But Mr.. Brand
had never found his trust in Tom dis
| placed.
Having heard rumors concerning a
| house with which he had extensive deal
| ings, the merchant had dispatched Lake
to London, telling him to make inquiries,
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 mer
chants side; her own sweet face was
anxious, and there was a tremor in the
music of her voice. as she said:
''DO you think he will be here tonight
dear papa2"
Il hope so, Mary; but it is very late"
SIS there no other train2"
"Only the night express, and that does
not stop, except at the central stations
perhaps he will come, papa; he would
not mind coming ten miles, even if he
| had to walk. y ---
''He should not have missed the train"
said Mr.. Brand, sternly; "punctuality is
an imperative duty with men OF business"
"But, papa something may have &C.
| Cured to detain him."
Nothing should detain man who has
given his word
The fair pleader was siienced- her
| father was angry, and knowing his strict
ness of principle, and how inveterate
was his dislike to any breach of disci-
pline of duty. 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
when the night express went whirling by;
/ aid from the deapths of her heart there
! went 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. MI. Brand
/ was reading the commercial news, but
! for the Arst time in his life it did not in
/ terest him; lie was thinking of the young
clerk, and the heavy sum of n, oney that
would be iii his possession should the
| Londen firm have paid him. And Mary,
| reading her fathers countenance, felt
chilled and panied by the slur cast on
her lovers honesty by his Isuspicions-
her very thoughwas denial to his
doubts, and as the rapid clatter of a
horses feet rang out, she ran to the
window.
Look" she said, dashing the curtains
aside with eager hands; 'look, papa,
said he would GOMEZ knew he would"
The merchants stern features relaxed.
With a smile of pleasure; he was not
! emotional or demonstrative, but his
daughters eladness pleased him.
| There were few moments of expect
ancy, and then Tom Lake came in. He
went straight to Mr.. Brand. only noticing
with bow the lovely face whose glance
! thrilled his soul.
They have paid he said quietly, as
he placed thick pocket-book in the
merchants hand, but think we We're
only just in time"
"Indeeds'
There was a consultation at the bank
er's before | could get cash 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 fearg'
mo, but was glad to get the money
e12,000 would have been heavy loss.''
"And yet" said Tom gravely, "this
morning The odds were considerable
against il ever reaching you"
"How2"
Tom took two chairs, placed them side
bv side near the fire, led Mary to one and
seated himself in the other. He had done
his duty as the merchants clerk, and now
was sir. Brands prospective son-in~law
and partner.
"I had an adventure" he said; 81 was
the hero OF a strange story in a ride by
by express.
Mary bent forward to listen-Tom
clasped her hands in his own. Mr.. Brand
sat opposite them, interested by the
speakers manner, as he began:
when / got the cheque had an idea
that all might not be well, so to make
sure l presented it at the bankers.
There was, as / told you, consultation
before they cashed it. and while the con-
sulation was going forward | NOTICED a
stranger looking at me intently. knew
the man in my younger and wilder days.
had met him often at the race course,
billiard-r1oms, and in other places more
or less respectable. Now he WAS chang
ing a chtgue for some petty amount, and
was evidently astonished by the immens,
sity of the order had presented. i left
the bank with my pocket-book full of
notes, ana found that had lost the train.
The next would be the night express so
I strolled into hilliard-room. A man is
Just as safe with fortune in his pocket
as if penniless, that he is wise enough
to hold his tongue. There was some
clever playing going on, and / stood
Watching the players till some one chal-
ieDged me TO have a game. If | have
one special vanity it is science with the
y = =