Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-07
A STITCH IN TIME.
CHAPTER I,

ShAPTBkI L..
Not many years ago there was-as there has
lately been agatha good deal OF distrust and
agitation In commercial circles, chiefly arising
from some very heavy failures. One g1ganuc
In its tumble. The alarm naturally felt at this
spread; and the rumors which always attend
and often cause. a panic, spread also, 50 that
scarcely any undertaking, nowerer Wen s es. ar
suspicion. We do not propose TO enter upon tue
history OF any commercial panic, or even to
and what is worse, viii see again, the deliberate
and organized efforts TO " wreck" really solvent
houses, for the benefit Of selfish and unscrupu-
lous spectators; and how not only embarrassed
and weak houses went down In the crash, b1J
houses which-had time and fair play been given
then1-were In fair working condition.
After this preface, short as it has been, the
reader Will quite understand how men who had
realized by years OF toll, often of exile and dan
ger, anything like competence, felt very ua-
easy as to their investments, no matter how
Button. who had Settled eomforta6 tab T down 10
the vicinity Of London, after many years labor
In a distant colony, felt as uneasy as the rest
He was tolerably rich man, and was consider
ably past his prime; yet having married late In
life, he saw young family growing up around
him, which became more expensive every diy.
small portion OF his fortune was invested IN
England; but the bulk was, and nad oeen TOT
some years, invested on deposit, az pretty nigh
interest. In the Gulf OF Carpentarla ana North
ern Australia Bank, which was IN nl9n repute
continent and which did more business at Its
London Office than almost any or the colonial
banks. He had been induced TO leave bis money
In the colony from the fact OF his acquaintance
ship with most OF the directors; while the man.
ager at the chief establishment, on the Gun or
Carpentaria, Fred ROckman by name, had been
an old "chum " when Mr.. Burton was a digger,
and was believed 20 be, and truly so, one or the
most honorable and straightforward or men.
So Mr.. Burton felt as secure as man could
feel-at first. But while poor man may steep
IN of l
fees, and great mercantile firms, 1t Is nigh upon
impossible for rich man TO do so; and the day
soon came when the topping over OF first one
great house, and then another, whose names
had hitherto stood almost as types OF sound
ness. alarmed even him, and he could not re-
frain from paying daily visits TO London, aud
haunting certain localities We'll known to all in
tereSted In financial transactions, and where
amid a thousand false reports 1t must be admit
ted-the first whisper OF coming disaster would
be sure to circulate.
his uneaSiness from Mrs. Burton; but on her
part, like good wife, she was not TO be SO de-
ceiyed and when once his preoecupied m amer
and occasionally wandering replies had at
tracted attention, the revelation Of his anxiety
soon followed, and she grew more anxious than
himself. With mothers anxiety, she trem-
bled for the fate OF Master Caleb and Miss
Amelia, with three or four other young ladies
and gentlemen whose cots she was won't to
visit, and whose foreheadS She was wont to
kiss every night Of her life SO her alarm re-
parably more sensitive than before.
All this. however, took but few days In its
growth; for no. hing Is so swift as the changes
and fears OF q commercial panic; lad ten days
had hardly passed since the fan of the aforesaid
great house. before Mr.. Burton commenced his
visits TO London. He was In the habit OF taking
his lunch at particular tavern where foreisn
and colonial merchants greatly coDgregate, and
here he saw many persons who were known 70
him In the days when he lived in the city. With
these he often spoke, sometimes Of the old
hrrtr n
man entered the coffee-rOom and looked
round as though in search OF some one. Mr.
Burton had occasionally seen and spoken TO taIS
man in his visits to the tavern. He was not very
Intimate with him, for his recollection OF the
man was not altogether favorable; he had been
engaged In some very doubtful transactions la
Of Burton under some specIous pretense, which
turned out to be wholly false, and not one penny
OF this had he repaid. Mr.. Burton was just
sitting down to lunch when he caught the eye
OF this individual, Who was some what SIMMER,
not to say greasier, In his hat and clothes than
the majority OF the guests, and he looked round
with so wistful an air that, moved by an impulse
for which he could hardly account Mr. Burton
beckoned him to his table and invited him to
join him at lunch. He was sorry for it the mo-
ment he had spoken; but the Captafn-he was
called the Captain, from having once owned
a coasttng vesselgave him no time to change
his mind. He accepted the invitation with the
greatest alacrity; and although his appetite
was clearly of the keenest, strove to make him.
u
DIAL with which the very atmosphere was
charged, md In which he reyeled. This he for
tined ana eked out with such mysterious wlnks
and mods that half of what he said was untntel-
lig1ble to his nearer.
At last the meal was finished; and the Cap
tam, draining the last drop from lumber of
cold brandy and water, which he had ordered
as part OF the lunch to which he was invited
shook his entertainer By the hand as the latter
rose, and, referring for the first time To past
declared he was the best hearted
q rtyrrY Y<T
some day he would do him good turn. Burton
rather abruptly thanked him, and cut short his
gratitude by turning away, and had moved
road to the door, When he heard his name pro- TO
nounced, and looking round saw the Captain
reckoning to him. Very much annoyed at this,
he merely waved his hand, and would have
continued bis retreat, but that the other beck
oned him again with so earnest look that Mr..
Burton involuntariy went toward him.
"Mr. Burton, one word with YOU" said the
Captain; he hooked his finger In the button
hole OF the others coat as he spoke. "Jusr one
word" Although it was but one word he wanted
TO say, he seemed to have great deal OF DIM
dropping bis voice TO a whisper far more mys,
ferrous than any which had preceded it: ssMeet
me- here In two hours time. Mind! am In
earnest" He released his hold as he spoke, and
putting bis fOrehnger to his lip as sign OF Sc
crecy and cautfon-wh1ch was utterly needless,
as be had communicated nOthfng-turned away
and was lost In the throng.
preSSiyeneSS, as he deemed It, arising, as ne
supposed, from the tumbier OF brandy and
water, and decided on dismissing him and his
appointment from his mind. He went about
for another hour, meeting more of his acduaInt-
ances each fresh one having something more
gloomy TO say than the last. Affairs really
seemed to be growing worse, and even those
who had been hopeful before seemed To have
lost heart now. So 1T was In a thouyhtfnl
mood he left TO go to the terminus OF the rail-
way, and on his way he glanced down the mar
row passage which led to the tavern where he
had lunched an hour before. The recollection
of the queer manner Of the Captain came
strongly upon him as he passed, and In bis ex-
cited state 1t came back with weight and
force which he could not help feeling strongly,
while yet he thought 1t ridiculous to do so.
With every step he took, the influence grew
stronger, until with 'PShaw" of contemot
at his weakness, he positively turned back and
resolved TO keep the appointment, even though
he was confident the Captain must have for
gotten all about 1t, and indeed was now prob
ably sleeping Off his unusually hearty me IL In
the parlor of some less pretentious tavern. He
felt this, yet he could not help returning BE-
couse there might be something at the bottom
OF the Captains mystery, and he might really
keep his appointment SO, as inst said he
turned back. dissatisfied though he was with
himself, and inclined at every step to face
round, and hurry to the railway station. How
ever, he reached the tavern, and entered the
cof1ee room, which was BOW nearly deserted.
A couple OF city clerks, who were PROBABLY
working over time, were dining In one corner.
and couple OF walters were gossiping In an