Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-05-21

"Hurrah !" again, and again, and again.
"Sir," the letter ran, "acting on the
| instructions of the late John Launces-
ton Barclay, of Ashford Warren, we beg
to inform you that we have in our hands
n safe which is only to be opened in
Your presence and in our Office. We
shall be glad to see you here at your
earliest convenience.
The letter bore the signature,
"Thwaite & Toby"
CAN right, Thwaite g. Toby said
Walter Mackenzie, I'll be with you like
bird. Old Barclay knew that Nell and
would marry. He had money after
all. Everybody knew he had money,
though nobody guessed where it was or
how he kept it."
So, full of hopes and queer surmises,
he began exultantly to plan for the fu-
ture, when it struck him in rather
chill way that he had to go to Liver
pool, and had no money. The scanty
furniture of his chambers did not be-
long to him. He had sold his law
/ books, and pawned almost everything
pawnable, to bury his sweetheart's
great uncle, and to relieve her later ne
cessities. He began to ransack his
wardrobe. Half dozen shirts one
very elderly shabby suit of clothes !;
one pair of ivory backed brushes one
very battered old portmanteau. Into
the portmanteau went the shirts, the
shabby suit, the ivory backed brushes !;
and away through the dusk went the
barrister to the sign of the triune globes
of gold. My uncle's myrmidon survey
ed the lot with depreciatory air, and
offered less by half q crown than the
thirdclas fare to Liverpool.
"Take em over the COUNTER" said
the bullet headed Briton. "Ill be back
in five minutes"
He dived out of the shop into Hol-
born, and went hurIiedly back to his
chambers. Finding felt hat there he
rammed it into an old leather hat-box
and returned. Again reaching my
uncle's he opened the hat-box, took off
his guinea castor, much worn but de-
cent still, and assumed the felt.
Half a crown on that lot, he said,
cheerily.
"Two shillin'," said my 1ncle's myr-
midon.
"Give me the old coat out of the
portmanteau, said the barrister- at. law.
De emptied the pockets of the new coat
he had on. took off that garment, aud
assumed the old one. "Now, how,
much ?"
eco yer an extra five bob on this"
said the myrmidon, having carefully ex-
amined the coat with an especial eve to
ueams, button holes, cuffs and Innings.
"That will do"
"Name ?" said the myrmidon.
"John JONES'"
"Address %
"Seven Dials.'
The myrmidon grinned and substi-
tuted Holborn." He slammed the
silver and copper on the counter and
pushed the ticket across it. A second
later, looking trifle shabby, the hur-
rying John Jones was in the street
again, and five minutes later was seated
in his chambers, consulting time
table.
"I fancy I shall do best to go at
once, ," he said, aloud. "Rug and over
coat both gone. Night journey. Don't
like it," There he took mental stand,
and with an air of much scorn and Sc
verify addressed himself Look, here,
young man. What YOU like and what
you nave to do are very often very diff
ferent things. You do your duty, and
shut your trap, and cease to grumble.
That's your lay, young man. Dye hear
me now? Ha would you? Very well,
then"
Reaching Liverpool whilst the day
was yet scarcely alive, he walked into a
second-rate coffee-house and breakfast
ed, dawdling over the local morning pa
pers and an odd number of Punch, old
enough for its jokes to have acquired a
sort of freshness. Ten o'clock came at
last, and he started for the Office of
Messrs. Thwaite & Tolby. On the
road the announcement, "Wash, and
brush-up. twopence," appeared before
him, and a glance at the mirrored win
! dow assured him that twopence so ex-
pended would be wisely bestowed. He
had not MANY twopences, but he had
the wash and brush-up notwithstand-
ing. and in spite of the crumpled felt
and the seedy coat he looked gentle
man.
Neither the great Toby nor the great
er Thwaite had yet arrived when he
reached their offices, and he sat down to
wait, beginning new study of the local
papers and yesterdays Times. After a
weary waiting Thwaite aud Toby came,
elderly. fresh-colored gentlemen, so
much alike that they might have seemed
John Doe and Richard Roe i'll person
sour business is very simple, Mr.
Mackenzie" said Mr.. Thwaite; "very
simple. Our late client, Mr.. Barclay,
himself accompanied this safe to the Of
fice."
Mr.. Thwaite waved his hand behind
him, and it was not yet certain which
was the safe alluded to. The visitor was
curious on that point.
''In our presence he put seal upon
the lock-" All then, that was the safe
with the sprawling red seal upon the
keyhole.
"He left written instructions that the
safe was not to be opened until fort
night after his death, and then only in
your presence and ours. The specified
time having expired, and we three being
present, we may, | presume, at once
open the safe and hand its contents over
to your care. That is the limit of our
instructions.
With grave interest the young barris-
ter and the junior partner stood by while
Mr.. Thwaite demolished the seal by two
or three smart taps with big key, and