The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-04-28


were unpleasantly peremptory. IL am
Mr. GRAVITY, the solicitor for Messrs. X.
IL Co., your bankers" AEt
gWhat for? What dc. you want with
mepe demanded 6sodfrey, uneasily, as
~ 3 &Ea4fiy n "a Nj tS sb IA 8 frs %
along. | shan't detain you many min
lutes,n said the solicitor, taking him by
the arm. -"
Young Denver entered the cab, and
Mr.. GRAVITY got in after him, having
first given a brief direction to the driver
As they ratified over the stones the So
licitor briefly explained that he was GO
ing to apply for warrant against Cap
tain Wrake in connection with the
check, as the bank had determined to
prosecute! What for?n asked God
frey Denyer, startled out of his senses.
Forgery 1t was most impudent
attempt" said Mr.. GRAVITY, CURLY.
"But-but Captain Wrake is friend
of mine," faltered young Denyer. "Ev-
erything can be explained"
HE viii have an opportunity of ex-
| planning" said the solicitor, in rather
an ironical tone. 81 am sorry to hear
he is a friend of yours. am afraid you
have been keeping bad company, young
man.
Godfrey Denyer was too agitated and
confused to continue the conversation.
He was not by any means clear as to
the purpose of this visit to the police
court. The ominous words ''prose-
cute" and forgery" were ringing in
his ears, but he was too bewildered to
realize their significance, and he felt
less apprehensive on Captain Wrake's
account than on his own. He had a
vague suspicion that he had somehow
made himself amenable to the law in
connection with this wretched check,
and suspected that the errand on which
they were bound had an unpleasant per-
sonal bearing.
His uneasy meditation lasted until
they reached their destination, and in a
dazed state of mind he obeyed Mr..
Grantly's request that he would follow
him. What passed at the police court
happened so quickly that he hardly
knew what he was doing. To add to
his agitation and nervousness Mr..
Grantly's manner was very overbearing,
and being a weak-minded lad he help
flecting. He was sworn and again con-
fronted with the signature to the check.
For the life of him he could not sum-
mon up courage to retract or qualify
his original statement, and as a mono
syllable was all that was required by
way of answer. he found it easier to say
mo" to the question put to him than
to enter into an explanation. 1t was
not until he found himself alone again,
disconsolately vending his way back to
his chambers, that it began to dawn
upon him how fatally he had commit
ted himself, and how grave a wrong he
had done Captain Wrake.
While his mind was wavering between
right and wrong an incident happened
which afforded him an excuse for adopt
! ing the less compromising alternative
; In the afternoon he received a visi
/ from lady who announced she was
Captain Wrake's wife. She was young
J and pretty, but shabbily dressed, with .
J careworn look upon her pale face
Godfrey Denyer was the more startled
at beholding her, because, like more OF
the Captain friends, he was unaware
B that he was married. He knew Captain
| Wrake as a man of pleasure, a gambler
+. and profigate, and in the poor wife,
/ pinched features and threadbeare attir,
it was easy to read a tale of suffering
i and neglect. But she had come, never
theless, to plead for her husband, who
t it appeared, had already been arrested
9 and the sight of her distress and her pitt
| full allusion to her young family touched
= Godfrey Denyer's heart and aroused hi
= better nature.
: "What can do for you?" he said
r summoning up all his fortitude. "Shal
: / go at once to the police and acknowl
: edge the signaturep' taE
s MY lawyer says that would be use
t less, as you have already denied it upol
l OATH" sobbed the poor lady. "But
4 you would be, merciful and not Civ
a evidence against my poor husband"
- will not, l will leave London a
Y once" he interrupted. eagerly, with
t strange feeling of relief.
Q y" Heaven bless your cried his friend
5 wife, impulsively selling his hand an
a kissing it. ..t.t -t.....t
But Godfrey Denyer hastily drew hi
h hand away, for the spot she had kisse
+ seemed like fire. A tingling sensatio
5 of shame and unworthiness took posses
9 sion of him so that he fairly fled fror
= the room. When Mrs. Wrake had lei
! he lost no time in making preparation
e for his departure. Having packed up
d portmanteau-leav the bulk of hi
n effects to the mercy of the landlady-h
y went trembling to the bank and drey
s out the balance which stood to hi
! credit The same night he reache
o Liverpool and the next morning sale
e for New York