River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-08-14
CHASING 4 FORTUNE.

y
had been the terror ofmeek companions
the aversion of order loving dominies,
the triumphant outwitter, on more than
one occasion, of even that great man the
proctor.
But these halcyon days were past.
Any particular exuberance of spirits in
Demands present position would have
been as phenomenal and incongruous
with his surroundings as the presence of
English hedge blossoms in an East
ern desert. He was chained to the oar
of daily toll as tightly and as hopelessly
as any galley slave. The sturdy sym
metry of his figure, the humorous east
Of his frank and open countenance, the
twinkle of his light blue eyes, were all
that outwardly remained of the idiosyn
crasies that had made him the idol of
his comrades in class and on college
walk. The pressure of adverse circum
stances had put an iron curb upon his
vivacity, if it had not altogether crushed
it.
He looked forward to reading for the
bar, with the prospect, if he displayed
ability, of a capital start in his chosen
profession by reason of his fathers po-
sition and influence. Instead of this,
Bernard Hooker found himself, at the
age of o-and-twenty, merely an insig
nifcant unit in the already over crowded
ranks of professional quill-drivers.
His father had become the dupe of an
unprincipled business partner, and had
lost everything. Even Edwin Hookers
hitherto fair fame had suffered asper-
sion, for it had been hard to persuade
the great careless world that the vii
lainy, which had made the trading name
of Hooker and Cleaning by-word in
the city, was the work of Archer Glen
ming alone. Yet it was so, and the trial
which followed the crash told tale of
forged signatures and stolen securities
which set the elder and victimized part
ner free, and would have certainly rele-
gated the junior to the keeping of prison
wardens for a long term of years, had
he remained to face the storm. He had
fled and carried with him Edwin Hook
er's fortune.
Thus it came about that the son was
earning his daily bread in the Fembury
branch bank of Kenworth & Co. That
he was located IN the country, with
open skies above him and pleasant
fields around, was the one mitigating
circumstance of his hard and dreary
lot. In other respects even the aver
age London bank clerk was better off.
Mr.. Hollis, Messrs. Konworth's Fem
bury manager, was an irasclble little
man, who believed, as firmly as an
Egyptian task master, in getting the
very utmost in the way of effort out of
his surbordinates. The bank hours
might nominally be from 9 to 5, but he
had trick of piling on extras, which
materially heightened them.
1t would be, "These letters cannot be
left, Mr., Styles" or "This ledger re-
quires attention, Mr.. Hooker" To
have refused or even expostulated, was
to court instant dismissal, for Mr.. Hol
lis was as passionate as he was naughty.
and knew himself to be invested with
plenary power within the bank precincts.
There was no resource but to obey.
1t was a bright May morning, frag-
rant In the Fembury lanes with the
scent of early wild-fowers and vocal
| with melody of birds. It was market
| day in the little country town, and the
clink of gold in consequence frequently
resounded on the bank counter. As a
rule Bernard Hooker paid little or no
attention to the ftful professions of
clients that passed the door on the right.
] He was not cashier, and the burden of
his own duties was sufficient for his
oftentimes weary shoulders. But as
The surely office-clock announced the
quarter before the luncheon inter
val the sound of voice he surely knew
mingled with its dull bass. An instinct
i've tremor ran through every fibre of
the young mans body. He looked
sharply up. What he saw for the mo-
ment puzzled him and seemed to refute
| the evidence of his ears.
The voice was emphatically that of
| Archer Glenning; the outward present
ment of the speaker was that of an alb
solute stranger. But closer scrutiny
and the recollection of the fact that the
accomplished swindler was of necessity
fugitive, explained the phenomen.
| Edwin Hooker's absconding partner was
of truth there in flesh before Demands
eyes, but so cunningly disguised that
the cleverest Scotland Yard detective
might have been pardoned for a blund
er. The shapely mustache and heavy
beard had both vanished; the light
auburn locks of the ''Hue and Cry" des-
cription were now raven-b black; the very
eyebrows had discarded nature and APP
piled to the artist in flesh and hair tint
ing.
In carriage and in attire the revolu-
ton was equally striking and equally
complete The stately, upright gait of
the Lombard street merchant was ex-
changed for stopping shamble that
| would have provoked the ridicule of
many a clodhopper. The trim dress
-invariable on the model of the latest
mode in past days-was superseded by
hybrid makeup of turf and stable
costume.
And vet Bernard was sure of his
man. That crisp, metallic utterance
was in itself well-nigh sufficient clew.
| 1t awakened bitter "reminiscences with
the enunciation of every syllable.
"Will yon be good enough to cash
this check, please?"
! The check was shoveled out on the
cleaning mahogany, and an instant
| later had found new resting place in
| the strangers purse. He turned, and
for second caught the half-stupefed
glance of the young clerk. The effect
was magical-a scared, terror stricken
expression leaped into the furtive, shifty
eyes, and every vestige Of color forsook
the sallow cheeks. Bernard Hooker
was recognized in his turn.
With the sharp click of the closing
door, Bernards sense returned to him.
Here. when least expected, was the OPP
portunity of recovering lost hopes
The rumor that the scoundrel had sailed
for South America was plainly false.
He was still within reach of British
Justice, and, if captured, might be com
PEELED to disgorge and surrender, or at
| least such portion of it as was vet up-
sauandered. He must be followed,
tracked, and that Instantly The fatal
ity that had brought him on some cas-
ual errand to Fembury and to Messrs.
Kenworth's bank must be translated,
by immediate enterprise into a mani
festation of that Nemesis which, by the