The National tribune., 1884-10-23

cigars. Not word did he say which could
1 have reference to our past connection; he was
| simply an agreeable host.
| curious to learn how it was he had
| changed so marvelously in his circumstances,
but he seemed in no hurry to senlghten me.
However, as we sat chatting after dessert, he
! gradually led the talk up to the reason of his
! invitation.
To condense his story, it appeared that on
| leaving prison he managed TO scrape together
| $50 which took him to America. He obtained
| employment in small jewellers store or shop,
but soon managed to find a better situation.
| Instrumental III saving the place from burg
larry, he was handsomely rewarded-a timely
| investment of his gift turned out successfully,
and he found himself in possession of $4,000.
All this time he had been on the lookout,
and he thought he saw an opening for making
! money. The knowledge which he had acquired
as traveller for our firm showed him that the
| goldsmth's art was not in high state OF per-
! fection in America, especially in the Western
States. He conceived the idea of buying the
raw material and sending it across to England
| for manufacture-the smaller cost and greater
| finish of workmanship in this country amply
repaying the comparatively small charges for
! freight and duty.
The business prospered; he took two part
ners, who brought considerable capital into
/ the firm, and he was now the head of flour
| ishing concern.
OF course, all this was intensely interesting
| TO me. There was evidently a field'for further
! enterprise, of which l knew but little. l once
! had made inquiries about the American mar
! ket, but had failed to secure an opening.
Pm over about it now" said Macfarlane,
"and one of my partners, Richardson, will be
over next week. Now what we want to find is
a firm over here who will do manufacturing for
! us at fixed and moderate rateS-a firm we can
| trust for good workmanship, and so save the cost
! of London agent and place of business. Rich
| ar1son recommended Jackson's, but they have
! served US rather badly, and we have come over
/ to make fresh arrangements
! My mouth watered If only our firm could
! get hold of such a splendid job it would
| go far to revive our sinking prosperity. My
business energy got the upper hand oSsme, and
l dropped hint that possibly we might come
! TO some arrangement.
a confess that is just what should like"
! he said, but was afraid to propose it. You
are not likely to want to do business with me,
| considering what has happened in the past"
| i did not know what to say, SO | kept silent
However, you would keep your eyes open
| this time no doubt" he continued, with a
| laugh. Seriously, though, nothing would
! please me more than to have you as our manu-
facturers; know your style of work, and l am
sure you would treat us generously. Only must
| insist on one thing, should we come to any un
derstanding. There are to be running ac-
counts between US; we pay on the nail for all
work done, not in bills checks but in cash.
Unless you consent to that proviso, decline to
carry the matter a step further"
protested against his want of belief in my
change of convictions regarding him. But he
was firm; / 9 would not feel comfortable unless
he put all possibility of doubt on our part out
of the question. /,
After all, the advantage was on my side.
The upshot of it was that it appeared there
was an immediate demand for certain work-a
demand SO pressing that there was time to
manufacture to meet tit must be supplied
from stock. This, of course, was agreed to.
Raw gold was to be supplied at varying inter
walls to be made up directed, and when the
metal was not forthcoming orders were to be
executed in the usual manner from metal in
stock.
The only proviso of importance was that
neither firm was to deal with another as re-
garded the American agency. To this had
no objection.
About III o'clock we sailed forth together;
he offered to walk with me part of the way.
Happening TO pass an American bar, he said he
would show me what American drinks were
like We had two or three, for which he paid.
We then had cab to Paddington, from which
station l had to start for home He wanted
some fresh air, so came with me to walk back
by the park. He insisted on paying for every
thing that evening, produced n fve-pound
note for the fare, having no change left
Naturally the eabman had none. Macfarlane
would not hear of my paving, but consented to
my changing his note for him.
| made an appointment with him for next
day, and returned home immensely pleased
with my evenings work. If things went well,
it meant clear profit of many hundreds
year to the firm.
When | was in bed, however, an unpleasant
idea came into my head. Was it possible? But
Il, al,
would not be dismissed finally. Was the note
/ had changed for Macfarane good one?
had heard of tricks of similar kind often
enough. Maciarlane had not made bad thing
out of me if he had palmed off bogus note in
exchange for my five soverigns.
got out Of bed and examined it carefully.
1t appeared all right. / was ashamed of myself
for doubling him.
Nevertheless, went to the Bank of England
next morning and had it examined. 1t was
pronounced genuine.
Judge how ashamed l feltl What, then,
were my feelings when / caught sight of Mac
farlane standing at the counter not two yards
from me, filling stout pocketboOk with
notes
/ tried to slip out unobserved, fearful lest he
had seen the transaction | had been engaged
in. But he happened to look up, and caught
sight of me. Ny only consolation was the
hope that he had not seen the business upon
which nad peen engaged. responded 10
his greeting and we walked away together
He had received a telegram that morning
from america 60 the effect that his partner had
started for England. So it was too late to
instruct him to bring the gold with him; for
the present Macfarlane would be obliged to give
his orders TO US to be executed from our own
stock Fortunately, he observed, his capital
was large enough to enable him to do So
The one point on which he insisted, which
thought unnecessary. if not foolish, was that
no mention Of his former name should be made
to nay partners 1t was moot point with me
for some time whether / had any right 10 en-
bark in transactions with him without in
forming the members of my firm Of all knew,
but the security was so good, and the transac-
tions SO profitable, that yielded to this condi-
ton.
CHAPTER III.
In the course Of the next few weeks we exc
cuted valuable series of orders for him. He
always paid me himself on the delivery of the
goods. The payment was invariably in notes
or gold. Only once did he offer me a check. L
took it, and it was honsred without question.
lie In fl 6 ln,