The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-07-12

many clodhopper. The trim dress
invariably on the model Of the latest
mode IN past days-was superseded by
a hybrid makeup Of turf and stable
costume.
And yet 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 you be good enough to cash
this check, pleasep"
The cash was shoveled out on the
cleaning mahogany, and an instant
later had found anew 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 ex-
preston leaped into the furtive, shifty
eyes, and every vestige Of color for
sock the sallow cheeks. Bernard Hook
er was recognized in his turn.
With the sharp click of the closing
door, Bernard's senses returned to him.
Here, when least expected, was the
opportunity of recovering lost hopes.
The rumor that the scoundrel had sail
ed for South America was plainly
false. He was still within reach of
British justice, and, if captured, might
he compelled to dasgorge his plunder,
or at least such portion of it as was yet
unsquandered. He must be followed,
tracked, and that Instantly The
faulty that had brought him on some
casual errand to Fembury and to
Messrs. Kenworth's bank must be
translated, by immediate enterprise,
into a manifestation of that Nemesis
which, by the logic Of the story-books,
treads inevitably on the heels of wrong.
A decision was reached in far less
time than it takes to recount the fact.
Bernard seized his hat, and with a
muttered incoherent apology, pushed
his way past his scandalized superior,
and literally ran down the stone steps
into the street.
"What is the meaning-p Is the
fellow mad?" gasped Mr.. Hollis, a
portentous frown gathering upon his
brow. 1t was certainly mysterious be-
haVior, and the fellow clerk to whom
this query was presumably addressed
was taken nearly as much aback as his
chief. He had no explanation to offer.
Careless of the CONSERVATION which
his abrupt proceedings had occasioned,
Bernard's steps were toward the rail-
way station. This was clearly the aim
of the pursued.
To be thirty seconds too late under
all circumstances, abundantly annoy
ing. This was Bernard Hooker's lot on
the present occasion. He reached the
platform of the Fembury station just
in time to see the up train steam into
the yawning gulf Of the north tunnel,
and to know that in one of that trains
compartments sat, i'll regained security,
his fathers foe and his own. There
was nothing to do but confess failure
and to. return, after dining, to the
drudgery Of the bank desk. He die
not even know the alias of the rogue
and, after all, his evidence Of identity
if sufficient for himself, might fail tt
, convince another. 1t would be useless
to appeal to the local police force fol
those reasons.
"An impudent and madcap freak
, Mr.. Hooker, whatever may be you
excuse" growled Mr.. Hollis. "If yOr
, want to leave the Office in hurry agaiT
to overtake anybody-anybody, sirl-
be good enough to ask leave"
Bernard was compiled to promis,
, that he would. For the rest of tn,
a afternoon he went on his way with the
{ tedious columns of figures in a state o
A mental agitation and chagrin un
a paralleled since the days on which b
, had fist learned that his parents bank
ruptcy was unavoidable.
: ''Those scraps Of paper, Mr.. Styles
p had better ornament the waste-baske
, than the floor"
The managers accents were harsl
and querulous; his temper seemed Il
a have been sourcd for the day by Ber
nard Hooker's escapode.
a "I have not dropped them, sir, re
Piled the lnculpated junior, resentini
as much as he dared the implied charg
of untidiness. "One fell from your owl
a desk, and the other was left behind b,
the gentleman whom Mr.. Hooker triet
: to catch"
, Bernard's ears tingled anew. Wha
, if the aforementioned fragment shoult
, bear upon its surface some clew to tn
= Villains assumed name or whereabouts
T By easy strategy he gained possession
a of the slip, and found it to be half al
! envelope, with the letters "Joyn-'
: on one side, and the postmark sick
ford,' on the other. This might o
4 might not lead to discovery.
In the solitude of his own apartment
y that evening Bernard Hooker searched
out the name Of Ickford on Brad
shaw's map. He found it De chat o
. small town in the north of England
: "Whatever the consequence, Ill rul
a down there and make inquiries. If
win, the game will be worth tn
? candle, I" he soliloquized.
!. And the next day note liz the banl
, letter box accounted-though hardl!
, satisfactorily to the critical judgmen
a of Mr.. Hollis-for the second clerk
8 absence.
. At Ickford the trail was mmistaka
bly, struck. Skilful investigation show
a ed that Mr.. representatives. outward
0 man appeared to tally precisely will
+ Bernard IS ssketch-description--had been
e staying at the chief hotel for severa
a weeks, and had posed as an individual