The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-02-21

|
for eighteen years in the safe, and that this
notepaper was made che day before yester~
day"
How do you know thatf'
"You can tell by the look and feel of the
paper; they did not make paper like this
twenty years ago. besides. look at the water
mark;' he held it to the light, and Iris rec
the mystic words "1hat is the fashion OF
to-day. One house issues new kind Of
paper, with fancy name, and another
initiates them. Tomorrow will ascertain
exactly when this paper was made"
| "But who would steal it, Arnold Who
could steal iti"
ut would not probably be Of the least use
to anyone. But it might be stolen in order
to sell it back. We may see an advertise
ment carefully worded, guarded or per-
haps - Iris, who had access to the place
| when your grandfather was outF'
mo one but James, the shopman. He has
been here five-and-twenty years. He would
not, surely, rob his old master No one else
comes here except the customers and Cousin
| Joen
| "Joe is not, believe, quite
"Joe is very bad man. He has done
dreadful thinS. But then, even il Joe were
bad enough to rob the safe, how could he
get at it My grandfather never leaves it
| unlocked. On, Arnold, Arnold, that all
this should fall upon us on the very day"
| my dear, is it not better that it should
| fall upon you when | am here, ono more
added to your advisers If you have lost q
| fortune have found one Think that you
have given it to me-
ooh, the fortune may CO." she said. The
| future is ours, and we are young. But who
shall console my grandfather in his old age
| for his bankruptcy I"
GAS the stream" said Lala Roy, (which
passeth from the mountains to the ocean,
kisseth every meadow on its way, yet tarres
| not in any place, so Fortune visits the sons
of men; she is unstable as tho wind who
shall hold herl Let not adversely tear Off the
wings of hope"
They could do nothing more. Arnold re-
| placed the paper in the packet and gave it
to Iris; they put back the ledgers and ac-
count books in the safe and locked it up, and
then they went upstairs
"You shall go to bed, Iris" said Arnold,
land you, too, Lala Roy. shall stay here
in case Mr. Emblem should-should want
anything"
He was, in reality, afraid that something
would happen to the old man. His sudden
loss of memory. his loss Of self control when
he spoke Of his bankruptcy, the confusion OF
his words, told clearly of a mind unhinged.
He could not 20 away and leave Iris with no
better protection than one other weak old
man.
He remained, but Iris sat with him, and
in the silent watches of the night they talked
about the future.
Under every roof are those who talk about
the future, and those who think about the
past; so the shadow of death is always with
us and the sunshine OF life Not without
reason in the Roman Catholic altar incom-
plete without bone Of some dead man As
for the thing which had been stolen, that
affected them but little. What does it
matter-the loss OK what was promised but
five minutes since1
IL was one o'clock in the morning when
Lala Roy left them They sat at the win
dow, hand in. hand, and talked. The street
below them was very quiet; now and then
late cab broke the silence, or the tramp OF
policeman. but there were no other sounds
They sat in darkness because they wanted no
light. The hours sped too swiftly for them.
At five the day began to dawn.
Girls" said Arnold, 'leave me now, and
try to sleep little Shall We ever forget
this night of sweet and tender talkg''
When she was gone he began to be aware
Of footsteps overhead in the old mans room.
What was he going to dos Arnorld waited
Mt the door, Presently the door opened,
and he heard careful steps upon the stairs.
They were the steps Of Mr.. Emblem himself.
He was fully dressed, with his usual care
and neatness, his black silk stock buckled
behind, and his white hair brushed
S"Ah, Mr.. Arbuthnot," he said. cheer
fully, "you are early this morning!" as if
it was quite usual thing for his friends to
look in at six in the morning.
"You are going down to the shop, Mr..
Emblemf'
Eyes, certainly-to the shop. Pray come
with me-"
Arnold followed him
81 have just remembered" said the old
man. "that last night we did not look on
the Door. will have one more search for
the letter. and then, il l cannot find it, l
will write it all out-every word. There is
not much, to be sure. but the story is told
without the names"
"Tell me the story, Mr. Emblem, while
you remember it."
"All in good time. young man. Youth is
impatient"
He drew up the blind and let in the
morning light; then he began his search
for the letter on the floor, going on his
hands and knees, and peering under the
table and chairs with a candle. At length
he desisted.
n tied it up" he said, with the parcel
with red tape. Very well-we must do with.
out it. Now, Mr.. Arbuthnot, my plan is
this First, I will dictate the letter. This
will give you the outlines of the story. Next,
l will send you TOTO my old customer, who
can tell you my son.in-law's real name
And then will describe his coat of arms
Nv memory was never SO clear and good as
feel it to-day. Strange that last night
seemed, for the moment, to forget every
thing! Ha, hal Ridiculous, wasn't it,
suppose But there is no accounting for
these queer things Perhaps was disap
pointed to find nothing in the packet. Do
YOU think, Mr.. Arbuthnot, that =" Here
he began to tremble ''Do you think that
/ dreamed IL all, Old mon think strange
things. Perhaps"
"Let US try to remember tthe letter, Mr..
Emblem"
"Yes yes-certainly--the letter. Why is