The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-04-24

tended. if Tom got better, to pretend II
was mistake or he might have meant
to cheat him -. ! 4: 81, :
SsEas there never any witness to the
fpsgments?e :rzsr.1 ! !: : 4.
! mo. He would come over, Or Tom
would GO to him and pay whatever VIC
could spare. But 1 have seen the re-
| CENTS often! And think, Bert, how
that five thousand dollars would keep
| me now"
Bert did think of it! He was ayoung
I man who had made for himself home
| in Western State, over which ne had
asked his widowed sister to preside. He
had come to her with open hands and
| heart, to offer home to her and her two
boys, knowing that his brother.in-law
| had lived upon his salary as a clerk in
| wholesale house. But he had found that
these two by close economy, by Toms
experiments in sheep-raising and Jessies
contributions to magazine literature, had
| nearly secured home of their own, when
sudden rupture Of a blood vessel had
ended life for one, and left the other
| desolate ....
Many long talks the brother and sister
had about this cruel wrong pressing
upon her, but arriving always at the con-
clusion that only the finding of the
recelpt-book could help her. They were
still talking, in the room that Tom had
devoted to his wife's Literary labors and
his own business affairs, and dignifed by
the name of library, when Bert, point
ing to the wall, said;
"Where on earth did you ever get
that horrid daub, Jessie2 What is it'"
"The Landing of the Pilgrim Faith
ers," said Jessie, smiling. "It is daub,
Bert, but Tom was fond of it for the
sake of his only brother, who painted it.
Poor Fred! He imagined himself a great
artist, and this picture a masterpiece.
But after vainly trying to sell it, he gave
it to Tom. 1t was dreadful job to get
it up, and you see it takes all the space
on that side of the room. How we are
to get it down is mystery"
''Do you value it?"
''Nol scarcely knew Fred, who died
ten years ago, and the picture is fright.
full"
"H'm!-I think I see light" said
Bert, musingly. "Well, dear, as there
is nothing to be gained by staying hele,
how soon will you be ready to go to
Scrantonville with me?"
tI will begin to pack to-day"
1t proved to be tedious job to gather
all the household goods into travelling
compass, to start off box after box, to
take leave Of neighbors, and make prepa
rations for the long journey and new
home. But Jessie found comfort in con-
slant work, and the next week most of
her packing was finished.
But the day before that appointed fo-
their start, Bert sent to for Mr.. Paxon, 20
make one more appeal to his honesty.
There was long, rather stormy inter-
view in the dismantled library, where
only the huge painting and two chairs
had been left. Bert had left the room,
under some pretense of questioning his
sister, and Mr.. Paxor was peeping
about in Paul Pry way that Jes.
sic had told her brother was habitual
with him, when he made discovery.
There was an ugly space in a recess
where Tom Thorpe's stationery desk had
stood for ten long years against the wall.
! Scraps of paper and string, torn cnvel-
lopes, all the debris Of packing, were
scattered about, but wedged into the
top of the mop board was an envelope,
almost concealed, that Mr.. Paxon was
sure contained an Enclosure. Warily he
crept up to it, seized it, and found it
sealed envelope, directed
ITO Jessie, my wife. To be opened
only after my death"
He crammed it hastily into his pocket,
and when Bert returned took his de-
parture. Something important must be
in that paper, that had evidently slipped
out of the desk when it was moved and
escaped observation But the disclosure
was startling one. Without any scruple
of honor or honesty, Mr.. Paxon broke
the seal and read:
DEAR JESSIE 1t has been long known to
you, dear, that my life was precariouS one,
and you will not be surprised that | have
made little provision for you and the chill
dren. Poor Fred left me ten Thousand dol
lars in United States bonds. and, unwilling
to trust il to any bank. have hidden it away
in the lower right-hand corner Of the picture
he gave me. The interest will run on until
YOU take the envelope from the hiding place,
as no one else will ever move the picture.
Forgive me fol- keeping this one secret from
you. IoA.'
No one else! Why, they might tear it
down any moment. A cold sweat broke
out all over the rascal's body. All his
boarded wealth, the result OF scheming,
cheating, saving, was as nothing com-
pared with this newly discovered treas
urc. Nobody else must find those
bonds!
But when he returned to the house he
found everything in hurried confusion,
and Bert issuing hurried orders.
IL can't talk to you now," he said, as
Mr.. Paxon came up. Il am obliged to
leave on the 7.30 = NJ. train from B,
and it is nearly rwo o'clock now. There
is still wagon load to go, and the chill
dreu and Jessie are getting dressed for
the carriage at three o'clock"
"But must speak to YOU"
"And that picture has to be packed
too" cried Bert, bustling into the house.
"Here, some of you fellows brinS'a step
LADDER"
mo, no." cried Mr.. PaXon. IL
can,e ovor to Spp If 7 couldn't buv that