Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-04-28
~ GE9 coprtuaArsD By ASSN

name of the person to whom l owe my
good fortune. Have l omitted any
thing?'
You have stated the case exactly"
"Humph should like to ask sin
Gle question. Is my benefactor a man
or a woman
Another question like that would
Justify me in withdrawing the offer"
answered Mr.. Chelm with gravity. my
client wishes to have no identity what
ever Come, sir, my time is precious
! await your decision"
"The proposal is so sudden and unex-
pecueo. 10 ascend IN "A twinkling frol
the depths of despair to the summit OF
hope leaves one trifie bewildered But
you are right. have no claim on you1
time. You want an answer"
He laughed again in a nervous man
ner and stroked Ike,
81 do not wish to hurry you unduly.
have a letter to write which will take
me few minutes. Think the matter
over until have finished"
Thank Won. will. But since | have
imposed upon your good nature so far,
10 me one more kindness, Mr. Chelm
What is you own opinion in this matter?
Do You advise me to accept
listened eagerly for his reply, 1t was
in his power to spoil all.
Really, | feel embarrassed how to
answer. AS have already implied to
YOU, the proposition strikes me. as law
yer, as being the most preposterous piece
of extravaganza | ever heard suggested.
will tell you frankly that tried my
utmost to dissuade my client from max.
ing it. 1t is thoroughly unbusinesslike
aud absurd. That is my view of the
matter from professional standpoint"
"a see" SAID Mr., Prime,
But" continued Mr.. Chelm - and
here he stopped and gave an amused
chuckle-"it isl rae hance for young
man, a rare chance. .1y client will never
mind the loss Of the money, and would
feel genuine disappointment, | know, if
you were to decline. This being the case
and feeling as do that you are in earn
est in your desire to succeed despite your
aristoCratic tendencies, | am tempted on
f the whole to urge you to accept the good
fortune which is thrust upon you. 1t is
for my clients sake as much as for your
own that advise this, for | can see that
she has set her heart
He stopped short. There was dead
pause, for | felt the blood rush to my
{ cheeks.
"Wellw he exclaimed, 81 have let the
cat out of the bag with vengeance this
time. A lawyer too, Pshawl 1t is too
bad!
THAT settles it," said Mr. Prime qui.
city; Il cannot accept now at any rate.
1t woull not be fair to your client"
Not accept? OF course you will ac.
cept Nonsense, nonsense! 1t is all my
fault, and you shall have the money
now if have to pay 1t out of my own
pocket. Besides said Nj Chelm with
voluble eagerness, there is very little
harm done after all, and to prevent
misunderstanding | may as we'll make
a clean breast of it, My client is an &C.
centric maiden lady of sixty five, with d
lot OF distant relatives who bother her life
ont while waiting for her to die, am hel
only intimate friend, but even | cannot
prevent her from doing all sorts of queer
things in her taste for sentimentality
You see, poor woman, when she was
very young she had lover of just abou,
] your age (she wears his portrait perpetu
ally in a locket about her neck) who
: died. lie was in business, and doing
d very well. Several times already, on this
IS account, she has helped young men who
l. We're in straits and when | told her YOU
It story, and what you We're ambitious tC
/ do, she clappcd her withered old hand.
t. together and said: 4 will give him
& chance, Nj. Chelm; | will give him
= chance! He reminds me of my Tom.
h And that is how it came to pass. Their,
h is the long and short of the matter Ac
:. cePt: To he sure you will accept. 1t Il
:, all my fault. | Will make it right will
q her. 1T would break her heart if you die
o not, SO no more words about it. | hay,
l. all the necessary papers ready"
a Mr.. Prime was patting Ike more alb
z stractedly than ever AS for me, sa
aghast and overwhelmed. The next few
Il seconds seemed an eternity.
well, young MANI
d please to write your letter, Mr.
o Chehn, and give me time to think"
II Not a bit Of it! The letter can wait
u Say you accept, and be done with til!
z Every well then, | accept We ar
" gentlemen of fortune, Ike, and you shall
d have new silver collar tomorrow.
d Ii is not necessary to describe the de
tails of the interview further. An hou
elapsed before the final arrangement
We're made aud Mr. Prime left the office
e He was to start in business us soon a
possible, and make frequent reports O
IF his progress to Mr., Chelm, Meanwhil
sat within hearing distance, and occa
1t sioually took a peep at them from m
v co6n of vantage. | could percev
" from Mr.. Chelm's manner that he wa
pleased with the tone and alertness q
p the other in putting matters into shape
90 He had shown me beforehand certain
n letters which he had received in answe
d to inquiries made regarding Mr.. Prime
to In these lac WAS spoken of as youn
n man of irreproachable character bu
to strong social tastes, which, while cor
r eistent with his own statement of wha