The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-03-01
TWO MARRIAGE EYES

ho'O Ohbch 1Ouy stiu Oulilto
Mayfeld to me the evening before my
marriage with his daughter Kate, that
l owed my prosperity-or more accu-
rately, my escape from destruction-to
an accident, chance, miracle. Stand
up and look at that piece of paper let
into the overmantel. Have you ever
observed it beforeY'
Eyes" said, rising and examining
faded document under glass panel in
the oak. 81 have now and then noticed
it, but have never been able to make out
what it is"
"What do you take.it for?"
swell, it looks like half sheet of
business note paper covered with indis-
tinct figures that do not seem ordinary"
Eyes, he said, gazing with half closed
eyes at the paper through the smoke of
his cigar. "They are not ordinary, nor
is their history"
cit is not possible to make them out,
they are so blurred and faint. Are they
very oldT'
Twenty years. They are much faded
since first saw them,' said he, crossing
his legs. "Now you may as we'll know
the history of that half sheet of business
paper, and what it has to do with me
and your Hates mother. Sit down and
l will tell it to YOU"
/ dropped back into my chair.
sour Kate is nearly nineteen, as no
doubt You are aware. 1t is the night
before your marriage. You, thank
heaven. run no such risk as / ran the
night before my marriage. There is no
date on that blurred copy of figures, but
If there were you would find it origi-
mated on the night before l was to be
married, twenty years ago. You are
short of thirty now, was short of thirty
then. You are now in what / should
then have considered affiuent circum-
stances. am going to give you to-
morrow our only child and fourth
share in the business of Strangway,
Mayfield 81 Co., of which am the sole
surviving partner, and that fourth share
ought to bring you athousand to twelve
hundred year. The night that docu-
ment over the chimney came into exist
ence was accountant to Strangway &
Co., at salary of ESQ per annum."
My father-in-law paused and knocked
the ash off his cigar.
"At that time," he went on, resuming
his story, "the business Of Strangway g.
Co., was in Bread street. We had ware
houses on the ground floor and in the
cellars, the offices were on the first floor,
and warehouses filled from over the first
floor to the states.
"The offices closed at o; but, as | was
anxious to put everything in the finest
order before starting on my honeymoon,
was not able to leave at that hour. In
addition to the bookkeeping did most
Of the routine correspondence, and had
some letters to write. When they were
finished should lock up the place, put |
the keys in my pocket, leave them at |
Mr.. Strangway's house ON Chaplain |
and go on to my lodgings In
and from my lodgings to |
my sweetheart Mary's home, in Wands-
worth too.
GAS | was working away, writing |
letters at the top of my speed, and quite |
alone in the ofiice-in the whole house, |
Stephen Grainly, one of our travellers, |
rang the bell, and, much to my surprise |
and annoyance. when opened the front |
ioor, walked up stairs, following my |
cad through the unlighted passages. ] |
never cared for Stephen Grainly; no one |
N the Office liked him except Mr.. |
5trangway himself. Grainly was an |
excellent man at his work; but. to my |
'aste, too smooth and good-too sweet
10 be sound.
"'What, Mayfield,' he cried, work
ng away still! Why, when l saw the
light, made sure it must be Broadwood
our assistant accountant, who was TO
AXE my place while ! was awayl, and,
IS / had goodish bit of money,
thought I'd better bank here than In my
)wn home in Hoxton; | am not satisfied
+ is safe TO stow e300 in cash in my
tumble home
"All right said l; but wish you
lad come earlier. The safest place 10
,ank money in is the bank He did not
NOW was going to DO married next
lay, and was glad of it, for the man
Ilways male me feel uncomfortable,
md did not wish him TO touch my lit
10 romance even with word.
"'Be here at o'clockr he cried. MY
lear fellow, couldn't do 1t. How could
7 Why, didn't get to Kings Cross UNI
II quarter to OF Here you are He
his pocketbook You needn't