Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-10-26
CHAPTER W

taCI my slrdlgnllOrWaru, independent
action and a certain discovery he made
erappled the old fellow to me with
hooks of Steel" lnetaphorically speaking.
The very day after paid him off he re-
turned, grasped my hand and said ear
nestly:
"Merrivale, I've seen McQuillop and
pumped out of him how you got the
money you paid me yesterday, and I've
at least pretty good idea of what you
have left to carry on business with. /
like your pluck and mean to stand by
YOU, for you don't deserve as hard time
as | see before you in trying to run this
concern alone with insufficient capital.
l can just as well as not put in $4,000,
or if need be $50 900, to not only run it,
but extend it, and if you are willing I'm
with YOU"
Well. we came to an agreement |
would not consent to take my old part
ner's name off the sign, for knew how
it would hurt Celia to miss it, but Mr..
Bunker said he did not care, as he had
DO desire to figure in the business in any
way, money talks" he remarked,
and all it has to say in the present case
is, Here [ am, as much Of me as you re-
quire, and every six months you pay me
my wages for my work on the old
basis"
So l accepted moneys proposition,
and we ran along on that arrangement
over year, doing splendidly. have no
doubt our profits might have been larger
If had been holder and willing to trust
myself with the management of such
sums as Mr.. Bunker wanted me to han
die, but | may as well frankly confess
the old man had more nerve than po.-
sessed in financial and speculative mat
tiers.
In all that time not another word had
any of us heard about Harold Linden,
and the impression generally prevailed
that he must be dead, Even Mr.. Bunk
er seemed to have come around to that
view, for he ceased altogether saying
any hard words about the unfortunate
young man. But Celia was no more to
be won over to marriage now than a
year ago. Il said l would not marry
until Harold came back, and | will not"
was her unvalying reply to all my per-
suasions. Loving and gentle as she was
III all else, upon that point she was as OBJ
stinGte as a--wOman. And Annie Bunk
CT was equally faithful to the memory
Of her lost lover. She would accept no
young mans attentions, went into soce-
ty very reluctantly and rarely, scorned
her fathers hints that it was about
time to marry if she had not made up
her mind to die an old maid and in
short, comported herself like the ideal
widow-the one we read of, but so sell
dom see,
In September of the year following my
partners disappearance Mr.. Bunker per-
suGled me to go with him ont to Ohio to
loot ut a wooden mill near the city of
Hamilton which was for sale on tempt
ing terms. He had an idea that if re-
stricted to certain line Of products and
properly managed it could be made to
pay well, and | may say events proved
his views correct.
We reached Hamilton on a Friday
The man we We're to meet not expecting
us before the next week, had gone to
Cincinnati. but was due to return on Sat
urlay. lie did not DO SO, however, and
time hung heavily on our hands. On
Sunday We drove out to a big camp
meeting which WIS being held in a spleu-
did grove a little WY from the town.
That morning for the first time il weeks.
rain threatened, and its coming was anx-
ionsly hoped for by every one, for the
country was suffering from severe and
prOtractod drought. Streams We're dried
Np, wells empty, meadows sere and
brown, roads deep Ill dust and over all
glowing brazen skies cruelty cloudless.
But that Sunday there was change f,r
the better. Dark clouds were banking
up on the northwestern horizon. wind
was rising family in pufIs, and one could
feel the electricity in tho air
believe there were not less than {, coo
persons in the grove that day wnen
Mr. Bunker and l reached it. Every
seat was occupied in the great quadran-
gle Of benches before the rough stand
erected for the preachers and exhortors,
yet hundreds We're left standing, like a
wide fringe about the seated congrega-
ton. Bunker and |. getting there a little
late, were in the fringe. Two enormous
tents ianked the central square, but
nothing was going on i'll them. An I'M
endurable heat seemed to have collected
itself under the canvas. Several wall
tents, temporary residences Of "presid-
ing elders" preachers or managers of
some sort, as we presumed, We're clus-
tered Ill a group a little distance back of
the open air pulpit Overhead giant trees
spread their great boughs, making a
thick canopy Of foliage through which
caly here and there the suns rays shot
down like dlaphanous bars Of gold. Al