Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-11-13

fJg&E c=SSSsSSs.Nk uestructldh-td a II
9V ,hS\ NENss accident, chance, u
W/(, .ANLAA& miracle. Stand up
We blNFSYfss an d look at that
-El,,s<SS t1!SSss3ssN ~ piece of paper let
'',' ? ,'e7'- -e-'' 80 into the ovefman-
tel. What do you take it for?"
"Well, it looks like half sheet of
business notepaper covered with indis.
tinet figures that do not seem ordi-
nary"
eyes" he said, gazing with half
closed eyes at the paper through the
smoke OF his cigar ''Ihcy nre not or
dinary, nor is their history"
cit is otpossible to make them out,
they are SO blurred and faint. Are
they very old?'
twenty years, They are much
faded since I first saw them, said he,
crossing his legs. "Now you may as
well know the history of that half-sheet
of business paper, and what it has to
do with me and your Kate's mother.
Sit down and will tell it all to you. +"
] dropped back into my chair.
'Onr Kate is nearly nineteen, as, no
doubt, You nre aware. 1t is the night
before your marriage. You, thank
heaven, run no such risk hs | ran the
night before my marriage. There is
no date on that blurred copy of fig
ur2s, but if there were you wuiild find
! it originated on the night before / was
to be married, twenty years ago. You
are short of thirty now, | was short of
thirty then.
81 am going to give you tomorrow
| our only child, and fourth share in
the business OF Strangway, Mayfeld g.
Cos of which nm the sole surviving
partner, and that fourth share ought
20 bring you n thousand to twelve
hundred year. The night that doc
ument over the chimney came into ex
lstence | was accountant to Strangway
n Co., ut salary of Gl50 per annum.
My faIherin-law paused an:
knocked the ashes off his cigar.
cat that time" he went on; fes,tni
ing his story, ''the business of Strang
way " Co. was in Bread street. w,
had warehouses on the ground foo,
and III the cellars, the Offices were o.
the first floor, and warehouses file
from over the first floor to the slatet
"Tho offices closed at 6, but, as
was anxious to put everything in tn
finest order before starting on m
honeymoon, | was not able to leave q
that hour. In addition to the bool
keeping did most of the routine co,
respondence, and had some letters I
write. When they were finished
should lock mp the place, put the key
IN my pocket, leave them at Nj
Strangway's house on Clapham Con
Common, and go on to my lodgings i
Wandsworth, and from my lodgings t,
my sweetheart Mary's home in Wands
worth, too.
AS | was working away, writing
letters ut the top of my speed, an(
quite alone in the office-in the Who'll,
house-Stephen Grainly, one of on
travellers, rang the bell, and much t,
my surprise and annoyance, when
opened the front door, walked upstairs
following my lead through the I'm
lighted passages never cared TO
Stephen Grainly. No one in the offic
iIie! him except Mr.. Strangway him
self, Graiuly was an excellent man a
his work, but to my taste too smootl
and good-too sweet to be sound.
" What, Mayfeld, he cried, work
ing away still Why, when saw the
light l made sure it must be Broad
wood tour assistant accountant, who
was to take my place while | was
away, and MS | had goodish bit o
money | thought I'd better bank here
than in my home at Hoxton; l am not
satisfied it is safe to stow $500 in cash
in my humble home.
" All right, soid ], but l wish Won
had come earlier. The safest place to
bank money in is the bank. He did
not know that | was going to be
married next day, and I was glad of it,
for the man always made me feel un-
comfortable, and 1 did not wish him
to touch my little romance even with
a word.
'Bo here at o'clock = he cried
My dear fellow, | couldn't do it. How
could /? Why, I didn't get to Kings
Cross until quarter to 6 Here you
are Tie produced his pocketbook.
You needn't give me more than two
minutes. Checks, five hundred and
SeVen,ty-four, eighteen six. Notes,
Two two hundred and forty-fYa. Gold,
forty-cight
AS you lnny fancy | was in hurry
to get rid Of him. He gaamn1 in no
hurry to go. He sNt down, pulled ont
his handkerchief ana began monnin,,
his forehead, although it was Ortohep
and by no means warm.
" You will initial my book, said
he, and he handed me his other book
part of which was ruled in money
columns, where he had list Of the
money he had collected. The whole
was f8G7 Is shillings and 6 pence, and
for this | signed
Have you taken the numbers o.
the notes? | asked.
" No. said he.
81 made list myself of the mum.
bers on sheet of paper, and pushed
checks, notes and gold up to the fiat,