The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-11-01

SURVEYED HIS BROTHER PAhINER
place. But before he could glance crit
ically or Complementary around the
office, his attention was arrested, his
faculties were, absorbed by startling
discovery.
Behind one of the desks, and evident
ly in rightful possession thereof, he
saw an awkwardly bent figure, famil
lar shock of dark brown hair, familiar
pair of English whislers and eye
glasses.
Tossing down his pen after af6xing a
few hairline fourishes to the signature
that he had just scrawled on the paper
before him, Mr.. Wescott suddenly
Strengthened up and met North's as
tonished gaze.
"By Jove!'' was North's mental ejacu-
lation as he surveyed his brothers part
ner with mingled emotions, cts Wec!"
"What's the matter, North?" de-
manded that gentleman, leaning for
ward with both elbows on the desk,
resting his chin on one hand and direct
ing q keen glance at North through his
eyeglasses.
ooh, nothing at all, Wee. thought
I would drop in for few moments and
see how you were," said North, as he
threw himself into an easy chair oppo-
site Mr.. ,Wescott and coolly returned
his scrutiny.
"Quite q condescension!'' growled
Wee, sarcastically. '''Seen old Archer
this morning?'
"Oh, come now, Wee, why are you
forever thrusting old Archer upon me?"
began North, waving his hand with an
air of languid protest.
because you're so confoundedly
negligent that you'll not attend to any
thing of the sort unless it is kept be-
fore your mind" retorted Wee, sharply.
ooh, is that it? You take my in
terests ve.y much to heart, Vice." OBJ
served North with an indolcnt drawl
which, as he perceived with secret salts
faction, was particularly exasperating
to Mr.. Wescott. @-,
1T isn't your interests" returned
Wee, shortly. ''It's m: own, which are
being sacrificed by my business con-
nection with you.''
my dear fellow, you don't say SOL"
exclaimed North, lifting his eyebrows
with innocently amazed inquiry.
'sIts fact! You are standing in my
light as we'll as your own, and say it's
a shame to sacrifice so many important
interests to mere selfish Incidence and
Encouragement. Here's this note to
Archer; no one with any sense would
have Endorsed for Amity, but you
l~,s+ a. r. co
you became surety for man who final
ly rewarded you by running away when
the note fell due and leaving you to set
tie with Archer. It's swindle, pure
and simple, on Amity's part, but since
you've assumed the obligation you
ought to meet it in prompt and bust
ness-like way. Instead of this, you
have put old Archer off from time to
time, always promising to attend to the
matter and never doing it, till now the
note is overdue by goodness knows how
long, and the old fellow is raising the
dickens about it all over town. If you
imagine that you can manage, or rather
mismanage your affairs in this way
without injuring the credit of yourself
and everyone else who is unfortunate
enough to have any business connec-
tions with you, then you are vastly
mistaken. It's an outrage, North, and
I protest against it!''
Mr.. Wescott's temper had gotten de-
cidedly the better of him during this
address, and the fact that he could elicit
no response from North only increased
his irritation. With mighty effort
restraining his strong desire to pitch
the senior partner out of the Office, the
ruf1ed junior continued in voice that
trembled with suppressed wrath:
"It's all very well, Mr.. North, for you
to assume this air of ndiference-it's
all very well for you to ignore my fire.
auent advice and remonstrance;sb but in