The Dickinson press., 1894-08-04
HIS Last Cba3ee.

clAVlS. lllc clkA0lUTC0
were as like as two peas, Il that n
was "Thomas'' and the other WILL
iam."
YES. your correspondent is unqnes-
tiOnably the man who was once my
managing clerk. and might have been
my partner by this time Ii he had not
had an enemy"
IAN enemy"
Eyes. an cnemy-himself. But he
was Il clever fellow, IL very clever Eel
lOw--One Of the hest informed men
and finest whist players l ever met.
He loft us under rather unpleasant
circumstances. MFR. HOneyman, l am
sorry to say"
"UnplcaSant circumstances! Might l
ask what they were? 1t il Of great
Importance for us. in the interest Of a
client, to know something of his ante
cclcn:s."
"Iic left us. Mr.. HOneyman, to serve
n term of seven years penal scrvitude
for forgery and cmbeZZlcment, and l
don't think he can have been out OF
prison more than three or four
months"
This was a revelation, indeed; and
there could be no question now that
Wilson was working some ncfartous
scheme; but as to the nature Of 1t I
was as much in the dark as eve Nor
could Mr.. Refer, to whom l told the
story. suggest amy solution Of the mys.
terry. but he had no doubt that the "fel-
low WIS playing Il deep game and
meant TO take us in ''s0mehOw."
Wncn l told all this to Mr.. Harlow
he f;a'w into !: rage, banged his fist on
the disk and used strong language.
"Itnns the fellow" he exclaimed.
"a i.i,oir;i. Il galley slave. n convicted
fol-,rr :;i.d thief introduced by me,
Henry Harlow. ut the Hyperion club!
1t is too awful! l shall never hear the
last of it,
ut may not get out"
at must not got out, Honcynan. l
would rather lose f2OO than 1t should
get out. AL the same, l should like to
know the fellows game. How Is 1t to
be managcd:"
Suppose we have Wilson here-I
thi;:k l can write a letter that will
fetch him-and talk seriously to himy'
Mr.. Harlow, asserting to this pro-
POSI-. l wrote under the heading, I'm
re- 5fc;royd's mortgage" a few lines
saying that l shall be glad to have Mr..
Wilson'S opinion on Il point Of law
"arisiucs out Of this matter" and ask
ing lisa to look in on the following day
at whatever time suited his convent
ence.
JIe came between 3 and 4 o'clock,
when l had nearly given him up, and
we were presently Joined by Mr.. Har-
low. who had been informed of his mr.
rival.
II am glad you have called, Mr.. VIII
son." he observed, gravely, something
has happened which requires explana-
ton. There has been so much delay in
this matter of Holroyd's mortgages
that we thought 1t our duty, in his ill.,
terest, to communicate with I'll clients
direct. We wrote to them a few days
aga, and both letters have been re-
turned through the dead letter Office.
Nothing is known of these gentlemen
ut Poole"
Wilson kept his countenance. I did
not detect even the CULVER of an eye
lid.
ut is all my mistake" he said quiet
ly. "By pure inadvcrtence l wrote
Poole instead of 'Wimborne.' l am
so familiar with both places that l
often cOnfound them. But 1t is of no
Importance. l shall bring you the
draft ON Saturday, and l have asked
Mr.. HOlroyd to meet me here ut IL
O'Clock on that day SO that the bust
ness may be finished. Perhaps you
will kindly inform the vendors solic-
itors."
"All very we'll. But there is some
thing else, Mr.. Wilson. We have seer
WinslOw, and are aware of the cir.
a,,,rSfnn0no ,,Ot1Ors (which vnrr u,nrt
abroad"
Wilson rose slowly from his chair,
a CHASTITY pallor o%verspread his face,
his jaw dropped, and crying in a heart.
broken voice, My last chance! My
last chancc!" he went out with a bowed
head and faltering footsteps, repeating
the same %dcspairing words.
we have no power to detain him.
said Mr.. Harlow, but we must know
where he goes. Have him followed
quick"
1 ran into the outer office and told
T'awney, our smartest boy, to shadow
the gentleman who had just left, MARI
well where he went, and report the re
suit, either in person or by wire. Taw
ney went off like a shot, and when ]
looked into the Fields l saw that he
had Wilson well in view. Then l re
turned to Mr.. Harlow, who was a mar
Of changeful moods. and as compass
sionate as he was cloleric.
Poor devil" Quoth he. II cannot
help feeling sorry for him, after all
A man Of his quality to fall so low
1t is pitiful. Did you ever see such ,
collapse? His last chance! What wal
it? We don't know even yet"
Shouldn't we have done better Il
accept his explanation, and let hin
come on Saturlay with his bogu,
draft?"
"He would not have come. Besides
II he gave Sorrel & ScedytOe n fOrget
draft we should have an exposure
perhaps a prosecution. and that woul'
not suit my book ut all. Think of tn
Hyperion"