The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-10-25

door. But a few hours now separated
him from the detection which he knew
| to be inevita BILE, and which for many
weary, miserable weeks had held his
spirit in the darkness of its shadow.
Honest. upright, faithful to his trust,
John Carver had marched through
forty wears of rigid adherence to prin-
ciple and duty, and had fallen in the
forty-f with a shock 50 deep and
sudden that the force of ii hau we'll
nigh broken his honest heart.
We have here to do with the effect,
not with the cause of the sin. The
motive had been doubtless a strong one,
for John Carver was & strong man,
morally and physically. Strong-but
the hollow eyes, the sunken cheeks, the
trembling hand, told of the ravaRes
that ceaseless singing remorse had
already wrought, the nights Of restless
tossing, the days of fruitless yearning,
to go back to that dread hour and undo
what had been done. As yet the harm
of it was in his heart alone. When he
had taken from among its ninety
companions that bond of one thousand
NlOlldISs his III III III JSIlJlOI W ICSOOlS ~
to the package before counting-day
was no stronger than his belief in his
ability to effect such restoration. But
circumstances those unstable factors
in earthly events, had otherwise or
dained. The mOney-pressure which
for many months had tossed on cy-
clonic pillows the whole community
had augmented rather than decreased,
and when John Carver asked redemp-
ton of promises given he found him
self face to face with a black wall of
impossibility. in which the blacklist
and most ponderous stone of all was
the impending counting-day.
"Mr. Carver
The wretched man started as if to
face an accuser. So absorbed had he
been in bitter introspection that he
was unconscious of the entrance of his
head clerk, who now respectfully ad-
dressed him.
The committee will meet at tie N
o'clock. Have you decided about the
assistants?"
John Carver had pulled himself to-
gether
But tor his pallor and the sad hunt
ed look about the eyes, both of which
were easily attributable to temporary
illness or overwork, he was in appear
ance quite himself again.
In deep, steady tones he replied:
You may ask Mr.. Jones to let us have
Mr.. Sam uels and Mr. Slocum. They
We're both with us on the last occa-
sion, were they not? And then you
might go to Mr.. Desmonds depart
ment and ask if he can spare Mr..
French for a few hours"
Very good, sir.''
As the clerk disappeared, John
Carver slowly descended the marble
stair and seated himself at his desk,
where the demon of despair soon re-
gained possession of him.
One more hour before the counting
should begin. One more hour closeted
alone with his shame--his sin-then
exposure humiliation, loss of position,
ruin, prison fc~ himself, poverty and
degradation for his beloved wife and
children.
Already the hum and stir of business
!
the strong room Preparations were
being made to receive the directors as
became their dignity. The occasion,
like Christmas, presented itself but
once year
John Carver, rousing himself from
bitter meditation, glanced at his
watch. Ten minutes to ten Mr.. Stan
hope was always the frst-he was too
prompt-he always bothered every
body by arriving on the scene of action
before the appointed hour. Stimuli
taneous with the turn of John Carver's
thoughts to the too-prompt director
was the click of the iron door that ad-
mitted him to the sanctuary
Mr. Carver good morning.
Good morning, Mr.. Stanhope."
Never break my rule. do |? Always
on time or rather before it. Good rule
that. Never missed a train or boat
in my life Missed stage coach once
My wife's fault that time. Wedding
tour, you know. Irregularities excus-
able" and the loquacious Mr.. Stan
hope subsidized into the luxurious arm
chair which an assiduous boy had
rolled for his reception.
Another click of the iron door
Enter Mr.. Hampden, of portly dimen-
sions and dignitied mien Intellectu-
ally he conveyed the impression of a
man who has received a frightful blow
on the head from club, and is slowly
recovering from the effects of it. Mr..
IIampden waddled and grunted to-
wards his seat, vouchsating brief
Good morning to those present.
Next came Mr.. Harrington, dap
per, lively, good-natured little man of
seventy, whose sparkling eyes beamed
a hearty Endorsement to every pleas
ant word that left his clean-shaven
lips Even poor John Carver felt a
certain alienation of his pain, though
faint as the effect of a flood tide upon
the strong current of a great river, as
old Peter Harrington clasped his hand
in vigorous pressure.
Two more arrivals. The committee
was now complete, and ready for
action.
To the aid of each director in his
arduous duty was detailed clerk, vino
sat opposite across the table. John
Carver stood at the entrance to the safe
and superintendent the work of carry