The Opelousas courier., 1898-01-15

waiting until my position improved"
"And do you think you are likely to
improve your position by calling your
master a liar? After this conduct you
cannot remain in my employ. [ will
dispense with the three months no
tice, and draw you a check in lieu Of
it. Be prepared to leave in five min
utes. Co."
A few minutes later the bell rang
again, and Crawford, hat in hand and
coat thrown over his arm, entered the
sanctum.
"I am sorry to have to part with
you like this, Crawford, but there is
no other course opon to me. | have
just left Miss Merton, aud she has
complained to me of your fortune
hunting p~ropensities, and asked me to
use my influence to put an end to your
persecution Of her. Here is a check
for 92O0, and I sincerely hope that
you will endeavor to cultivate more
gentlemanly in your future
career"
Quietly closing the door after him,
John Markam's nephew left the
Office.
The fckleness of fortune as demon
strated by the events Of the last ff-
ten minutes caused an iudescribable
feeling of dismay in the young mans
mind.
Charles Crawford as chief clerk to
John Markham & Co., with prospects
Of a partnership, was now Charles
Crawford, with e200 in his pocket
and a few more hundreds in the bank,
and prospects nil.
His first thought upon leaving the
office was of Norah. Could it be as
his uncle had declared, that she
looked upon him merely as a fortune
hunter? No, he would not believe it,
and full of determination to ascertain
the truth from Norah herself, he made
his way to her home.
The cry Of joy that fell from her
lips when he presented himself before
her soon banished all thoughts Of her
Inconsistency from his mind.
In a few moments she had told him
all; the discriminating document,
signed byher brother Wilfred, theper-
secutions of John Markham, and the
extraordinary sacrifice demanded from
her in order to save Wilfred from
ruin.
"What can we do, Charlie? Poor
Wilfred is so happy with his wife and
child; is an error of the past to rise
up and ruin his life? I would give
my whole fortune to find a way out of
this trouble. I cannot give you up,
Charlie, and yet if we do not hit upon
some plan"
you will marry John Markam?"
"No, no, I do not say that, Charlie,
but I must save Wilfred."
It was striking 10 o'clock that night
when Crawford left Nora Merton. AS
he walked along plunged in thought
the rattle Of a fire engine dashing
past reused him from his reverie, and
a lurid glare in the sky told him that
a vast confagration was in progress.
Upon fastening to the spot he found
that the premises and store yards of q
large firm of coopers were on fire. A
huge stack of many thousands of newly
made barrels was we'll alight, and from
the infammable nature of the mater
ials it vas soon evident that all efforts
to hold the fire in check wore hope
less, In q few hours the whole of the
premises would be Quilted.
AS Crawford gazed upon the burn
ing pile, a sudden thought surged
through his brain. After considering
a few moments he hastily retraced his
steps, and late as he was, sought an
other interview with Nora.
They talked far into the night, and
it was late when he finally reached his
lodgings. Instead of retiring to rest,
however, he started to write, and when
the dawn Of the new day streamed
through the window, he was still busy
with his pen.
Eight O'clock saw him at the tele-
graph Office with a sheaf of messages
in his hand addressed to all the prin-
cipal coopers and barrel makers in the
They were nearly all of the
same tenor, and ran as follows:
Contracts wanted for any part of
500, 900 barrels to be delivered during
next three months. Wire price and
number you can undertake. Terms:
Half cash on signing agreement,
balance on delivery. Bankers and
Paris, London-Merrion,
& Co., Benger's Court, 10th
bury, London"
Half an hour later he had secured
the offices and fxures of a bankrupt
firm in Benger's Court, and by 9o'clock
temporary sign hung outside of the
door bearing the legend, "Merrion,
& Co."
The services of four lawyers clerks
hastily secured and they were set
to work writing out duplicate contracts
in blank in anticipation Of the arrival
Of the answering kilograms.
The senior partner of the new firm,
IN the person of Miss Norah Merton,
drove upin her breugham at 10 o'clock,
and a few minutes later saw her and
Crawford in the private Office of the
bank manager.
The banking arrangements were
completed, aud Charles left
with full power to draw upon the new
irm's account for any sum or sums up
G100, 900.
On their return to the Office they
that a number of kilograms had
arrived, and by noon the next
lay the firm OF Merton, Crawford &