Year: 1877

crime, If you will consent to the mar
riage of your daughter and my sonl'


The banker started from his seat.


"Neverl !" he exclaimed 81 would
sooner see her in her gravel"


My dear sir,' said the major, "you
are hasty-'pon honor, you are hasty
That you do not feel great affection for
me, L can, under the circumstances,
readily understand; but why you are SO
prejudiced against my son, whom you
have never seen, and cannot possibly
know anything about, am at loss to
comprehend.


This son of yours" interrupted the
banker, "does he--does he know my
secret?"


My dear Bentley, of course not; it
is known, as l have several times in
formed you, to only you and l. But let
me once more ask you, do you agree to
the terms l have proposed ?"


Sir, know nothing of your son,
and even If l did, L could not urge my
daughter to marry against her will"





inquired the major.


Not to my knowledge" was the
reply.


Well" said the major, all L re-
quire is fair chance for my son to
prosecute his suit, and l will answer
that the marriage is consummated in
due time. What want you to do is
this: Announce to your wife and
daughter that you expect your old friend
Major Heith, and his son, to pay you an
extended visit Say that we have been
making the grand tour in Europe, and
will arrive in this city next Tuesday
morning, when we will Immediately
proceed to your house. My son and 1
will perform our part by arriving at the
appointed time and taking up our resi-
dence under your hospitable roof. You
will introduce us to the bon ton as two
gentlemen of leisure, immensely wealthy
and all that sort of thing. Oh weshall
take wonderfully, forsee. My son will
be very attentive to Miss Bentley and
the winding up of it all will be a fash





dear Bentley, do you agree ?"


These are your only terms?"


"They are"


" agree to them since there is no
alternative, save"


Z" The gallows ~ concluded the major,
a fiendish smile upon his lips. " You
have decided wisely. Expect us next
| Tuesday morning; and, as in the mean
time, L shall need little cash, suppose
you give me check payable at sight for
some trifling amount"


" How much will satisfy you?" in
quired the banker, turning to his desk,
and opening check book.


Well, won't be unreasonable, Ed
ward, say a thousand this time"


Without word, Mr.. Bentley filed
out check for that amount and handed
it to the major.


And now, du revoa!'' said that in
dividual, folding the paper and placing
it in his vest pocket. "Next Tuesday
we shall meet again"


With these words he left the room.
| The banker remained in his chair, his
face buried in his hands, for many hours
When at last he staggered from the
room in the silence of early morning,
the lines on his haggard face were so
deepened and distorted that it seemed as
if twenty years had been added to his
life.


\


Two days have elapsed since the in
terview above chronicled.


Let us enter the Union Square Park.
The weather is quite warm and pleasant
for the season, so the park is well filed.
! Seated on bench near the Sixteenth
street entrance are two young men en-
| gagged in an earnest conversation. AS
! they will figure prominently in my
story let me introduce them to my read
ers as Messrs. Walter Gilmore and Hen
ry Oakley. The former was connected
with prominent literary weekly, occu-
/ pying responsible position upon the
editorial staff, besides being a novelist
/ OF no little renown. He was one of
those persons who at once attract all
with whom they come in contact, and
are never without many warm personal
friends. His companion was rising
young physician, and his bosom friend
and confidant. AS regards their per-
sonal appearance they were both tall,
and well proportional in form and feat