Year: 1870

ing. 1t seemed to be an effort to him ever
to keep up the appearance of listening to me
and when I fairly broke down in the middle
of sentence, and gave up the hope Of get
ting any further, all the answers he gave me
was comprised in these few civil common
| lace words:


"Never mind, Mr.. Trowbridge; pray don't
think Of apologizing. We are all liable to
make mistakes. Say nothing more about it,
still honor us with your confidence
He looked down at his papers as if he was
! anxious to be alone again, and | had no al
tentative, of course, but to take my leave
Immediately. | went home, feeling little
easier in my mind now that had paved the
way for making the best practical atonement
in my power by bringing my balance back
the first thing on Monday morning. Still |
passed q weary day Oh Sunday, rejecting
sadly enough that | had not yet made my
peace with Mr.. Fauntleroy, My anxiety to
set myself right with my generous friend was
so intense that [ risked intruding myself on
his privacy by calling at his town residence
on Saturday. lie was not there, and his
servants could tell me nothing Of his where
abouts. There was no help for it now, but
to wait till his week day duties brought him
back to the bank.


| went to business on Monday morning
half an hour earlier than usual, so great was
my lmpatience to restore the amount of that
unlucky draft to my account rs soon as posi-
bic after the bank opened.


On entering my office, stopped, with a
startled feeling, Just inside the door Some
thing serious had happened The clerks, in
stead OF being at their desks as usual, were
all huddled together in a group, talking to
each other with blank faces. When thew saw
me- they fell back behind my managing man.
who stepped forward with a circular in his
hand.


''Have you heard the news, sir? ?" he said


"No: what is it ?''


lie handed me the circular. NV heart
gave one violent throb the instant looked at
it. felt myself turn pale; felt my knees
trembling under me-


Marsh, Tracey, Fauntleroy and Graham
had stopped payment.


''The circular had not been issued more
than half an hour" continued my clerk 81
have just come from the bank, sir. The
doors are shut; there is no doubt about it,
Marsh 4 Co. have stopped this morning"


hardly heard him; l hardly knew VIII o
was talking to me. My strange visitor Of the
Saturday before had taken instant possession
Of all my thoughts, and his words of warn
ing seemed to be sounding once more in my
ears. This man had known the true condi-
ton OF the bank when not another soul out
side the doors was aware of it The last
draft paid across the counter of that ruined
house, when the doors closed on Saturday
was the draft that l had SO bitterly reproach-
ed myself for drawing; the one balance saved
from the wreck was my balance. Where
had the stranger got the information that
had saved me? and why had he brought it
to my ears?


I was still groping, like a man in the dark
for an answer to these two questions-I was
still bewildered by the unfathomable mystery
OF doubt into which they had plunged ne
when the discovery of the stopping Of the
bank was followed almost Immediately by a
second shock, far more dreadful, far heavier
to BEAR so far us | was concerned than the
first.


While | and my clerks was discussing the
failure of the firm, two mercantile men, who
were friends of mine, ran into the office, and
overwhelmed us with the news that one of
the partners had been arrested for forgery
Never shall | forget the terrible Monday
morning whcn those tidings reached me, and
when | knew that the partner was Mr.
Fauntleroy.


| was true to him-I can honestly say I
was true to my belief in my generous friend
when that fearful news reached me. NV
fellow merchants had got all the particulars
of the arrest. They told me that two of Mr..
Fauntleroy's fellow trustees had come up to
London to make arrangements about selling
out some stock. On inquiring for Mr.
Fauntleroy at the banking house, they had
been informed that he was not there; and
after leaving a message for him. they had
gone into the the city to make an appoint
ment with their stock broker for a future day.
when their fellow trustee might be able to
attend. The stock broker volunteered to
make certain business inquiries on the spot
with view to saving as much time as pos
slblc, and left them at his office to await his
return. He came back, looking very much
amazed with the information that the stock
had been sold out down to the last five hum
dred pounds. The affair was instantly in
vestigated; the document authorizing the
selling out was produced; and the two
trustees saw on it, side by side with Mr.
Fauntleroy's signature, their own names
forged. This happened GU Friday, and the
trustees, without losing moment, sent the
officers Of justice in pursuit of Mr.. Faunt-
leroy. He was arrested, brought up before
day. On Monday I heard from nv friends
the particulars which | have Just narrated


But the events of that one morning were
not destined to end even yet. ! had discov-
cred the failure of the bank and the arrest OF
MIR. Fauntleroy. was next to be enlighten-
ed, in the strangest and saddest manner, on
the difficult question Of his innocence or
or guilt. Before my friends had left my Of
fce-before l had exhausted the arguments
which my gratitude rather than my reason
suggested to me in favor of the prisoner, a
note, marked "Immediatc,'' was placed in
my hands, which silenced me the instant
looked at it. 1t was written from the prison
by Mr.. Fauntleroy, and it contained two
lines only, entreating me 10 apply for the
necessary order, and to 60 and see him inn
mediately.


| shall not attempt to describe the flutter
OF expectation, the strange mixture of dread
and hope that agitated me when recognized
his handwriting, and discovered what it was
that he desired me to do l easily obtained
the order, and went to the prison.


The authorities knowing the dreadful situa-
ton in which he stood, were afraid of his
attempting to destroy himself, and had set
two men to watch him. One came out as
they opened his cell door. The other, who
was bound not to leave him, very delicately
and considerably affected to be looking out
of the window the moment | was shown
in.


He was sitting on the side of his bed with his