Year: 1871

me little more delay, asked him to cal


at the hotel for the other volume, and


strobe away. was tempted to turn to


ward the wharf and to keep straight on
from the end of the pier, but for the sight


OF couple slowly walking up the street


One was my solitary female au spectator


and the other demon in velvet coat and
wideawake.


When l reached my room again, the


volume was gone, and must be paid for il
not recovered; it was one of set, but that


was trifie compared with the fact that
my bill, my counterfeit, was deposit.
My friend the crier was good-natured,


however, and agreed to call in the morn
| ing. Moreover, it served me as an excuse


for not settling that night, that must re-
turn the book or know what it would cost
me. Besides, he was secure that could
no more leave this island than Robinson


Crusoe could leave his.


/ sat down on the hotel balcony, in utter
54ess pair. From the parlor came murmur
OF low-voiced conversation, and fancied
that the tone, were those of woman and
a serpent, that is, a painter, but l cared
not. What was to do? 4sMy bill at the
hotel; my afternoons bad luck, twenty
three dollars; my evenings failure, say
twenty more; my fare to Boston, where l
must be by the next evening. It may seem
light matter, but to an inexperienced lad
of nineteen it was no joke.


While l sat there, absorbed in my trou-
Bile, hand was laid upon my shoulder
which made me look up. 1t was Fred.
P. "See here, my boy, I've been
looking for you all the evening. Here's
Minnie says she must go tomorrow,
and-I don't like to trouble you,
but she wants enough for her fare
to Boston, and I've lost my wallet to-day,
l believe; can't find it anywhere. Let
me have that twenty paid for the boat
last week. did not mean to ask you for
it, as supposed it might not be convent
ent till you got home, but can't help
myself" Here was a new complication.
We had gone on fishing party together,
and Fred had paid the bill; but 1 had
undertaken to get the other fellows
shares, and had done so. / had handed it
all to Fred's room mate and college chum,
who had since left the island. 1t was evil
dent that Cunningham had forgotten to
pay Fred. They were of course intimate
friends, and was comparatively a stranger,
who had been kindly taken up by them.
I felt awfully, for l hardly knew how to
make the truth appear. Suppose Gun
ningham, rich and careless young fellow,
had forgotten all about it. Fred was out
of sorts too over something, for he was
usually very ventempered. When 1
said, 81 must have paid ii" / could not
for the moment remember that | had done
so. He said roughly, 40 bother, no;
could not have had the money; besides,
Cunningham would have told me, and he
never said word, only that I'd better get
it before you spent all your money"


"Mr. P" said l, az will go up to
your room and arrange with you; we will
not dispute here on the steps"


Fred led the way, muttering something
about "snobs picked up at water-places," "
which made me furious. When we got to
his chamber was so angry that forgot
all about my bill deposited at the library,
and pulled out my porte n1OTl7lGie; and by
the time he got the gas lit 1 was opening
it, and feeling in the secret pocket. There
was the bill, twenty dollars, and / slapped
it down on the table, saying, "As am to
pay this twice over, I'll trouble you TO
leave receipt st the office for me to-
morrow morning. don't wish to pay the
third time? And then l went off to my
room raging. When / cooled off little,
it came to me that l had passed off bad
bill on Fred P, but to that l answered
my conscience that it was for an unjust
claim. At any rate l was quite ready to
90 to Jail or anywhere else, and went to
sleep thinking of an odd story had heard,
in consequence of which dreamed that
was sent to the Nantucket prison for pass
ing counterfeit money, and that every
night was in the habit of slipping out of
my cell and prowling round the streets.
Then was giving reading to crowded
house, but the books were all wrong.
Whatever 1 took up turned to dictionary
or a spelling-book. Then / woke up and
thought over two plans, one of which was
to go off to sea in whaler from New Bed
ford, the other was to get Fred to have
me arrested for passing the counterfeit bill
on him and sentto Boston for trial. Once
there, l could get some one to help me.
In the midst of working out these plans to
a grand and triumphant tableau | got to
sleep again, and this time dreamed that 1
wss being marched up State street in
chains, and that was stopped at each cor
ner and rearrested- on a new charge, when
1 was really awakened by strange man
in my room, who was shaking me by the
shoulder. My first thought was, ut has
come now, and I'm glad of it." 1t was the
matchmaker. "Ive come round to see
thee" he began, "to look at thy watch
once more. I've thought thee might be
wanting money good deal, and l don't
mind letting thee have twenty dollars, If
thee thinks thee can pay me in week or
so. guess thee's pretty honest as folks
CO."


was Just. putting the watch into his
hands, when the door opened again, and
in came Apollyon, mean the artist.


"My dear young FRIEND" he began,
"what is all this about broken buggy?
I've Just seen the stable fellow hanging
round here, and of course you are not to
pay a sixpence for the team or for the dam
age. am afraid was little careless in
letting your horse get awsy-in fact,
I-well-I wanted-it was of the ut
most importance for me to have an un-
interrupted talk with Miss-with Miss
P. Two years ago We were engaged.
1t was broken off by q most unlucky
chance, and I have never had it In my
power to explain matters till yesterday.
Sothe stable bill, which shall cut down
considerably, is my business. For the
other matter, owe you an apology,which
l tender now."


was too bewildered 10 answer at once,
but the artist, noticing my Quaker friend
for the frst time, drew himself up with
mock solemn ty, and added, "If you de-
mand further satisfaction, there will be
coffee for two down stairs in about ten
minutes, and friend of mine will be glsd
to see YOU" And out he went.


l had just exchanged my watch for the
good Quaker's bill, and he had departed,
when Fred bounced in, blushing up to his
eyes.


az say, old fellow" was his greeting, VI
behaved abominably last night. This
morning / found my money, you know
left it in my pantaloons pocket when L
changed to go sharking. There was more
than 1 cared to lose; and then l was
awfully mad about Minnie, seeing that
artist fellow with her; but he came up to
my room last night and it is all right
tell you some day. And 1 found a letter
on my table from Cunningham, which L
ought to have had three days ago, telling
me about that boat money; you dld pay
twice, and here it is back, the bill you
gave me. And l beg your pardon, heaps,


l don't know what said as we SHOOK
hands, but certainly felt on good terms
with all creation, and all the more as FREQ
added, "Here's a book, by the way,
found in yOlIr room when i went 10 look