Exeter Advocate, 1908-07-23, Page 3 (2)• "The ntorning-room, you mean.
"1 suppose 60. The villole place/
18 like .* furniture show400m-fh10,
ftylo complete, thirty -Ave guineas
and so on. You know the • telt ot
thing I mean." '
• Ile smiled in, amusement at my
"Yetnr 'iltilOrethc
.bsee," ,remaiticed.
friends •
i Oltarel Jtiinmel, Mr. TAA!krr•
eorilbe.'14 euplu, of
epreag alrelee.ely teem *Me to alike too
.rauch frightened, toO much tnalted to
1314Crstanil rptilt4" q what it is 4es
Ina. "%' Ogee?' ssid licreeee. ."Nowe
wade ahead.' .
'Twenty tteuesed pounils weeed j?u
zue ihrougbe' said fileater„seeele
-oitete'e-fereeerertlie" tame et .tlie
Ile reitel,,eeethin ther,
"Old Mene," h
.thfe
wait C1f:4r froin bet**
thii,4 Way. If leauft get.fw
‘peundslnin 1inV,ip.4„P.,
" Otis 14,be*orf,h,nKrt t
.14`1,10i4kcW theeeeriti
v ;1 ax 014 nieetrerty
Try a Otsonable Diet and., (live• Your ,
StOMACti ,Citaikeej
$4,reribietio.1 will he. fourid.
WhOle*Ornig 'appetising Asnet:4nitch giorq..irskittitio!4*.than
*get e; ethic): etieVe -:.ettee -0411.0. froth:
„ , • „
jeo*-004--fortuie cOvorY
s meanie fithitloue wealthent,Ott
4.'turitillg to ue08!..4 ,
Abe,eckace,010.,!. 4A` •
443)4. yote, L z iaiI, "for
now 41°4040 of 0110°.ei ecY beeia a ercy'uike don't. bothtr
me
bo PrettY, PnliPttable 'quagteir6$ &V' *heat this fellow and. his confeend-
• 4Y rate. •ed pans. Reply piste as you like.
lie looked at me strangely: 'You sem to know all about it. I
"You surely don't mean, Or, that een'teenor I don't want to know:"
YOU wish me to fihOW you over your -,,Thee fare T
eiwn house?" he gala with inered 'Li 7 eeee •I'Mt ff-tTe
:14They are
a %1Intwer.u"''' aidentli awaiting A reply in Dow''
reve- never been over it yet, and ity."
thinli-1 may OA Well embrace the •.riini
on wan * 4
"Buthaen't you better go to your matters in• which I can have no
*teem tend rest? It will surely do you „ „, eeeseeeTlieseetell
good. ring forellayner theesreee Hanes
v"))He skeathou -ar nieresamportanee---te-erne
ware. all the. goi
ld n the Klondyke."
Went no valets, neither do I re- -weu, the lady is your wife, so
uirerest," I answered inapatie --worry-further about it 1" he
can to fathom thisaid'
s mystery."
"And how do you know; pray r
.'„"Ilut pardon me," ho.said defer- "Because I was present at the
entialler, "there is no mystery, as far eeeemeelree
SS I can see. You accidentally ''''''XIciated' at hiti for a niomiiiiie
struck your head against the statue unable. to utter further words.
hire passing through the drawing "I suppose you'll tell me next
and were rendered unconscx- that you were my secretary in my
•Thc lows , 4°' '.-4,71, e.....ehmeeisteat lotir
p red. Your raerail--Ciiiia- . Certainly I was. '
little. In ii-fewditYifeiaiinflisi - "And you siiithat you Were 'le-
an right again: Poor Mrs. Heaton! Wally present at the church, and
sheii aeviully upset." Saw me married?" I cried, abso-
"I will not have her called Mrs. lately incredulous. .
-Heaton 1" I- cried in indignation. . "I was. Yu were married at
Miderstand- their I have DO wife St. Andrew's, Wells Street. ' It
-and a hag like that I certainly was a smart wedding, too, for Mrs.
'would never marry." . Fordyce was very well known in
e-Heeeraised-hize-eyehriiver-seith a. soeiety,--and had a large Circle - Of
gesture of regret, sighed, . but haz- friends."
;tilled no remark. 4 'Forayee i" • I echoed, puzzled.
"Come," / said, "slum me over "Yes that was Mrs. Heaton's
the place. It will be a. most inter- name 'before her marriage with
eeting visit, I'm sure." And I you:"
laughed, reflecting upon my extra- "Then she was a widow 7" I
- ordinary position, one absolutely gave&
unparalleled in. man's history. - He nodded in the affirmative.
"But before ; doing So will you I groaned. TIM affair grew more
, not sign one or two cheques?" he puzzling now that he declared him -
urged, glancing at his watch. "The self an actual witness of my matri-
ostimtn will call for the lettere in menial misfortune. • -
alf an hour, and, they must be de- But how could such a thing have
eeee e. --e. y taken-Tbeee---wiehe
*Kneel" - - - edge?e It .was Impossible. The
"Theta- are six," he answered, -mystery, like the strange incidents
taking out a large ' cheque -hook 'which had preceded this remark-
• and opening it. "I've already able situation in which I found my-
ade themit if you will kindly self, grew more and more inexpli-
• i
gn them." ' . cable each hour.
I glanced' them. All six were We went forth together, passing
for large amounts, each consider- from room to room through the
ably over e, thousand pounds. great country mansion. The place
"They relate tie business transac- was handsome, of rather modern
tions, all of whieh are exceeding- tepe, furnished glaringly in the
• ly go_od bargains " he explained, manner which bespoke ehe par-
"Well,"- I said, laughing again, venu. It possessed no mellow,
never before signed cheques time -worn appearance, as did the
for. such big amounts as these. 'But dear old Manor /louse beside the
• here goes, if you wish. - Whether Severn. The furniture and hang -
they'll be honored is quite another ings .were too apparently of the ,
thing." , Tottenham Court Road type, and
. And I took up a pen and append- the art displayed was that of the
.04 my signature to each, while he art -furnisher given carte blanche
a‘"- elated one by one in envelopes ta, furnish with the newest and
: yeady directed to receive 'them. most fashionable fancies in the
"Now," he said at last, "if you matter of wall -papers, dados, eor-
redly wish me to take you round nices, and art -pottery. There
I'll do so„ but the whole thing were art -carpets and art -curtains,
.enat so droll and absurd that I art -cupboards and art -chairs, art-
,--aire--yoe telleexciewmyeeloubte -china -andartechintzeseee---Arte-wa
to your insanity." - everyethere in__painful enamel and
• "Well, why, do you think I'm in- imposieble greens. There were -Pic -
sailer I asked„ looking straight tures, too, -but different, indeed, to
, at him. "1-.)6 I- Took like a mad- the tong row- of noble faces with
man?" their rufflee and ' doublets and their
"Not at all. With your head *fins painted on shields in The cor-
• swathed in those bandages, you ners that looked down so solemnly
look like a num who's_ received ft hi the great hall at Melton The
talons injury." pictures in that modern mansion
"Of couree, that confounded old were of the queue-de-sicie French
charlatan Britten put forward the school, daubs by :the MiEcalled_ino_
. suggestion that rie not in my preesionists, and touie rather too
right mind !" I said. "But I tell chic to be decent. .
you quite calmly, and, without fear That a large amount ef money
of contradiction -indeed, I could had been expended upon the place
swear "upon oath- that never in my I could not doubt, but the effect
life have I entered ehis place or as that of dazzling the gaze by
set eyes upon you or neonthat color, and 'nowhere seemed there a
ainted old girl he -fore to -day- good,- comfortable, old-fashioned
ow, if you were in mY place, sure- sitting -room. All the 'apartments
ly you 'would resent being tailed were arranged to ' please the eye,
. husband by e, woman whole, yo4 and not for personal comfort: The
don't - know from Adam; Yon house was just the kind that a man
"0001tin't relish being eonderaned suddenly 'successful . in the city
• Ittest, lunatic by an idiotic old court- might setup in the Vain endeavor
tr 4t.psagk, and being ilupoio upon to develop. into a. co-neitry, Wake
,t erfl rthiedek*,,epiertopeditteeaiteit yieji min; fOr :to,lieccale *such is Om
- °leave not er-- sfigh6steintereatt ve wear of. iveo isfilk-lititteed busiiiefs
411
r k Ins fi -Telexed into ti, 'Wile- mart, Jwhethee he trades in Stocks
"If I' ' el be permitted \ to ad- e=r stockings -
"Nisei yen," 14 said, '"I think it best ' “That i should be to
, Mt to discute thematter further
at present. A solution must pre-
- iit itself before long, Meanwhile
your intellect will be rendered the
clearer .by response,"
. "I've already told • you that I
don't intend to rest until I've ex.
tricated myself from this absurdly'
fah* position," I said determined.
- 1Y' "I feel libtiolutely certain that
0 been mistaken for some one of
be teltte name."
.1re shrugged his shoulders. lIe
oks evidently * shrewd fellow, this
intin who said he was my secretary
.,• and was apparently it very confi
tictitial tenant, '
""I'd like to know, what to reply
tki Mawson's cable," be said.
"You r lit t
pelled to
show you over your own house is,
to eay the • least, very amusing,"
eaid Gedge, as we were passing up'
the grand staireate. "If people
were.told of this they wouldn't be-
lieve it possible."
"I myself- don't believe, what you
tell me IS poesible," I remarked.
"But who gave orders for this fur.'
pith re 1"
-"ton did."
"And who choso ft -approved of
the designs, and all that sort of
thin* l?'
"*Itmi certainly did," he-answ0r,
td "Some of the ideas were, of
count*. Mre. Heaton's."
-'1 th6ught so. I don't believe
u,yself capable of such barb**
ete often.,
ouihtto kiwwin. •at ,y
is 700 °ware earest friend."
"Vraseryeilectiv
'the. only Fr' Aow is le bak
er in Clare Market', -who euppl!les
nay old servant, Mrs. Parker, with
bread." Then, after a pause, I
added, "And you say that these
people are friend:, of mine? Have
I ma y friends'!"
;Fee
,Shilter *4111144
'"What, i00014* Cf03
a$1041, et length.
.Shuter laughed; out load, .
:"Securityr" t
• "Yes, security," Seid ttorlase.
"my wilier,* townie's in it," saki
Shuter. "My pikes merriageseitiement.
lodge's funds are in IL S,ecei
'r of
zaps ou7ilitnif the mud," Shuter
went oil. "P'r'aps I am. I ought to be,
I know. It's hard enough for meta come
for a breath of coufitry au., I !Up:. Airierg": n
think *our m
pose, „ . ypoaMine." , pu me on. t
at's about it," he answered. He aolored slowly under 'Borlase's eye,
'A good many of them are not very • "Of couree, below _ enev •
ifineerreeleeettieire. teilewiletlitiereek
ioney
ealrenceBut d out in time. it 1 hadn't had confidenoe in
. Ihave sold
'
wrong. YouIcnow how it, came down.
the thing. didrel think you could go
The bottom simply fell out. One day it
was slutky and the next it was scrap."
Borlase puffed hie cigar"It's not .
rsumingi7lpfinkg4.00_44iritinuttedwZIE:
0,4t,Vtiffeloasieft4 '
The big nlan lay 'back In hie chair,
staring at Shuter, smoking slowly,. drum-
ming en the 'able with his finger -nails.
ere lake not oher aound in the room.
fe4ifttWeette*OttlAefraeStreitelre-e'
Tor-tiod )1 saki, Bortase—
re
'
and Shuter bad to listen.
• "About ten years ago," Borlase said,
"I was, as you may or may not know
at the very ixatom, eight in the ooze.
It doesn't, matter how L got there 1171''
more than it !natters how 1 got
again.But there I was. My entire
wardroe, Shuter, consisted of the dark
green -once black -jacket, the cotton
shirt,the tweed trousers, the boots, and
the bat in which I stood up. You may
have seen a hat pest like that, and I re-
member that my back Mat used to work
through the place where tne brim and
the crown had parted company. Did you
ever see the flesh of your knee through
a hole In your bags? I thought not. I
did. I saw It every time I looked down-
wards, and it made me ashamed, as if
I'd been stark naked on the atree. My
Jacket, was of a rather experteive alpaca.
11 may have been made originally for
the summer wear of a -business man.
11 you haveseverewern-sucleee-gaiiiiteit,
you win reeogrilie that *tits bast it is
th-fitted for keeping out the wind. Mine
was well venteatedi too.
"t wits stUing, thus clad, about two
o'clock:of a fresh winter znorning on one
of the benches by the railings of the
Green Park. It was my purpose, with
the kind perinession of the police, to
snatch a few hours' refreshing meal% The
wind was strong from the north-east, but
era not the man to complain of a little
• fresh air, and there had been no rain for
mer an hour. In spite of all these mer-
cies I was in a thoroughly naughty tem-
per, and, if you will credit it, as 1 sat
on that damp bench I was ready to dithse
and sWear with vexation. There' are
some people, Shuter, who are tl ft,t 14qt,
eeps a godtable,table, and has choice
wines in his cellar need never be
at a. loss for genial companions.'"
"You seem to be a bit of a philo-
sopher, nay friend," I remarked.
He s'miled knowingly.
"I haven't' acted as your secre-
tor! without Xttlinin*. Ae.le5r, ;4 A, 9,
tro lt0‘,1iYa Of /11te wort
"Whets!" I exclairaed. "Don't I
always act honestly, then V' This
was something entirely new.
'ee..1--Witillyeevaireetareesehencelestree-ft-
' tivireir,w-r saTd;" --iiiiiiii-leis
imputation, "I wasn't aware that
I had ever swindled a person of
'• pence in my life."
"Sixpences in such eums as they
deal in at Winchester House don't
count. It's the thousands."
We passed a couple of reaping
maid -servants ,. in long -stringed
caps, who stood aside looking at
me in wonder. No doubt the news
that a demented man was in the
house had reached .the servants'
hall. I was, in fact, on show to
the domestics.
"Then you mean to imply. that
these financial dealings of mine -
of which, by the way, I have no
knowledge whatsoever -are not al -
'
ways quite straight?" I said, as
we walked together down a long
carpeted corridor.
e 00 'DM':±IV"htEttatiM-
"WS,- of course, business," he
answered -''sharp bueiness. I
don't mean to imply that the deal-
ings at Winchester House are any
more unfair than those of any
other financier in the City ; but
sometimes you know, there's _just
a flavor of smartnees about them
that might be misconstrued by A
clover counsel in a Criminal
court."
"What ?" I cried, halting and
glaring at him. "Now, be frank
with me, Gedge.. Tell me plainly,
have I ever swindled anybody'!"
"Certainly not," he said; laugh-
ing. "Why, it's this very armlet -
"A man came °tit of one of the clubs
ness that has made you what you
are to -day - a millionaire. if you cpwposi,,,steittminie iked ti
inc and cwroassedpat
toe ve( in. quick -
shrewd
had not been Very wide awake' and ias
shrewd you'd have been ruined long , etYctivtonn,d. glahnecedn hefosttoappmeadmaennat eituroe tbdacir-
k
ago." te My side and stoed loeking at me. He
known in the city, eh ?"
"Then, I suppose, I'm well were a eset tionturifishbataradnsd,tavegroeodth
'ee—i'D.Inteilltirpocremli-ets-an-d he had a tat esigerar-
rust
Bennett's clock, and your ore*
"Your name's as well known a's
„tvleiwv":ween his teeth. 1 have had several
e o a e
y are
tween Ludgate Hill and renchure/I ..hest in his did), and he nevtt eneolies
Street."
- -any other, i didn't know _that -ate th
,
"Extraordivarylfis X said. "What tline; but I met hint, Shuter, later 011 at
3 ou tell ine sounds like eieme -re--a city Banquet. and_lesteoze-on to me.
markable fairy
. ' and, as 1 recognized hinh 1 neeeeted he
"The balance et yourbanker'sis
s,
tale.'"
invitation to dinner next evening. And
l
we became great pals. He didn't remem-
sufficient proof that What I say is
ter inei tnoagh. No, by Jove, be didn't
truth," heeremarked. t. "TheeeMaY term er inel
be a good many fairy tales in cer. "Fie stood„ as I say, kesking down at
tam prospectuses: but -there . cei ree as if 1 wore some new Least, and i
t-ainly is -none in -your finenciaL stared -up at him deflentrY, kr, einem&
I'd been in the gutter some time then, 1
soundness." . (To be Continued. hadn't got used to the ineseence of the
deb. Ile took the weed.out of his mouth,
and Said. in It ellky 'mite:,
vo0A00401010vvvvvvaakawspeev ' " `NI 1 friend, you seem to be down on
S'cIllirtholleukgh* t he -migbt give me some men-
ey if I wee civil to him, 60 I Saki I was.
I even called tent *sir.'
"'You don't Irelk as ,If you'd Much of
el u! ave struck bi the ground
a lli
es ne itt Coutes,' he reniarkod.
e"Attitilte'WVVV0~04140000, But al lso, 1 hoe no nuteie whet;
os
: ,e, _ the hunger fiend has sem in' his grip
"Well?" eslied Borlase, as thio 4100T you'll take a good deal Iran a man wlio
es
ctlI3ehind the 0erlie , smokes cigars that smell like that one e .'
- SliuTkr reniaincitetaiklinii. ellletereer *did: - '-e. - - • - .
was toer great for him to pretend he was e 'Yeti filtie'en't been making Oilit many
' 'ease. He,. was down where a men cheques lately?? eays hee meth a enmer,
esn't ere any tenger, and be leoked • I began to wonder,what on earlii be wks
it But in his eYeSt krIght with the fear driviig at, with his (ebutt0i, and his
of anxiety which wee Eating him up, tile(' s.+ 11 \
there Mlle a little hope as they rested "Youlaven't _got such li, thingete that
'km the big, confident man b•ehind the 'Arty -Pound eheque on you. 1 49PpOser
table. Borlase and he bad been Wood 10 asked, and then it suddenly Oohed
friends these three years. The shock Upon me what he'wartVd."
wh...ch had smashed hint cbu WWI, have af. "S -ti rile Obt" eald Shtder suddenly.
reeled &whist very serlounly. • •Ilorlase' mitioyortua,re gehetlatourleart
titsir4tetd.ry thrcuo,
would see him ,threugh. But he must
41AtniPS'butee; tank ie6ir in his chair end
km"N‘Vve'll?" Berlase asked again, and Shut.
u plunged Inared hatred nt him for the rest of the
.
le.. ,
'Wu remember, Shuter,lust ahout that
Lin.e cne of tho tragaztnes had del/teed
alber clever scheme of adleettisaig. lt
etent eut a lot of Men with ton.peund
benicnotes and Mentioned the tEt. Any.
ne who bit on One of these Ichrinift
zuki tisketi him Ilaye\you ot that ten.
peund Deter td neer' birn In eicharioe
tor las signed receipt. Theri the Magi,
sine pUbLietted the lucky Max& name
,
THE 00 CHEQUE
"Old erten," he said, "this Deep Mine
bueinassi ba$ bit me bard.° •
"I've drepptd thirty.severt thousand
pounds myteif,", said , Meuse. "Won't
you tit down?",
said Rutter. Ife $:cysyc.d. 4 little
andeatight the edge of, the teble.
sit ilowno"\, ea% Dorisset,, 'and
Strater doll the suggeetionw Ile got
*sort of ccm fort in being told to de even
so wall a malice ss that, for ble meld
arab-sell
,
ole they. hail got that ten -pound
note, ami was saying what- a clever
dedge it was. •Well,lis yeti know, when
•one_ of th,t)Ae
r; in a V ry
dayS this daily was giving away gold
watches, and that monthly ,was promot-
ing Its circulation` by the'gratuitous offer
el diamond -rings; and at last here wee
'heavily with fifty-
pcund cheques. I had heard of thcae
things, of coulee. Down in the mud we
_talked- -the- etnittereseeer,-
111411KeePteeK-152m
they all seemed to be won by people who,
lived In Brixton and Hampstead and
had plenty of money already.
"This last paper, though, had been very
tricky, putting its cheques -in the custody
of all sorts of unlikely -looking people -
women dressed up like old bodies up' for
the Oaks, or down-at-heel-1°,01(in fellows
Thiseeleelletriatii*
k' rtlitgigit;''VotsrfiPifirififel•_elidt
en, he had °omelet the wrong shopl
"I could have killed him for hLS mis-
take, but I thought he might give me six-
pence if 1 could keep him talking a min-
teeeetagneplyeraidsewithsteeertne••
llav.e„you got It younselfr
"He "'laughed' merrily, and dived into
his breast-poeket.
"Yes,' says he, have. Would you
it?' ---- -
"I nearly fainted where I sat. Fifty
poundse-he was going to give he (UV
peunds., Do you understand, Shuter? Ile
was going to give me new clothes and
food, and a hot bathand a clean shirt
and tobacco, and a chance to make some
money again. I had made my first pile
on a smaller beginning.
"I said, 'You're jesting'
"'Not a bite says he, fishing out an en-
vdope. 'Here it Ls.' And he pulled it out.
Tve been trying to plant it ell day, but
nc one's asked me for it. Thought It'd
be more handy to you than to most, eh?'
"I was very nearly crying with happi-
ness. I tried to master my voice to
thank him, but he cut me short.
"'No thanks-, no thanks, my mini Sign
this receipt and put down your address,
if you've got one? -•.41 took the -a pap& tee' held -out
to me. It was a typewritten receipt for
fifty pounds, acknowledging that it had
been gained under the conditions men-
tiened n Wathenspoon'Is Weekly.' Ile
gave nte a packet -pen, and 1 signed my
name, writing on the top of the bench.
Then I said, 'Do you want my address
in '
"He said he did, so I wrote 'London
under rely name. Ile read it, and laughed
again. •
"Like a club guest's address, di?
'Here's the boodle.'
91 was an order-eheque for fifty pounds
en the Oxford Street -branch of the Great
Northern Babk, signed William Wather-
spoon, and at the top was typewritten.
l'Acceunt of the Fifty -pound Cheque Com-
petition.' 11 -was dated two days pre-
vfonSly, Ile filled in My name on it, and
then he eaid:
"Present it to -morrow morning after
ten- They won't have notice of your
name till „then. Goodnightr
"I beg war pardon,' I cried, 'but could
you advance me a couple of shillings. I
must Confess I oould eat something, and
could do with a bed to -night.
• "No,' he saidI'll see_voil
Haven't you goi.-your cheque. Here's
feurpence for you., though. By Jove,- your
face -just now -wa&-wortit
111' -
"Ile dealt out four pennies into My
-palm. 1 1enged-to throw them in his
teeth, but 1 had stronger longings than
tbat. I thanked him Insteed.
• "'Ord. -night? Ite said again; 'sleep
,
"Then he walked away quickly, and' I
muld, hear bina laughing -to himself .as
he went, west.aiong
"1 weighed in my mind the respective
advantages of food and shelter. I could-
n't have both. After careful considera-
tion I decided that, as I ;had gone With-
out anything to eat for only. twenty -tour
hour% I Weuld'stand IL for another nine.
reit I had to get out of the wind. I wee
always a luxuelotis dog, Shuter, and /eve
tr sleep warm cid soit.
"11 don't matter much where 1 spent
the night.It was somewhere In the
nebd
ighrhoeil of King's Cross Station,
and my bed was as goed as my &cum -
Menem perrisitted. Whatevith the trains
and saber tliinp I didn't sleep very
• much; 1 ..elinpV lay warm, and told my -
sett , what ; was .going to do with that
ineriese '1i till I 41.0*cil. littlo.
cenu for the-treekreet tew,hieli 1 would
sit down • about' ten:•afteen a.m,In 4 1,W
tie rSIZ1S nesaurnutnotflveijUnti
104 froln the 1,1tak. There Was On cmcs
tette In it and some hot care& end.
French_breed and peed hitter.. I krieW
itiSt the kind of tiger / 61/0041 buy in
• the tatterketises OppoSito the hank, and
1 knew just how 1 Aboted lean back in
that Dane rcci,eurant and smoke It 1
eseti anticipated the trouble I should have
at .11rat with the little tat mark, too kept
the. pie, about gcing in et all, and 1
•mircd to *myself ns t New hie Leek bend
double 'when 1 stoutd pull Olt a fist hilt
et &id to sbow 14101. Then 1 thclught
ti* bog plate
togo and get ti decent 6011
of.rettch.etti'le,las and some frtsh linen
and a v.videererect hat ent beateeatid
1 reAkieet titat when 1 baJ got WI 1
wanted 1 thetitil toe about torty•five
poutult te Cart Nft again. ,
*I slays in me 4ots1vo4sb M icn
eould �d then u'ent right off to Oxkrd
Street and tnembcd up, end down13*
Skeet 'nett. iltti11Ik tit -it Sli0
giving me enough foe Ord,' 1 told my.
self that I sbOuld have Spelled my epee-.
tite with stodgy bread '
144A014 4,1e
...,f
achvee-
, „
"Ten &cam carnirround someiziew, and
I went into the bank with a. bursting
heart. Among other seeisations 1 wes
ashamed of that cut In Lhe knee of my
hreeehas. The cashier tweed Re ina
deubtfully, as you can imagine, and told . .
ma to clear out. • ile'd nothing for me,
he said.
apiTy -that 1 jested
esesintemeseateeyeeeseeeeeeemesseeeseeeeteeeeeseeeeiee
"'Oh, yes, you have,' says 1, 'you've
got fifty pounds.'
"I tock out the cheque and endorsed
It with a hand which trembled most ridi-
culously. Then I threw it across the
counter to the ,cashier. 'That's all right,
I think,' 1 said; and 1 winked at the fee
tow out of pure good nature.
• "Ile picked it up and glanced_ at...I
alt thisr,t•le sskettrompow
***Why,' 1, said, IN'Uio flfty-pound
cheque competition. Haven't they sent:
In my name yet?' my heart sank a little,
for 1 thought thy breakfast was going to
beeput off tor a few minnteeeee
vas
ler 4we'vo'110 one:Alla mune 04 Our
-Woks and no - nee/dent of that name,
either.'
'Oh, nonsense!' I cried. 'The flfty.
-hr "Maher-,
spoon's Weekly,' you know. Don't try;
any of your tricks on with me.'
'You'd better come in and see the
manager,' he 'said.
'All right,' said I, quite pleased.
know all about It. It, seemed to me rea-i
sonable that a cheque like this shouldn't1
be cashed without some 'safeguards.
"He led the way into the room of (het
manager, who leaked up In SOMO sur-
prise at Seeing a eeedy tramp like me
miming in.
"'Dear me, Pullet,' he cried, 'what's
Ibis. what's this?
"'This person's 'got some story about
• n flfte-pound cheque coMpention, sire.
replied the cashier. 'I don't know what
he's talking about. He seems perfectly
honest. He'd have bolted if it bad been
a p)ant.' .
d °wiles your eater azikeelienienager; --
"I tow him the whole etory; Mid the
cashier showed him the cheque.
"Very sorry,' said the manager, 'but'
you've been bad. It's a hoax; do you- •
understand? Watherspoon doesn't bank
here, and we've no account of any sort.
What a shabby trick, though, to play on
a poor devil like you.' That's what the
bank manager thought of it. You can
Imagine how I looked at it; as he finished
I turned turtle -fainted bang off across
the table.
'They put some brandy down my
throat, and I came round, and thenthey
were, I must eay, very kind. The man-
ifger said he had nevee heard of a crueller
thing. The cashier,airsald that the man
• was a ruffian. The mmissionaire,"who
had been valled,;- he was elowed. 1
was iaterly knocked out, and I re -mem-
bered I'd no busine.s there, and I got up
to clear.
"Then the manager dived into his pock-
et and forked out ten shillings, 'Look
here,' wen; ,he, 'I believe your story, and
ten thundering sorry for eeou.
hand me my hat.'
Ile put the ten .shillings into it and
handed it tothe cashier. 1Takeelhat,_
r-7-ureti he-blifik,-PolleV he saki, *and tell
em about. this poor chap. •I've no -doubt,
they'll add something -to IL" - -
"Pullet put in a shilling and, went;
round among the other clerks. Some of •
them told him to go to the deuce, but,
others -forked out iike :men , and between,
them they made up the manager's ten
shillings in seventeen shillings and four-
• pence. There was a young chap paying,
ei some cash itt the counter, and he enlied;
• what the hat was going mind for. Thel
other cashier told him, and he said he'd
islade a good thing out of the National,:
and he'd contribute! And he did; a Miele
scvereigrit So that, I got my breakfast.;
• after all, you see."
• Borlase took a fresh cigars for tile first •
had gone out during the tale: •° •
"And I kept the ebeque," he saki, "tO
remind Inc of their kindness, and of other
thing's." •
Then he opened a drawer in the taliie •
and took out en envelope. From 'it eie •
drew a crumpled cheque. lie leaned over
and spread it eut carefully In front of •
Shuter.
"Do you recognize it?", he asked.
Steger Mitered en itfatalible rOly aa, ,
he Vatted -blindly -felt 'his tat;
"Stop a Minute," said .13orictee. "'Net
something ette to show You." I14. 'War
reit' r*erOsid enteIope, and It, Ube
\opened on the ttahle. 14e," be
said.
•
Stealer unteetened it meeliatileally, end
foutid in it a second eliceues. It was
made out to bis order for forty thoueend
pounds, end WAS ci1gned.‘`.1ohn Borlase."
said Shuter. 59 he doomed it
on the table. "You 44111 get any more •
rim out of me. Not that way."
"It's all rigid," eeld,tterittse. "Pick it
hp. 1'm not plaglarismg."
"Do yon ,began Muter, as
he grabbed at the thing."
"Were a cid and 4 bent,rSittittstge!,
sold Borlase: "but your boy's tiee boy.'"
Then he rang the bell, ate, said to the
eel* who anmveted it:
Show Mr Shutee out." ;London Ant. .
wets,