Of broken hearts, Minnie, though the doctor's certificates told another
tale. But then doctors deal with the body, and I am speaking of the
mind. 'Tis twenty years since; and, as you saw this evening, there were
the little grey and golden patches of lichen spreading over the
grave-stone, while their story is about forgotten.
Twenty years since poor brother Fred was the second clerk in Ranee
Brothers' counting-house, and I a boy of fifteen just promoted to a desk
in the same office. And how proud I was of my brother, and how worthy I
thought him of cousin Annie's love, even though after my boyish fashion
I loved her myself, and, when Fred took me with him to my aunt's, I used
to sit and gaze upon her sweet, grave countenance till I felt to hate
myself for being such a boy, and turned quite miserable and despairing.
But directly after I would think of how she watched for every glance of
his bright grey eye, and how dependent and trusting she seemed, and then
a blush came for my unbrotherly feelings.
All went on as might have been expected: the day was fixed; the cottage
taken--a pretty little place just outside the town, with a garden
teeming with roses; furniture was bought, and the time slipped
imperceptibly away until the wedding morning, when we assembled at my
aunt's house before proceeding to church.
Frank stood well with our employers; and _you_ know something of their
generosity. And not only had they made him a handsome present towards
housekeeping, but Mr Ranee, senior, came to give Annie away, taking for
the time the place of her dead father. Mr French was there, too, the
head clerk, a tall, handsome man, but one whom I always instinctively
disliked, and spent the sixpences he gave me grudgingly and with a
certain want of enjoyment in the proceeds--but I used to spend them.
Well, the wedding went off as most weddings do: the school-children
scattered field-flowers in the path of the teacher who had won their
hearts on the quiet Sabbath afternoons; and then we returned to my
aunt's and partook of the wedding breakfast. Everything was conducted
in the orthodox manner, and Messrs. Ranee and French made speeches, to
which Fred responded. Then dresses were changed, the fly came to the
door; and, after a few adieus in the passage, the happy couple--than
whom a handsomer or more loving the sun never shone on--drove off to the
station on their way to the Lakes.
I shut the fly-door myself, and then stood alone, not knowing whether to
be happy or sorry; but I was soon aroused by the parting of our
visitors; and then, entering the house with my aunt and my tiny
bridesmaid cousin, I caught the infection from them, and, forgetting my
fifteen years' old manliness, sat down and had a hearty cry.
Time slipped by. The trip was over, and the couple returned; the
cottage occupied, and things shaken down into the regular country-town
routine. After the first Sunday or two no one turned to gaze at Fred
and Annie--much to my annoyance--and the young couple ceased to form the
theme of conversation.
I was very proud of my post in the office, having just been emancipated
from school, and always felt very manly and important whenever I could
feel that Mr French had not his eye upon me--the effect of that eye
being to make me turn to a boy in an instant. Fred and he were very
intimate, and French often went up to the cottage to have a cigar and
game of chess; and, somehow, I always used to feel jealous of his
smooth, oily civilities, and could see that they were anything but
agreeable to Annie. On more than one occasion I found him lolling upon
the sofa when I went in, at times when I had left Fred busy over
correspondence which French had asked him to finish for that night's
post. At such times I always found Annie sitting close to the window,
and apparently much relieved by my entrance; while French greeted me
with a mocking, strained civility, which almost drove me away. But the
knowledge that he wanted to be rid of me always determined me to stay,
for I felt that I was acting as a protector to my brother's wife.
After a while Fred would stroll in, and French and he take to the
chess-board; Annie to her work; while I in a corner with a book would
alternately read and watch the stealthy glances French kept casting
towards his friend's wife.
At the end of six months an unspoken feud had sprung up between French
and myself. I could see that Annie was pained at the fellow's presence,
but she evidently forbore to speak to Fred, who held him in high
estimation; and in the nobleness of his heart was beyond suspicion. But
one autumn evening, when the winter seemed to be sending monitory
warnings of his coming in the wailing winds and cutting blasts which
began to strip the trees, I saw a figure pass the office window that I
made sure was French. It was about six o'clock, and we had been
detained later than usual, while even then Fred had several more letters
to write. French had left the office about a quarter of an hour before,
telling Fred he should look him up in the evening; to which a cheery
"all right" was returned.
Upon seeing him hurry past the window, I rose to go; but Fred kept me
fully another quarter of an hour; and then, telling me to call on my way
to my lodging and tell Annie he would be home in a quarter of an hour,
he settled down again quietly to his writing.
An unpleasant feeling that all was not right made me quicken my steps;
and, going round by the back, I entered the cottage, and had reached the
parlour door when the sound of a voice somewhat raised in pitch arrested
me. Then followed the low muttering of a deep masculine voice saying
something with great earnestness; and, thinking nothing of honour or
being unmanly, I quietly turned the handle of the back parlour door, and
entered. A pair of folding doors separated it from the front room; and,
as I had hoped, they were ajar, so that, unobserved, I could see and
hear all that passed.
French had his back to me, and was standing with Annie in the centre of
the room; he holding her hand with both his, and she gazing with a
scared, half-angry, half-frightened look in his face.
As I stood trembling there, he drew her towards him, and tried to pass
one of his arms round her waist, but with a sharp cry, with eyes
sparkling, and rage in every feature, she struck him sharply across the
cheek with her disengaged hand, and I believe in his rage he would have
returned the blow had I not sprung into the room and caught his arm.
Not a word was spoken; but, shaking me off, he looked at Annie with a
malevolent glance in his eye; and then, holding up his finger in a
threatening way, which seemed to say, "Speak of it if you dare!" he
strode out of the house as Annie sank sobbing and hysterical into a
chair.
I stayed until Fred came in, and then left them together, and I believe
that my brother afterwards sought French at his lodgings, where he had a
stormy interview; but I never knew for certain, as Fred silenced me the
moment I entered upon the subject, and told me to forget it.
French never entered the cottage again, while a marked coolness ever
after existed between him and my brother--just sufficient passing
between them for the transaction of business routine, and that was all.
For my part, I was immensely pleased with the change, and cared but
little for any display of rancour upon the part of French. However,
instead of showing enmity he always after seemed disposed to be civil;
but I always avoided him as much as possible.
Fred had been married ten months, and appeared to idolise his wife.
Poor fellow! his few months of wedded life seemed to pass away like a
dream: he lived his day unsuspectingly, seeing not the canker that was
slowly eating its way and so soon to blight his existence.
One morning, upon going down to the office, I found that something
unusual had taken place. French was there in close conversation with
our employers, and a policeman was in waiting in the outer office. In
reply to a query, I said that my brother would be there in a few
minutes--in fact, before the words were well spoken Fred walked in.
Mr Ranee, senior, motioned to him to walk into the private office; and,
seeing that something was wrong, and oppressed by an undefined dread, I
followed him, for no attempt was made to exclude me.
"Mr Gordon," said our employer, "I wish to be frank and straightforward
with you, and if in any way I hurt your feelings this morning, prove
your innocence, and I will ask your forgiveness. We find that two
hundred and fifty pounds are missing from the safe, all in notes."
I started, and looked at Fred, who seemed confounded; for, like myself,
he was aware of there being a heavy sum deposited in the safe ready for
banking that morning, the greater part having been received on the
previous evening after banking hours.
"I know nothing of it, Mr Ranee," said Fred, recovering himself, and
speaking in a haughty tone.
"You see, Mr Gordon," said our employer, "my brother and I are
compelled to make diligent search for the culprit, whoever he may be,
and I sincerely trust that it may not be one who has enjoyed our
confidence."
"I trust not, sir," said Fred, shortly, and in the glance which he
directed at French I saw he suspected that a trap had been laid for him;
but the senior clerk would not meet his gaze, for he kept his eyes fixed
upon Mr Ranee.
"Did you exchange a five-pound note last night?" said Mr Ranee.
"I did," said Fred, "in a payment I made to Mr Wilson."
"Ask Mr Wilson to step in," said our employer.
It was evident that the matter had been gone into before; for Mr
Wilson, a draper in the town, was in the partners' room, and made his
appearance directly.
"You received a five-pound note of Mr Frederick Gordon last night?"
said Mr Ranee.
Mr Wilson nodded acquiescence, and then stood wiping his hands upon his
pocket-handkerchief.
"Certain?--are you certain? and have you the note, Mr Wilson?"
That gentleman nodded again, and tapped his breast pocket, as much as to
say, "here it is."
"Pray where did you obtain that note, Mr Gordon?" said our employer.
"It was a part of my salary paid to me a fortnight since."
Mr Ranee turned and asked the draper to produce the note.
"Is that the note, Mr Gordon?"
"Yes, that's it," said Fred, "there's my name upon the back."
Mr Ranee then fetched his private cash-book, and showed him that it was
one of the notes received the day before; for there was the number, in
company with that of all the other notes, duly entered.
Fred immediately pulled out his pocket-book from the breast of his coat,
which he had not yet had time to change, though his custom was to wear
an old coat in the office, and leave the other hanging upon a peg
against the wall.
"I have here another of the notes you paid me, sir," he said, passing it
over to his employer, who took it, examined it, and then compared the
number with one of those in his book. He then shook his head ominously.
"This is not one of the notes that I paid you, Mr Gordon; this is one
of those missing from the safe. I am grieved, deeply grieved, Mr
French, to find that your suspicions are so far verified; and therefore
a search must be made."
"Search! what? where?" exclaimed Fred, turning pale. "Not my home--my
place--think, Mr Ranee--my wife--the shock--"
Fred stopped short, for just then he caught the eye of French, and,
setting his teeth, he remained silent.
I went up to him and took his hand, but he did not speak, for I could
see that he was trying to concentrate his thoughts upon the matter, and
endeavouring to solve the mystery. We both felt that we knew the hand
that was dealing the blow, but the question was how to parry the
assault.
Just then French and the policeman left the office together, and Fred
would have followed, but was told that he must not leave the house.
"But you will at least follow and see that the feelings of my wife are
not outraged, Mr Ranee," cried Fred.
Mr Ranee made a sign to his brother, who followed the policeman and
French, and then we sat together in silence for quite two hours,
listening to the ticking of the great office clock.
But the party returned at length with the policeman, carrying Annie's
rosewood desk beneath his arm; while close behind came Annie herself,
looking dreadfully agitated; and Mr Ranee, junior, with a pitying
expression of countenance, supported her upon his arm.
Fred started as he saw the desk, which was a present he had made to
Annie before their marriage. It was placed upon the table amidst an
ominous silence, and then the policeman turned the key, the lock flying
open with a sharp, loud snap, which made all present start; and then
with his clumsy fingers the man opened one compartment, fumbled at a
spring for a while, but could make nothing of it till French leaned over
and pressed it with his hand, when one of those so-called concealed
drawers flew out, and there lay a bundle of clean, white-looking bank
notes, which, upon being compared with the numbers in the ledger, proved
to be those stolen, minus the two already produced.
For a few moments there was silence, for Fred sat perfectly astounded;
but he was recalled to himself by the nod Mr Ranee gave to the
constable, who motioned to my brother to follow him.
Fred turned towards French, and in that one brief glance there was
combined such contempt, scorn, and penetration of the device, that the
senior clerk's look of gratified malice sank before it, and he turned
pale.
But I had no time to observe more; for, stretching out her hands towards
her husband, Annie uttered a wild cry of despair, and would have fallen
if I had not caught her in my arms.
As poor Annie tottered towards her husband, French darted forward to
catch her; but all the calm disdain seemed to leave my brother in an
instant, as with one bound he leaped across the office, and had his
enemy by the throat, and before the constable or the astonished partners
could interpose, French was lying stunned and bleeding upon the floor,
with a gash upon his forehead caused by its striking against the heavy
iron fender.
"Take her home, Harry," Fred whispered to me in a hoarse voice. "I'd
have his life sooner than he should lay a finger upon her." Then giving
one fond look at the inanimate form I held, he walked to the office
door, and accompanied the constable to the station.
While efforts were being made to revive French, I obtained the
assistance of one of the porters, who fetched a fly, and I soon had the
poor distracted girl at home, and then darted off to the station, where,
after conferring with my poor brother, I made arrangements with a couple
of relatives to be bail for him. This done, I found that one of the
magistrates was coming down to hear the case and remand it till the
petty sessions on the following Wednesday; but upon fully understanding
the magnitude of the charge, he declined to accept bail upon his own
responsibility, and poor Fred had to remain in one of the station cells.
"Cheer up, Harry," he cried, on parting from me; "be a man. The truth
will out, my boy. Don't let my poor girl despair."
Poor Annie! It was a sad shock for her; and in spite of my
determination to support her in her trouble, I felt helpless as a child.
The platitudes I whispered fell upon heedless ears, and for hours she
would lie with her head upon my aunt's shoulder, often sobbing
hysterically, while her work lay neglected upon the table, and I, with
boyish curiosity, gazed upon the preparations she had been making.
But it was a time for action with me, and my brain felt almost in a
whirl of excitement. Fred now took me fully into his confidence, and
kind as he had always been, yet now he treated me as though I were a man
and his peer; and in spite of the trouble we were in, there was a
certain charm in all this, and I could not but feel pleased with the
importance that now attached to me. First there was conferring with our
friends, then visiting poor Annie, then taking notes or messages from
Fred to his solicitor; so that for me--and I fear for me only--the time
passed rapidly.
Early on the following morning I received a note from the office,
requesting that I would abstain from attending during the examinations
then in progress,--a _conge_ I was only too glad to receive, for the
time, though I felt convinced that before long we should both return in
triumph.
Upon comparing notes with my brother, I found that we were both of the
same way of thinking, that it was a plot hatched by French; but the
difficulty was to prove this to our employers, who knew nothing of the
coldness previously existing between their clerks.
At last the petty sessions were held. The evidence given was of a most
conclusive character, and in spite of his previous life, and the enmity
proved to have existed between French and my brother, he was committed
for trial--heavy bail being taken.
I walked home with Fred that afternoon, but soon left him, for Annie was
in sore need of consolation. She blamed herself as the sole cause of
all the trouble, through perhaps inadvertently giving some pretext for
the advances of French. But, poor girl! she was as pure in thought as
her blest spirit; and yet she could not be made to think herself
blameless. I can almost see her now, pale, weeping, and anxious, with
every nerve unstrung; and it was only by a great effort of mind that
Fred was able at such a time to speak cheeringly.
The interval between the day of committal and the assize was but short,
and I could see how anxiously Fred looked forward to a termination of
the suspense. I could not get him to look upon the bright side of the
question, but he talked long and earnestly as to my duties and prospects
if he should be found guilty--telling me that he left to me the sacred
charge of caring for his wife.
"And, Harry," he whispered, "beware of that villain."
We talked over again and again the circumstances of the case; the notes
in his pocket could easily have been changed; but we could detect no
means by which access had been obtained to the desk, which always stood
locked, upon the drawers in their bedroom. Once only a shade seemed to
cross Fred's mind--a horrible suspicion--but a glance at his wife
dispelled it, and I left him directly after kneeling at her feet.
He told me of it the next day that for a moment he had suspected Annie,
"But it must have been a demon that prompted the thought, Harry, for she
is as pure as the angels in heaven. It is a base plot--a diabolical
plot--to ruin me and my happiness at the same time; to send me to the
hulks with a vile jealousy gnawing at my heart, or he would never have
chosen her desk to hide them there."
Wearied out with conjecturing, we always arrived at the same
conclusion--that it was a mystery; and one that time alone would reveal.
Every preparation was made for the defence, and a barrister, well-known
for his ability, was retained.
But it was all in vain. The trial came on with many others--
sheep-stealing, poaching, assaults, and petty thefts; and at last, in
spite of a most able defence by our counsel, the jury almost immediately
returned a verdict of guilty. Then came a long homily from the judge
respecting breach of confidence, advantages of education, ingratitude to
indulgent masters, concluding with the sentence to fourteen years
transportation.
Fred did not move a muscle, but stood as he had stood throughout the
trial, erect, and with the proud consciousness of innocence written upon
his brow. He beckoned to his solicitor, and begged of him to thank the
barrister for his able defence; and then turned to leave the dock,
returning the malicious look of French with one of calm scorn.
Just then I saw a piece of paper handed to Fred, who read it, smiled
contemptuously, and crushed it in his hand; but directly after he
smoothed it out, and it was passed to me.