University of Virginia Library

2. CHAPTER II.

The morning after the family scene described
in the last Chapter, Henry Hart was in
his private Counting Room. The door was
closed and the key turned in the lock. He
was walking the floor with a quick, restless
step. His usually placid brow wore a cloud,
and his lips were compressed with energy or
nibbled by his teeth with vexation. At intervals
he would pause before the window and
look out, but with a vacant gaze, as no object
but a lofty brick wall was visible; or he would
cast his eyes upon his green cloth covered table,
where lay a confused pile of papers folded
and torn open, and several letters looking
as if they had just been received, and with a
muttered word or two expressive of mental
suffering to which the sight give rise, clench
his hands forcibly and turn away, and continue
his walk with greater vehemence than before.
At length he stopped full before the table,
took the arm chair and drawing it towards
him sat down. His face was pale; his
eyes cold and hard, and upon his high, bald
forehead stood a large drop of sweat which
some internal anguish had forced through the
pores of the skin. He laid his forehead in his
hand and a deep sigh escaped him. At his
elbow lay an open letter on which his gaze
rested with that hopeless look of despair with
which the victim of the guillotine may be
supposed to contemplate the axe.

`There is no alternative—no other resource,'
he said in a hollow voice, unconsciously speaking
audibly; `I must before three o'clock
this afternoon obtain the money or I am ruined—my
credit is gone and my family beggared!
Never did a merchant open so fatal a
morning's mail as this that lies upon my table.
Losses and ill-adventure have come upon
me from every wind of heaven! And the
intelligence in this letter from Vera Cruz has
put the climax upon my misfortunes. The
ship in which I had invested half of my means,
taken by a party of Mexican Revolutionists
in the very port, rifled of her cargo and lawlessly
converted into a war-vessel; and the
policy of Insurance has expired some days,
and is unrenewed. To this comes two notes
due to-day, one of four and the other of seven
thousand dollars, which must be paid. To
this comes the failure of my speculation in
Indian lands and the utter worthlessness of
the bonds I hold. Of full seventy-two thousand
dollars invested in various ways, I find
I possess not a single dollar. Yet here is my
mercantile firm, who must be maintained. I
have in it, and in property unmortgaged in
the city, say thirty thousand dollars. But my
liabilities are every dollar of my lost investments,
if not more. I cannot owe in notes
less than seventy-five thousand dollars. I am
therefore forty thousand dollars worse than
nothing. I am bankrupt if the world did but
know it. But the world does not know and
shall not know,' he said emphatically. `No
one knows that I am not insured in my Mexican
affair but myself and Creech. That man
must be taken into my confidence. I must
not sink without a struggle. These evils
have come upon me, I have not brought them
upon myself. I will see Creech, and consult
with him!'

He rose, and going to the door unlocked it,
and called in an even tone of voice,

`Mr. Creech!'

He then returned and resumed his place at
the table. The call was responded by a slender,
thin faced man, about forty years of age.
His head was very narrow and very high
above the ears, and the whity yellow hair that
adorned it was cut very short and precise—
Mr. Creech's eye-brows were yellow and very
bushy and he prided himself upon three or four
of the hairs composing each for their length,
being in length full an inch and a half. These
formidable eye-brows shaded a pair of small
lively, weasel-looking eyes, in which always
shone a little sparkling light expressive of vivacity
and cunning. The color of Mr.
Creech's visual organs was a hue between a
light blue and dark grey; a color often found
in some men, but difficult to describe. Men
who have eyes like those of Mr. Creech are
shrewd and dangerons to be trusted. Mr.
Creech's nose was short, quite too short for
his face, which was very long, unreasonably
long. His mouth had no outward sign of

lips. It was a narrow slit in the vast space
between his snip nose and the end of his long,
pointed chin. It opened and shut like an
oyster with as fine an edge. The first Clerk,
for such was the position held by Mr. Creech
in the Commercial House of Mr. Hart was
also a cultivator of whiskers, some of which,
or which we will cut of courtesy, and for want
of another word, call such, graced the sides of
his white face. They were about the size of
his eye-brows, and of the same tarnished yellow
hue. The first clerk had also very large
ears, with which, nature, anticipating his profession,
had kindly furnished him doubtless
for the use he made of them—viz, a sort of
`becket' for pens; four or five of which he
always had sticking above each generous
member. We will finish the portrait of Mr.
Creech by adding a neck, short and thick, in
a white and pink cravat, a white and pink
plaid waistcoat, a brown tonnish coat with
velvet collar, and velvet cuffs, with the corner
of a white pocket handkerchief sticking
out of the pocket; a Gen. Jackson's head in
a breast-pin; a pair of black pants, and boots
with heels of unusual height, and an enormous
seal ring graved with the `Creech Arms'
on his little finger. Mr. Creech never cleaned
his teeth nor kept his nails free from certain
black lines that sometimes adorn the extremities
of those useful appendages.

`Mr. Creech,' said Henry Hart without
raising his eyes.

`Mr. Hart,' answered the first Clerk, with
a first Clerk's smile.

`You may turn the key in the door if you
please.'

Mr. Creech very obligingly complied with
the request, performing the act with as little
noise as he could make, and then he returned
on tip-too towards the table.

`Sit down if you please,' said Mr. Hart.

The first clerk bowed and sat down, fixing
his little ferret eyes upon Mr. Hart as if to
pick out beforehand a little of the matter about
to be touched upon.

`Mr. Creech I have called for you to confide
in you,' said Mr. Hart, speaking after several
counter resolutions in his mind not to entrust
his secret to any one. But his knowledge
of Creech's foresight, tact, and cunning
in business, strengthened his first purpose.
He also knew, or rather suspected, Mr.
Creech not to be very precise in his no
tions of morals; `in a business way,' always

`I shall feel myself honored by your confidence,
Muster Hurt,' answered the first Clerk
who had a habit of giving to a the sound of u.
`I huv often hud yur cunfidence, sir, und I
flutter myself I huv never betray'd it.'

`I have always been satisfied, Mr. Creech,
said Henry Hart blandly. `But the matter I
am now about to confide in you is not an ordinary
business operation.'

Seeing that his employer was silent, and
seemed to be waiting for him to say something,
the first Clerk bowed and said,

`In whutever uffuir it may please you to
entrust to me, whether dumestic ur mercuntile,
I hup you will find me equully wurthy
of your cunfidence.

`The matter is one of the deepest importance
to the interest of the House, Mr. Creech.
It concerns its commercial stability.'

The first Clerk started and looked at his
employer as if uncertain whether he had
rightly understood him.

`Uffecting the credit of the House! Impussible,
Mr. Hurt.'

`Creech,' said Mr. Hart, `I think I understand
your disposition and feelings with reference
to me. You have been long in my employ,
and your interests have, in a manner
been identified with my own.'

`Yes, sir, I huv always lukt ufter your interests,
Mr. Hurt,' answered the first Clerk
with a satisfied manner.

`I think I can assure myself of your co-operation
now.'

`Certainly, sir.'

`Read that letter, Mr. Creech,' said the
merehant, placing in his hands the letter informing
him of the loss of his vessel and cargo.
He eyed him closely as he read it to see the
effect produced upon him.

`This is truly unfortunate—us the voyage
wud huv been immensely prufitable, if it had
been successful, Mr. Hurt. But the insurance
will cover.'

`The Policy is run out.'

`And not renewed by you, sir!'

`No. I meant to have done it to-day.'

`It is not now too late! The uffices dunt
know uf the luss,' said Mr. Creech eagerly.
while his little sparkling eyes, betrayed the
artfulness of his character.

He spake quick and without reflection, for
unprincipled men sometimes do. He was

brought to reflection by the expression of Mr.
Hart's face.

`Would you have me do an act like that
you suggest, sir?' demanded Mr. Hart sternly.

`Pardon me, sir; I was unly regarding your
interests, Mr. Hurt,'

`I see I can trust you, Mr. Creech,' said
the merchant changing his tone. `Listen to
me! I am ruined. This letter is but one of
several that came to me this morning, all containing
bad news. I have not enough property
at this moment to pay all my obligations,
by the sum of forty thousand dollars! You
look astonished. You are aware that my name
is on paper to a very heavy amount.'

`And eleven thousand dollars comes due
to-day.'

`I am aware of it,' answered the merchant,
gloomily pointing to the bank notices that lay
before him. `The ship and cargo is a dead
loss at present. I may obtain something by
way of indemnification from the Mexican Government
by appealing to my own. But the
process would require time. The emergency
is pressing. The proposition you have made,
I frankly confess occurred to me. I am confident
the offices have not the news. But
they will get it, suspect perhaps, and then I
may be detected in taking out a Policy after
the loss.

`But whut cun be done, sir?' asked the
first Clerk with a very heavy countenance;
for he was thinking of his six month's salary
yet due him and of being out of place.

`Your interests are allied with mine—it is
for your benefit to remain with me. My ruin
will affect you.'

`I will do ull I cun, Mr. Hurt, to udvise
you.'

`My plan is this, viz; To carry on business
as if nothing had occurred and all was prosperous,
as it seems to be. To do this, I must
take up these notes due to-day. It is true I
have now no means as a basis, but I have the
credit of my mercantile name, and on this I
will obtain the money. I will continue to do
so until I can see what is likely to be the result.
You must go out and get this money
for me.'

`But they will soon hear of the luss of your
vessel, Mr. Hurt,' said Creech sagaciously.

`True; but no one is aware she was not insured.
The ætna office does not know at this
moment but that I have got a Policy out at
some other.'

`True,' answered Mr. Creech, smiling at
his employer's deep shrewdness. `We cun
burrow un your name, Mr. Hurt, us much
money us we shull wont fur the liubilities of
the next sixty days.'

`Yes. This method is my only present resource.
I rely on your aid, Creech. What
the result will be ultimately I cannot foresee.
It will at least give me time to reflect on future
proceedings. My name must be sustained.
Let these two notes due now be protested,
and to-morrow I could not borrow five
dollars to save my family from the Alms
House.'

`It would be the blow to your ruin, sir.'

`I well know it. They must first be looked
after and paid, and then I can have time to
deleberate before another note day comes
round.'

`Forbes & Co's draft accepted by you for
eight thousand dollars, based on the two hundred
and ten bales of cotton you bought of
them is the next.'

`When does it become due?'

`On the 16th—19th.'

`And this is the ninth.'

`Yes, sir.'

`I cannot be ruined, Creech.'

`It will never do, sir.'

`I wish you to take my note for twelve
thousand dollars, which I will fill out and sign
in a moment to Grace, Frealy & Co., and get
their endorsement; also that of B. Pearce &
Co. I will make the note at sixty days. I
would go myself, but I fear that they might
discover from my countenance, which I cannot
very well command, that all is not right.
You will do better.'

While Mr. Hart was speaking a singular
expression came over the warped features of
the first Clerk. It was a compound of cunning,
power, ambition, and self-gratification.
He looked thoughtful, and assumed a very
humble air.

`You are silent, Mr. Creech.'

`I wus thinking, sir.'

`Well, I hope you will think what is for
your own and my advantage. If I fall you
fall with me.'

`I know it, sir.'

`Something seems to be on your mind

`You just said I must think to my own advantuge,'
ventured the first Clerk.

`Well.'

`I was duing so,' answered Creech a little
more confidentially.

`Out with it,' cried Mr. Hart impatiently,
who saw he had some covert purpose.

`You say you are ruined, sir,' said Creech
boldly, `and these letters prove it. You wish
to sustain your credit awhile lunger un a faith
placed in you by uthers. You desire my ussistunce
and huv mude me your cunfidunt.
You are pleased to say you depend un my couperution
for success.'

`And do you intend to betray this confidence
and trust?' demanded Mr. Hart.

`No, sir.'

`Then why this enumeration?'

`To impress upon your mind your true position
and that which you occupy.'

`You are impertinent, sir.'

`Pardun me, Mr. Hurt I meant-no uffence.
Perhaps I am not so clear as I wish to be. In
a word if you wish to engage me as a party in
a fraudulent trunsuction, you will best secure
your interests and my full co-uperation by
making me a partner.'

`A partner in my House—my mercantile
House do you mean?' repeated the merchant
with surprise and indignation.

`Such wus my meaning, Mr. Hurt,' answered
Creech cooly.

The merchant remained thoughtful a few
moments, rose from his chair and once or
twice walked the room.

`It is well. I will do it. I have no House
unless I can sustain myself. The papers shall
at once be drawn up. But on one condition.'

`Name it.'

`That you negotiate all money matters.'

`I consent.'

`We understand each other, then, Creech,'

`Yes, sir,' answered the new partner with
imperturable coolness. `We are to be partners
in a business based on a fraud, and to
sustain each other in sustaining our House.'

`Yes,' answered the merchant with a feeling
of contempt and shame, not unmingled
with an undefined apprehension of future evil.
But he who prefers crime to poverty must
reap the fruit of the harvest he sows.

The notes in bank were paid by means of
he endorsement of the two firms above named.
The next morning appeared in the papers the
following advertisement: