University of Virginia Library

19. CHAPTER XIX.
THE TRIAL AND THE JUDGMENT.

James saw as soon as he entered that the countenance of Mr. Weldon was
changed, and wore a look he had never seen upon it. He feared at once
that some heavy loss had befallen him, the intelligence of which Mr. Morley
had just conveyed to him; and he wished to ask; but there was a sternness
in his benefactor's manner that restrained the impulse. Grieved that any
thing should have happened to produce such an air of unhappiness in him,
James resumed his seat at the table, expecting each moment when Mr. Weldon
would make known to him what it was that had disturbed him.

The merchant continued walking up and down the little room, his hands
crossed behind him, his brow depressed and stern, and his whole manner indicative
of painful thought. He had not raised his eyes to look at James,
but, as if unconscious that he had entered, he continued for at least three
minutes pacing the apartment by the side of the table. In one of his hands
he held firmly grasped the papers which the cashier had left with him.

He had seen James enter, and had observed his looks of sympathy and
surprise. But he knew not yet how to speak. The proofs of his guilt
seemed conclusive; yet to credit such depravity of one he had so long
known; one so dear to him; one he had placed such confidence in as to
trust for three years past all his financial concerns in his hands; one whom
he was ready to take as a partner into his house; nay, whom he was willing
should, by-and-bye, become the husband of his beloved daughter.

He thought over all the past, and each incident that memory brought up
only served to confirm him in his integrity and honor. He cast his eyes
upon him now as he sat by the table, and asked himself if that calm, serene
countenance was the mask to a depraved heart.

`No, it is impossible!' he exclaimed, almost audibly; `it is impossible, if
he were guilty, and knowing Mr. Morley has been so long closeted with me,
that he could wear so calm an aspect; the only emotion I can discover in
his face seems to be surprise and pain, as if in sympathy with me in some
grief, the source of which he is ignorant of. Yet these papers! This
forged cheek! The whole history of the drafts and deposits! This lad!
This female! If he be guilty, he has the most innocent look that even Satan
wears when he assumes the shape of an angel of light.

`James,' he said, seating himself by the table, and looking him firmly in
the face.

`Sir!' answered James, raising his head from his writing, and fixing upon
him his clear open eyes with attention.

This look almost convinced Mr. Weldon of his innocence. It seemed as
frank and unsuspecting as a child's. But the evidences in his hand forced
their strong proofs upon him, and he continued in the same grave tone:

`Have you any enemies?'

`None in particular that I am aware of, sir?' he answered, with a
tone of surprise; but his thoughts in running over those whom he had ever
known, rested for an instant on Carleton Ellery, and then on Jack Brigs, as
the only enemies he had. `There is the burglar, sir, whom I tried to arrest,
three weeks ago, under the Franklin arch. Jack Brigs! He has always
been an enemy to me.'

`And no other besides do you think of!'

He hesitated about naming Ellery, for he knew that his hositility to him
proceeded from a spirit of rivalry; for James was by no means ignorant
that this young gentleman had addressed Grace, and he well knew that the
haughty frowns he received from him whenever they met in the street, had
their origin in the mortification of a defeat.

`You hesitate,' said Mr. Weldon, serenely, and with a look of suspicion.

`I hesitated from hardly knowing how to reply. Mr. Carlton Ellery, I
have reason to believe, is far from friendly to me.'

`Yes, yes, I can understand. I see that it is likely. But it cannot be
he,' he said to himself. `Have you no enemy of the other sex?'

`Not that I am aware of, sir,' answered James, with very manifest surprise.

Mr. Weldon remained silent. James's answers seemed to be so rational
—so unstudied; and his manner evinced nothing like fear or guilt, but rather
surprise and curiosity to know to what this questioning tended.

`You were at the bank this morning?' said the merchant, fixing his eyes
steadily upon his face.

`Yes, sir.'

`You drew from the bank one thousand dollars?'

`Yes, sir.'

`Yes, for you placed it in my hands when you returned, and I went out
and paid it away. Did you check for any more?'

`For any more?'

`Yes, have you checked for any more?'

`No, sir! I received only that check from you. I was not aware you
wished to draw for more. You did not give another check, sir.'

`No, I did not. But I will give it to you now.'

And Mr. Weldon placed the forged check for twenty-five hundred dollars
that had been sent in the note to the cashier.

`Do you wish me to go to the bank with this, sir?' asked James, looking
it over and preparing to rise from his chair. `But you are aware, sir, that
we have but one hundred dollars on deposit of our own.'

Mr. Weldon fixed his gaze upon the young man long and searchingly.
James answered his penetrating glance by such a look of through surprise
and inquiry, that Mr. Weldon became almost convinced of his entire innocence,
strong as the evidences were against him. `But then,' thought he,
`if he has succeeded so thoroughly in dissembling and deceiving me, he
may do it now. If he has hid all his depravity under an exterior of integrity,
why may he not clothe his features in the apparel of innocence,
when he finds he is suspected? I will restrain my impulse to recognize
him as innocent until I examine him further.

`I know we have no deposits to meet this check,' he answered, quietly, but
severely; his eyes resting upon the young man's countenance so searchingly
that James dropped his own, changed color, and seemed embarrassed as
well as surprised. `But you know that that makes no very material difference.
Mr. Morley is very indulgent, you are aware, and will cash it without
question. He has done so before, you know.'

`I was not aware you had over-checked at the bank,' answered James,
looking at his benefactor with astonishment, and as if revolving in his
thoughts the conjecture whether he was wholly in his right mind.

`Three thousand at one time and a large sum checked for at another,'

pursued Mr. Weldon, with precisely the manner of one who believed him
guilty; and he could hardly divest himself of this impression at moments.
`Mr. Morley is very indulgent. Nice business operations, this over-checking
and re-depositing! Very!

`Sir!' ejaculated the poor young man, utterly confounded.

`Do you approve of a merchant's sending to the bank for twenty-five
hundred dollars when his bank book should tell him he has but one hundred
placed to his credit?'

`No, sir!'

`Yet it may be done.'

`Yes, sir, on an emergency. A cashier who knows the checker to be
safe would not hesitate to cash for the amount drawn, if it was not large,
though he would not fail to notify.'

`But twenty-four hundred dollars is a large sum to over-check for.'

`It is, sir. Yet I will take this check to the bank and present it if you
desire it.'

`Am I in the habit of doing business in this way?'

`No, sir. Hence my surprise.'

`Would you think me sane to do business so loosely?'

James hesitated how to reply. Mr. Weldon's air, looks, tones, and words
had been so unusual, so searching, so mysterious, so significant of some
hidden motive, that he questioned if he had really a sane mind then. There
was, too, an appearance of suspicion in his manner that he keenly felt. Seeing
his response was expected, he answered,

`I should think it a very extraordinary departure, sir, from your ordinary
way of doing business.'

`Do you think Mr. Morley would cash that check?'

`It is doubtful, sir.'

`Suppose you address him a note in my name, making it a particular request
that he should do so,' said the merchant, concentrating his eyes upon
his face.

`Would it not be better, sir, if you desire this amount, to draw a note and
have it discounted. Perhaps, however, you have arranged with the cashier,
who has just been with you, for cashing the check.'

`Oh, no. You had already anticipated me.'

`I, sir.'

`Yes.'

`In what way? Indeed, Mr. Weldon, there is something in this conversation,
and in your manner that gives me exceeding pain and uneasiness,'
he said, earnestly, and with strong emotion, as if he could no longer restrain
his feelings. `Will you explain to me what is upon your thoughts
concerning me or others.'

`Suppose you write a note to Mr. Morley,' answered the merchant, shuting
up his heart and giving himself to the stern duty to which he had nerved
his mind; for he resolved there should not be left one doubt in his own
mind whether of his guilt or of his innocence. He determined that the one
or the other should declare itself.

`If you request it, sir.'

`Look at the check. Do you see any thing peculiar or familiar about it.'

`I discover nothing, sir.'

`No—it is very perfect—very well executed,' answered the merchant,
sternly; for the accuracy with which the signature was executed, the correctness

of the filling up, the little clip, scarcely visible, which was taken
out of the edge—a private mark adopted by Mr. Weldon; and even its
number, so correctly succeeding the true check for one thousand dollars paid
only a quarter of an hour before, all these circumstances forced themselves
npon his mind as James was examining it, and strengthened suspicion almost
to confirmation that James and no other one was the guilty person.

`But this note already written to Mr. Morley will do. You need not
trouble yourself to write another.'

`Mr. Weldon,' said James, rising, `it is really necessary that I should be
informed what it is that has produced this extraordinary change in your
manner towards me. I seem to be subjected to a sort of inquisitorial judgment
without being informed of my offence; for that you are displeased with
me—for that you have a suspicion of me—I cannot fail to perceive, as I
do with regret and anguish. I do not understand you. I am at a loss to
comprehend how I have merited your displeasure, or forfeited your free confidence.
If you have any thing against me, charge me with it. If I have
in my bank operations for you, committed an error, I am ready to repair it,
if you will point it out to me. Something has estranged your heart from
me, and laid me under suspicion. Will you, sir, throw aside this mystery
that envelopes whatever is touching me and I shall be most grateful to you.'

Mr. Weldon listened with emotion. His eyes filled with tears, and he
compressed his mouth and turned away to conceal his feelings. He was
thoroughly impressed with his innocence. But he restrained the impulse
to open to him frankly the whole matter and assure him of his entire belief
in his innocence.

`James, I am pained and deeply grieved at the duty I have taken upon
myself. You are charged with a crime.'

`A crime! I charged with a crime? What? Who?'

`Nay, I do begin to think you must be innocent. But the evidences are
strong against you. Read that letter to Mr. Morley. Is it not your hand-writing?'
he added, placing his finger upon the address.

`It is very much like mine, sir,' answered James, taking the letter in his
trembling fingers; for the sudden charge of guilt had nearly overpowered
him. `Yet, sir, it is not mine. I never wrote to Mr. Morley.'

`Open it and read it!'

Mr. Weldon watched his face closely for some evidence of guilt. The
expression of James's face was that of surprise, horror, indignation. He
ended it—glanced again at the date, then at the signature and the seal—
and looking up met Mr. Weldon's eyes full upon his own.

`The letter enclosed that cheek upon the table for twenty-five hundred
dollars. The check, I need not say, is forged.'

James took it up and looked bewildered from one to the other. At length
with a face as colorless as marble, he said, in a tone singularly calm, his eye
fearlessly yet tearfully encountering the searching gaze of his benefactor,

`Some enemy hath done this.'

`James—James—I believe it—I know it. I am convinced of your innocence.
I have judged you, and you stand acquitted before me. You are
the victim of a conspiracy.'

As he spoke he rushed forward and throwing himself upon James's
shoulder he wept like a child.