The Two Journegs.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1366, 4 July 1872, Page 2

The Two Journegs.

(Concluded from the Times of the 25th June.) 11. Years passed away; and Arthur Sutherland, now a man in his own right, was again a traveller from London to Birmingham, but hy a different mode of conveyance. It was on a dark afternoon in winter that he entered a second-class carriage in Euston-square, and, wrapping around him a railway blanket, and ex changing his hat for a far cap which he took from his pocket, he leaned back in a comfortable corner, and, half closing his eyes, waited patiently the signal for starting. Arthur was in that kind of dreamy mood in which little notice is taken of surrounding objects. He had that same day landed in England, after a long and stormy voyage, and an absence from home of two or three years. Physically, he was well inclined to sleep through the five hours of monotonous dulness which were, for that time at any rate, to wind up his journeying experience ; but, mentally, he was never more wakeful. It might be sufficient tj account for this, that images of home rose up before him, one after another, as he drew near to it, and mingled rather distractingly with the reminiscences of his travels in another hemisphere, and his calculations of profit and loss which might accrue from it; for his had been a commercial enterprise. But there were other thoughts and images which jostled all the rest into a corner, and then combined with them to tantalise his body with the vain hope of needful and refreshing oblivion in sleep. A partner ship in his father's business was in immediate prospect, and a home, and a wife —such a wife, too, as his would be; and so long as he had waited, and so hard as he had striven to overcome one obstacle after another which had arisen to postpone the union, if not absolutely to forbid it, but which had been overcome at last. No wonder that Arthur Sutherland was in a dreamy mood, yet sleepless. So dreamy indeed was he, that he had scarcely noticed, before the train started, two other travellers, who were sharing with him the compartment he had entered ; and when he did perceive that he was not alone, the dim light from the oil lamp in the carriage root told him little more than that the person opposite to him was a man of respectable exterior and of about middle age, and that by his side was a stout something in a bear-skin coat, with breath not free from a strong suspicion of ardent spirits, which made close contact anything but pleasant, and moreover with a voice rough,, grating, and loud. Our friend had travelled too far and long to be very fastidious; but, nevertheless, coming to a speedy conclusion that it would be more agreeable to himself to indulge in his own particular reveried than to hold communication with his fellow-travellers, he settled himself more firmly in his corner, and started off his imagination afresh into the cloudlaud of the happy future. Miles and miles the train sped along the iron road, and many stations were passed. Meanwhile, the dreamy traveller became gradually aware that a conversation, apparently of some interest to his companions, was passing between them ; and as his ears were not altogether closed against earthly sounds, he caught up insensibly some scraps of intelligence relating to events which, though commonplace enough at that particular time, had to him an air of novelty. He heard,, for instance, of princely fortunes which had been run up in an inconceivably short &Da.ce of time in the railway shurs ma.r-

ket; of the mad excitement which had attended the blowing up of the big bubble ; of the tricks and schemes of knowing onesin buying in and selling out, in starting illusory schemes and making profitable merchandise of human folly; of the bursting: of the bubble at last, and the ruin of hundreds, who in making ha9te to be rich hadi lost the substance for the shadow, and. pierced themselves through with many sorrows; and of the distrust which recent disclosures had spread through every; commercial circle. " I don't like it —I never did like thissort of wholesale gambling," said the gentleman in the opposite corner - r " and they are scarcely to be pitied who havegot their fingers well bitten by putting them into the trap. Their families, to be sure, will have to suffer —that's the worst of it."

" Ab, well, Mr Smith," retorted the man with the loud voice and bearskin coat, who sat by Arthur's side, "I can't say but what there has been a good deal of knavery at the bottom of it all; but if people will be cheated, let 'em, I say. I shouldn't have thought of hearing yoit run down railroads, however." " I don't run down railroads," said the gentlemaa, in a quiet tone; *• and 1 can only say that I am thankful I have had so much to do with their practical working* as you know, as to leave me neither time nor inclination to play at pitch-and-tos* upon them." " I say," said the wearer of the bearskin coat, in a confidential tone, nudging Arthur's side to attract his attention,, while the train was stopping at a station at which their fellow-traveller had for a. iniuute or two alighted— ** I say, do you know that gent ? " " No, sir," replied Arthur Sutherland,, sleepily. " Ah !" resumed Bearskin, drawing a long breath, " a lucky fellow, that. Why* you must have heard of Smith—Alexander Smith —the great railway man ? " •• No, Ihaveu't," said Arthur:. "I havebeen abroad a good while, and have not been a day in England." "Oh, that accounts for it. You wilL hear about him, then. Well, tnat's he~ Ten or a dozen years ago he was nothing, but a Birmingham mechanic : but some lucky hit he made about railroads gave him a lift, and now they say he's worth no end of money. You should just goand look at his factory—that's all." " Oh," said Arthur Sutherland r and at. the same moment Mr Alexander Smith, re entered the carriage.. " After all, Mr Smith," said the bearskinned traveller,, resuming the conversation, " there is some excitement,, though,, in this gambling, as you call it. There was some fun in it while it lasted* at any rate. And if some lost,, others won; and so 'tis about square." "How many losers to one winner, sir?"' replied Mr Smith, rather sharply. " No, sir, it isn't square, nor anything like, it \, and so it will turn out in the long run. Look at the bankrupt list in every Gazette, and say what you think of that,. sir." "Ah ! " responded the other ' r " things are out of square there, at all events, By the way, another of your nobs is gone, I see —what's his name, in street, 1 mean." " Yes, sir; I am sorry for it. Fifty thousand pounds, they say, and not live shillings iu the pound, nor anything like it; and all goae in this mad, wild-goose chase after railway scrip. And yet it was done so secretly, and he had such a. reputation for wealth, and shrewdness too, that a week ago it was looked upon as one of the firmest houses in Birmingham." There was something in the tone the conversation had taken which arrested the young traveller's attention. The street mentioned was that in which hi* father's business was carried on ; and he felt some curiosity to know which of hi* neighbors was spoken of as Mr What's-his-name. Meanwhile the conversation went on. " Perhaps you have got let in there* Mr Smith ? " " No, sir; not a penny," was. the answer. " Oh, I fancied you might," said Bearskin * " you said you were sorry."' " Well, sir, I suppose it is possible tobe sorry for others as well as for oneV self. I am sorry, too, for these shocksthat are given to commercial confidence i it seems to be coming to that now, that ! everybody will he suspected,, and as niuck

mischief will be done that way as has already been done in another. Besides, I am sorry for Mr Sutherland and his family, for " In a moment Arthur was effectually recalled from his land of dreams; and before Mr Smith could finish the sentence he had begun, he was interrupted by the voice of the hitherto silent traveller. " Excuse me, sir; but did you say that Mr Sutherland " Arthur stopped short there; he could not frame the question that trembled on his lips to his own satisfaction. " It is of Mr Sutherland I was speaking, sir/' replied Mr Smith, mildly. " But not of —that is, you do not mean that there is—that tnere is anything wrong in Mr Sutherland's affairs ? " " It is too well known by this time to be doubted. You have heard that his name was in yesterday's Gazette, and that his place is closed. The common report is that Mr Sutherland has ruined himself by railway transactions, and that he is involved to the amount I have stated." " But not Mr Everard Sutherland ? " said Arthur, with increasing agitation, which all his efforts could not subdue. ** Some other person of the same name, perhaps ; not Mr Everard Sutherland of street ? There must be some mistake." But no: the reply he received precluded all possibility of mistake; and thankful now for the dull light of the railway lamp, the young man, stunned and bewildered by the sudden and unexpected intelligence of bis father's ruin, sank back again into his corner, his pleasant daydreams all dispersed, and in their stead a confused and tangled web of gloomy forebodings. Shortly afterwards the roughcoated man left the train, and Arthur became aware that he was undergoing the scrutinizing gaze of his only remaining companion. Before be could screen himself from this disagreeable examination, the silence was broken. " I am not wroug, I think," said the gentleman whom we have introduced as Mr Smith, " in believing that I address Mr Arthur Sutherland ? " " I am Arthur Sutherland, certainly," replied the young man; but you have the advantage of me, sir. I have never before had the pleasure of meeting Mr Smith, I believe." " Once before, sir, under different circumstances rather; but that is of no consequence now. I have to apologize, very sincerely I assure you, for the pain I have unintentionally given. I was not at all aware who was my travelling companion when I spoke of "It is of no consequence, sir," said Arthur; "if what you say is true, I must have known it to-night, and a few hours sooner or later makes no difference;" and he again relapsed into a silence from which his fellow-traveller did not attempt to rouse him, until the shrill scream of the engine gave note that the end of the journey was reached. Then Mr Smith again spoke. " One word with you, Mr Sutherland," he said, respectfully : " I am afraid ycu will find matters in a sad state: it seems strange to me that you knew nothing of this before; but, at all events, I have been thinking I may be of some little use to yon ; and if so, here is my card ; come and see me." Arthur mechanically took the offered card, and muttered an acknowledgment of thanks for the proffered kindness : in a few minutes a car was conveying him and his luggage from the railway station to his father's house. "Tell me, Jessy," were almost the first words he uttered, as his sister, in tears of mingled sorrow and gladness, welcomed his arrival, " is what I have heard this night true ? " " Dear Arthur, you have heard nothing too sorrowful to be true. We are ruined." "And our father—what of him, Jessy?" She shook her head mournfully. The toad excitement of a few months, and its results, had brought about an imbecility of both mind and body, painful to witness. '"You are our only hope now, Arthur. Oh! how glad I am you are come back at last." Arthur Sutherland slept little that night. In the news which his sister had confirmed he foresaw the downfall of all the hopes which bad recently shed such a bright halo round the future. The part-

nership would be a partnership in poverty and disgrace, and the matrimonial engagement must end in bitter disappointment. " I am sorry for you, Arthur," said the father of the young lady, the next day, when the young man called on him at his counting-house; " and I must say you have behaved very honorably in coming to me first; but your own good sense will tell you that the connexion ought to be dropped altogether. You know I did not give my consent very willingly at first; and now " There needed nothing more than that emphatic "now;" and Arthur returned home agitated and cast down. The arrival of Arthur Sutherland, however, was very opportune. He had a good report among his father's creditors; and it was known that he had had no share in the errors which bad brought about the failure. His assistance was valuable in winding up the heavy affairs of the bankruptcy; and, with straightforward and honorable frankness, he made his services available to the utmost.

One evening, while the business was yet uncompleted, and after the harrassing duties of the day were over, as he was slowly returning from the counting-house to his father's residence, he was accosted by a gentleman whom he dimly recognised as the companion of his railway journey. " I have been expecting and hoping you would take me at my word, Mr Sutherland, and would have called on me before now. But as you have not, I was just going to find you. Are you disengaged ? If you are, and will allow me, I will walk homewards with you." Arthur took the offered arm. •' And now, what are you doing ? how are you getting on ? But I need scarcely ask you this; for everybody I meet speaks in praise of your disinterested efforts to make the best of this disastrous affair ; and, now I think of what I am saying, I am not sorry you have not been to see me before now." " What is the meaning of this ?" thought Arthur; but he did not speak, aud presently his home was reached. " And now, Mr Sutherland," said Mr Smith, when they were alone, " may I ask what you intend duing when these affairs are finally settled ? " Arthur replied that he had formed no plans for the future. He supposed, however, that a mercantile situation might be obtained. " Your father's business was a good one, I believe, Mr Sutherland ; why not take it into your own hands ? " We shall not report further of the conversation of that evening. Arthur found that, by some means, he had obtained the good-will of a sympathizing and able friend ; and after the interview, which was prol nged to a late hour, the young man enterel the room in which his sister was waiting for him, in a more hopeful frame of mind than he had enjoyed since his re turn home. A few weeks passed away; and then it became known that Arthur Sutherland had entered on the business which his father had been compelled to relinquish, with all the advantages of an enlarged and profitable foreign trade which he had been the means of opening. He made no mystery of the fact that the unsolicited assistance of Mr Smith had enabled him to take this step; and when this was explained all the wonder ceased; for the large hearted, open-handed, but sometimes eccentric liberality of that gentleman was no secret. Nevertheless, there was a mystery which tor months after wards remained uncleared; aud we hasten on to its disclosure, leaving it to the imagination of those of our readers who think that a story of ups and downs is by no means complete if it does not end with a wedding, to guess for themselves how Arthur Sutherland again wooed, and finally won the lady of his choice. ** There was a wedding, then ? " Yes, a very quiet, modest affair indeed, ma'am; not at all such a one as you would approve, if you are in any way given to romantic musings. But there was a wedding, and that is something; and a few wedding visit 3 were paid, and in due time returned. " You never saw Mrs Smith before, do you say, Mr Sutherland ? " It was in Mr Smith's drawing-room that this fragment of a conversation passed. " Never before she did us the honor to call the other day. Never, at least, that I can remember."

" Look again Mr Sutherland; are you quite sure ? And this girl "■ —laying his hand on his eldest daughter—" have you never seen her before ? " Arthur was puzzled by the tone of the speaker ; but he repeated the assurance that if he had ever had that pleasure, his memory played him false. " Perhaps you will refresh our friend's memory, Edith," said Mr Smith to his wife. "Do you not remember," asked the lady, in a soft, gentle voice, " a dreadful storm, on a July night, many years ago ; and travelling from London on the coach, and a poor young woman lightly clad, with an infant ia her arms, a fellowpassenger ? " " Yes, yes, I certainly remember that —all that," said Arthur, eagerly, for the truth at once flashed on his mind. " And the poor woman's foolish alarm? and the harshness of the coach proprietor, who would have turned her out of the coach ? and how it was he did not do it?" " And that young woman's husband, Mr Sutherland," continued Mr Smith, " who told you he would find means of repaying the kindness which was shown without expectation of reward or thanks ? Have you never happened to meet with bim since in your travels? Tell him, Edith, what you know about it." *'/ am that poor woman," said Edith. It was even so ; the seed of a little kindness, sown years before, had sprung up and borne this goodly fruit. The bread cast upon the waters had returned after many days.