Storyteller.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 28, 7 October 1893, Page 13

Storyteller.

GODFREY DENYER’S PENANCE

When young Godfrey Denyer repudiated his signature to a cheque for a large amount, drawn in favour of his friend, Captain Wrake, he did not for a moment anticipate the_ serious consequence which ensued. His object was simply to gain time to arrange matters "with tlie captain, for the truth was that he had not the money to meet his draft. He was so extremely inexperienced and unbusinesslike that lie did not imagine for an instant that Ms hankers had any cause of complaint in the matter. He thought they would simply return the cheque to Captain Wrake’s agents, with an intimation that there was an informality in it. And he was so staggered and horrified by the amount of the cheque, that he eagerly adopted the suggestion of the clerk who waited upon him from the bank, that the signature was a forgery, by way of temporarily extricating himself from embarrassment. To an ordinary observer there certainly seemed something wrong about the signature, but Godfrey Denyer, bearing in mind the state he was in when he wrote the cheque, was not surprised that his handwriting should have been eccentric. The transaction took place at a supper-party at Captain _ Wrake’s rooms a few nights previously, on which occasion young Denyer dimly recollected having played recklessly at cai’ds for high stakes, but as to what he had lost, and even how he had found his way home afterwards, his memory was a perfect blank. Godfrey Denyer was a very foolish young man. He was, in fact, one of those & vain, weakminded youths whose chief ambition is to lead the life of a fast young man about town. Unfortunately, he had no near relations to interfere with his tastes and pursuits, while a small fortune which he had inherited on attaining his majority enabled him for a brief period to indulge in every folly and extravagance. Hut he was not naturally either vicious or profligate, though he aspired to be taken as so, and consequently the idea of having incurred a debt of honour which he was unable to pay, filled him with dismay. When the hank clerk had left, taking the fatal cheque away, Godfrey Denyer at once set forth to seek Captain Wrake, feeling deeply distressed and humiliated, but by no means conscious of the heniousness of the lie he had told. Captain ”Wrake was not to be found, either at his chambers or at his club, and after rushing about with feverish anxiety to various places in search of him, young Denyer returned to his own - rooms tired and disheartened, A hansom cab was at the door, and as he entered he ran against a rather pompons elderly gentleman, who at once accosted him. “ Mr Denyer, I believe.” “Yes,” replied Godfrey. “ I must ask you to be good enough to come with me at once,” replied the gentleman whose tone and manner were unpleasantly peremptory ; I am Mr Grantly, the solicitor for Messrs X. and Company, your bankers.” “What for? What do you want with me ?” demanded Godfrey, uneasily, as Mr Grantly led the way to the cab. “ Jump in. I will explain as we go along. I shan’t detain you for many minutes,” said the solicitor, taking him by the arm. Young Denyer entered the cab, and Mr Grantly got in after him, having first given a brief direction to the driver. As they rattled over the stones the solicitor briefly explained that he was going to _ apply for _ a warrant against Captain Wrake in connection with the cheque, as the hank had determined to prosecute. “ Prosecute ! What for ?” exclaimed Godfrey Denyer, startled out of his senses.

“ Forgery. It was a most impudent attempt,” said Mr Grantly, curtly. “But but Captain Wrake is a

friend, of mine,” faltered young Denyer; “everything can be explained.” “He will have, a chance of ing,” said the solicitor in rather an ironical tone ; “ I’m sorry to hear he is a friend of yours. lam afraid you have been keeping bad company, young man.”

Godfrey Denyer was too agitated and confused to continue the conversation. He was not by any means clear as to the purpose of this visit to the police court. The ominous words “prosecute” and “forgery” were ringing in his eax-s, but he was too bewildered to realise their significance, and he felt less apprehension on C<aptain Wrake’s account than on his own. He had a vague suspicion that he had somehow made himself amenable to the law in connection with this wretched cheque, and suspected that the errand on which they were bound had an unpleasantly personal, bearing. His uneasy meditation lasted until they reached their destination, and in a dazed state of mind he obeyed Mr Grantly’s request that ho would follow him. What passed at the police court happened so quickly that he hardly knew what he was doing. To add to his agitation and nervousness, Mr Grantly’s manner was very overbearing, and being a weak-minded lad, ho helplessly did what he was told, without reflecting. He was sworn, and again confronted with the signature to the cheque. For the life of him he could not summon up courage to retract or qualify his original statement, and as a monosyllable was all that was required by way of answer, he found it easier to say “ No ” to the question put to him, than to enter into an explanation. It was not until he found himself alone again, disconsolately wending his way back to his chambers, that it began to dawn upon him how fatally he had committed himself, and how grave a wrong he had done to Captain Wrake. Words would not describe his bitter remorse and mental anguish when he reflected that by a false statement, repeated upon oath, he had put the law in motion against an innocent man. In this predicament his moral cowardice naturally suggested to him to seek safety in flight. He felt that in leaving Captain Wrake to his fate he would be committing a despicable act, which would aggravate his sin ; but on the other-hand he vaguely hoped that his absence would render the prosecution abortive. Mr Grantly had laid such strecs upon the necessity of his holding himself in readiness to give evidence in snpport of the charge as soon as Captain Wrake should be apprehended, that he had some ground for this belief. While his mind was wavering between this ignoble purpose and the manly course of avowing his deceit, an incident happened which afforded him an excuse for adopting the less compromising alternative. In the afternoon he received a visit from a lady who announced that she was Captain Wrake’s wife. She was young and pretty, but shabbily dressed, with a careworn look upon her pale face. Godfrey Denyer was the more startled at beholding her, because, like most of the captain’s friends, he was unaware that he was married. He knew Captain Wrake as a man of pleasure, a gambler, and a profligate, and in the poor wife’s pinched features and thread-bare attire it was easy to read a tale of suffering and neglect. But she had come, nevertheless, to plead for her husband, who, it appeared, had already been arrested ; and the sight of her distress and pitiful allusion to her young family touched Godfrey Denyer’s heart and aroused his better nature. “ What can I do for you ? ” he said, summoning up all his fortitude ; “.shall I go at once to the police, and acknowledge the signature ?” “ My lawyer says that would be useless, as you have already denied it upon oath,” sobbed the poor lady; “ but if you would be merciful, and not give evidence against my poor husband ” “ I will not. I will leave London at once,” he interrupted,

eagerly, with a strange feeling of relief. , “Heaven bless you !” cried his friend’s wife, impulsively, seizing his hand and kissing it. But Godfrey Denyer hastily drew his band away, for the spot she had hissed seemed to burn like fire. A tingling sensation of shame and unworthiness took possession of him, so that he fairly fled from the room. When Mrs Wrake had left he lost no time in making preparations for his departure. Having packed up a portmanteau —leaving the bulk of his effects to the mercy of the landlady—he went trembling to the bank and drew out the balance which stood to his credit. The same night he reached Liverpool, and next morning sailed for Hew York. G-odfrey Denyer remained in America more than five years, and, owing to one of those singular chances which read like romance and which usually happen to unworthy persons, he was able to lay the foundation of a large fortune. An American fellow-passenger on the voyage out took a great fancy to him and offered him employment in his business. Godfrey Denyer at once entered upon a prosperous career, and developed an unexpected capacity for his new duties. He not only gained the confidence of his employer, but also his affectionate regard, so that he was afforded opportunities for advancement which raiely fall to the lot of a young man. But he was no longer the vain, foolish lad he used to be before he left England. 1 A great change had come over him, which dated from the day when, shortly after his arrival in America, he learnt that Captain Wrake had been found guilty of the charge of forgery and sentenced to a long term of penal servitude. Godfrey Denyer’s absence had availed ao more than the prisoner’s eager protestations of innocence to avert an adverse verdict, for independent persons had sworn to their belief that the signature to the cheque was not in the handwriting of the supposed drawer. The news gave Godfrey a severe and painful shock, and had a sobering effect upon his character. He conceived it to be his duty at least to provide for the necessities of the poor women and innocent children whom he had rendered miserable. He had not the courage to return to England and clear Captain Wrake’s reputation, but short of that he resolved to make every atonement in his power. With this object he devoted himself assiduously to business, and remitted the larger portion of his earnings to a trustworthy agent, who applied the money for Mrs Wrake’s benefit. The poor lady frequently blessed her unknown benefactor, but Godfrey Denyer never dared to disclose his identity, lest the wife of the man he had so cruelly wronged should spurn his gifts, and thus deprive him of the small consolation of helping her. At length he was informed that Captain Wrake would shortly be set at liberty, and he then resolved to carry into execution a plan which had been slowly forming in his mind for years past. In spite of the pecuniary sacrifices he had made, he felt that he had by no means atoned for his sin. It was not a question of money, for he was prepared to continue his benefactions and to provide Captain Wrake with funds to make a fresh start in life, if he would accept any favour of him. But his chief purpose was to return to England and to place himself unreservedly in Captain Wrake’s hands. If the captain would accept no apology or compensation, and insisted upon his publicly acknowledging his baseness, Godfrey Denyer ,was determined to do so, regardless of the consequences. This resolution had cost him a severe struggle with his moral cowardness, hut at length he succeeded in summoning up the necessary fortitude for his self-imposed penance. If he secretly hoped that Captain Wrake would be satisfied with some smaller sacrifice, he was nevertheless perfectly sincere in his purpose. He returned to England, looking pre-

maturely aged, with streaks of gray in his hair, though he was barely thirty. But his bearing was calm and resolute, and a shrewd observer" would have guessed at once that he had suffered some great trouble which had darkened his' young life. On the day when Captain Wrake was released from prison, Godfery Denyer sent a request that he would grant him an interview at an inn near the gates of the gaol. He felt deeply agitated at the prospect of finding himself face to face with the mail who must have been cursing him bitterly for years, and who would now be the arbiter of bis fate. But bis firmness did not forsake him, and when Captain Wrake appeared his purpose never wavered. To his amazement the captain bung bis head and accepted his outstretched hand without hesitation, but in a very bumble manner. Godfery could scarcely believe bis senses, and doubted at first whether it was really his former friend that stood before him. It was indeed he, however, thought he, too, bad ag r ed and was much changed in appearance For a moment neither spoke, and then suddenly the captain burst into tears and said in a choked voice : “ Denyer, don’t say a word. I can’t bear it. I—l guess now who has been the saviour of my poor wife and children. What am Ito say to your noble conduct ? You first stand my friend by not appearing against me at the trial, so as to give a poor devil a chance, and then —then yon act as guardian angel to those I have so cruelly wronged And you, of all others, are the person from whom I have the least right to expect kindness.” “ Why?” demandedDenyer,hoarsely, with a wild throbbing at bis heart. “Why! How can you ask? You know my offence,” said the captain, averting bis face- “ Do yon mean —do you mean that you were really guilty,” cried Denyer, with a blessed sense of a load being suddenly lifted from bis mind. “ God forgive me, yes ! I was desperate, your helplessness tempted me, and—and —” The captain paused and bung his bead again, while Godfrey Denyer involuntarily gave a long-drawn sigh of intense relief.—From Truth.