[figure description] Page 359.[end figure description]

THERE is no need that we should follow the two friends
and listen to the narrative of the one and witness the grief
and amazement of the other. Horror-struck at the dreadful
crime of the Tucks, John could think of nothing at first
but the shame and disgrace that must attach to himself from
his having been associated with the brothers in business; and
his first impulse was to screen them from exposure as much
for his own sake as for theirs. The world only knew him as
their partner and brother-in-law, and how should he free himself
from the suspicion of having been polluted by his close
connexion with them. He shuddered at the thought, even,
of suspicion attaching to his name. He had kept it unsullied,
and he meant for the sake of him from whom he received it
without a blemish or a stain, to preserve it pure while he
lived. Disgrace appeared to him a thousand times more
terrible than death; he knew how sensitive his father had been
on the score of integrity and mercantile honor, and he had a
feverish fear of being suspected of unfair dealing in the
smallest trifle. Although conscious of his upright intentions, he
had, perhaps, too little reliance on his own integrity and
feared too much the appearance of evil. As to seeing the
brothers again, he felt it was impossible; the thought of meeting
them or their mother completely unnerved him and he

[figure description] Page 360.[end figure description]

resolved never again to hold intercourse with them in any
manner. After some discussion with Jeremiah, he at last
determined to endeavor to bribe Mr. Jacobs to silence that the
brothers might have time to escape. Unhappily it was an
emergency in which they could not ask advice, or they might
have been cautioned against pursuing a course that would be
attended with so much difficulty and peril to themselves.
In pursuance of this plan, however, Jeremiah started immediately
for the prison to make overtures to Mr. Jacobs, and
John agreed to remain in his chamber until he returned to
report the success of his negotiation.

In the mean time, Tom Tuck was working out his own
destruction, and bringing ruin on the heads of those who
were periling their lives for his sake.

The firm of Madder & Co. had agreed not to offer the
notes of Tremlett & Tucks, with the endorsement of Mr.
Kittle, at Bank, and the financier in making this stipulation,
supposed that he had a sure warrant of their being
kept in the hands of that firm, for he knew them to be exact
and conscientious merchants, and by the term “offering at
Bank,” he meant offering them for discount in any manner;
and he thought that he was so understood. But the managing
partner of the house of Madder & Co., like other merchants,
was satisfied if he kept to the letter of his agreement,
which, it must be owned, is the only safe rule for a merchant,
and being in want of money he did not scruple to offer the
notes for sale to the Brothers Mildmen. Mr. Teunis Mildmen
had been tempted by the very liberal offer of Fred Tuck, to
discount some of that young gentleman's renewed notes, with
his own private funds, unknown, even to his brother Peter;
although he had reported the sale as to a third party; and
when Mr. Madder brought in the note of Tremlett & Tucks,
with the endorsement of Mr. Kittle, he became dreadfully
alarmed, for that prudent grocer had but a few moments before
returned three of Fred's notes with orders for them to be

[figure description] Page 361.[end figure description]

sold at any sacrifice. Mr. Mildmen perceived at once that
there must be something amiss in regard to the endorsement
of Mr. Kittle, and in strict obedience to his instincts, although
directly opposed to his professions and principles, he resolved
to get rid of his own notes first, and then save his employers
if he could. Brother Peter was confined to his room with an
attack of gout, but Mr. Teunis was fully equal to his position.
He had not the slightest doubt that the endorsement of Mr. Kittle
was a forgery, and he thought that by hinting as much to
John Tremlett, and promising to keep it secret, he might induce
him to repay the money which he had given for Fred's
note. But in this he was disappointed, as we have already
seen; and, in fact, the coolness with which John had received
his hints, led him to believe that his suspicions were unfounded.
But to satisfy himself, he showed the notes to Mr. Kittle,
who pronounced his signature a forgery. The old gentleman
was still inflamed with anger against John, and swore that
he would cause him to be immediately arrested; but Mr.
Mildmen knowing that such a course would endanger the
payment of the note which he held, prevailed upon him to
restrain his passions and allow him to try to get some security
from the firm before he made the arrest. Mr. Kittle reluctantly
consented and the broker hastened back to the office of
Tremlett & Tucks, where he found Tom Tuck alone, and
without much delicacy of expression accused him of uttering
forged notes, and told him that unless a certain sum of money
were paid on the spot, a complaint should be lodged against
him.

The financier heard the accusation without other emotions
than such as were perfectly natural to indignant innocence.
He swore in the most solemn manner that the notes had been
brought to him by his partner with the endorsement of Mr.
Kittle, and that believing them to have been properly obtained,
he had asked no farther questions about them; and to substantiate
his own assertions he referred to Messrs. Madder & Co.

[figure description] Page 362.[end figure description]

who stated that the notes were brought to them by the
senior partner of the firm. Mr. Kittle also stated that John
had called upon him and tried to procure his endorsement.
These facts, when put together, seemed to confirm the statement
of Tom Tuck, and fasten the guilt of forgery upon John,
but Fred Tuck coming into the office while the broker and
Mr. Kittle were in conference with the financier, unhesitatingly
swore to all his brother had said, and to manifest his
abhorrence of his partner's crime, insisted on his being immediately
arrested. The financier made a solemn promise
that the claims of Mr. Kittle and Mr. Mildmen should be secured
the next day, and though he entreated that his partner
might not be arrested, confessed that his crime deserved the
utmost rigor of the law.

But Mr. Mildmen, having, as he thought, secured the payment
of his claim, felt extremely loth that so dangerous a
person as John should be allowed to roam at large through
the world, and he insisted on having him arrested without
delay; Mr. Kittle also had so keen a sense of his obligations
to society, that he refused to listen to any delay. The senior
partner of the firm of Madder & Co. was sent for and informed
of the forgery, and he confirmed the suspicion of
John's guilt by stating that himself and his partner had noticed
a very strange expression in the young gentleman's face
when he delivered the notes, and that he trembled and looked
pale when he took them from his pocket. Indeed, Mr. Madder
was so entirely convinced of the innocence of the Tucks,
and that they had suffered from an unworthy partner that he
consented to hold to his sale of the coffee, and allow them to
secure the payment of their notes at their leisure. He then
proceeded to the office of a magistrate, accompanied by Mr.
Mildmen, to procure a warrant for John's arrest, after which
Mr. Kittle and the brothers were to accompany them, to aid,
if necessary, in securing him.

Not satisfied with the harm they were doing to their

[figure description] Page 363.[end figure description]

innocent partner, the Tucks persuaded Mr. Madder to include
Jeremiah in their complaint, for they knew that he would be
very likely to frustrate their ultimate plans if he were left at
liberty. It so happened that just as they were about to leave
the magistrate's office with the warrant, Jeremiah passed
by on his way to the prison. Tom Tuck saw him and
dispatched an officer after him with orders to keep him until
they returned with John, that they might be both examined
together. This was an exceedingly unfortunate move for the
Tucks; for Mr. Jacobs, having been in a state of great uncertainty
as to the proper course for him to pursue in regard
to them ever since he had discovered that Jeremiah had been
released, had just resolved to make a confession of his crime,
partly out of revenge and partly through fear; and had sent
for the keeper of the prison for that purpose. But had Jeremiah
been allowed to proceed on his benevolent errand, he
would have arrived in time to have prevented the unfortunate
disclosure. But affairs were differently ordered. Mr.
Jacobs made a full confession to the keeper of the prison,
who lost no time in making the matter known to the district
attorney, and that indefatigable officer was not long in deciding
upon his proper course of action.

Mr. Madder and Mr. Mildmen proceeded in a cab to the
house of Mrs. Tuck where they were joined by the two
brothers in their own carriage, who took up Mr. Kittle on
their way and they all proceeded to John's house together.

They found him in the hall pacing the floor with impatient
strides, and his countenance wore a pale and haggard look,
such as it had never worn before. He was hardly startled at
sight of his visiters, although he shuddered when he saw his
partners.

“Poor fellow,” whispered Mr. Madder to Tom Tuck, “he
evidently knows what we have come for.”

“Sit down gentlemen,” said John, “sit down;” but he
averted his face from the brothers, for the sight of them

[figure description] Page 364.[end figure description]

chilled his blood, “I would I could have been spared this
painful scene.”

“It's too late to hope now,” growled Mr. Kittle, “you
should have thought of this sooner.

“I did not intend it,” replied John, “but the bungling of
Jeremiah I suppose has imposed it upon me.”

“Don't try to put your faults upon other people,” replied
Mr. Kittle.

“That Jeremiah's a deep fellow; it's well we caught him,”
observed Mr. Mildmen in a whisper to Mr. Madder.

“My dear sir,” said John to Mr. Kittle, “I regret that any
harsh words should have passed between us; perhaps I was
too hasty. O, if you knew what cause I had for irritation
you would not think ill of me! I beg your pardon, for what
I said and did;” he reached out his hand to Mr. Kittle, but
the indignant grocer held back his own.

“This is an awkward business, sir,” said Mr. Madder.

“O, it is terrible,” replied John with a shudder, “none of
you can feel it as I do.”

“No, I dare say not,” remarked the broker, with a faint
smile, as he glanced towards the financier, who stood with
his arms folded, quite confounded at the strange dialogue that
was going on.

“What have you done with Jeremiah?” continued John,
speaking at large, for he could not discover who was conducting
the proceedings.

“Jeremiah? O, ah, very true, well, yes,” said the broker,
“Jeremiah is safe; he will be kept at the magistrate's office
until we return.”

“Poor fellow,” said John, “it's a painful duty for him; he
would gladly have avoided it.”

“He might easily have done so,” remarked Mr. Kittle,
“those that sow the wind must reap the whirlwind.”

This ambiguous remark was rather puzzling to John, but
after a whispering between Tom Tuck, the officer and Mr.

[figure description] Page 365.[end figure description]

Madder, he was still more puzzled at a speech of the latter
gentleman.

“The officer is in a hurry to be off,” he said, “and if you
have any little arrangements to make about your family it
will be well for you to attend to them immediately. We
must return to the magistrate's office; he is waiting for us.”

“I have no arrangements to make,” replied John, “and I
beg that I may not detain you, for every moment that you
remain is extremely painful to me; but you must excuse me
from going with you; I can be of no service and my feelings
have been painfully excited already. You must excuse me.”

The gentlemen all exchanged glances, and just the faint
shadow of a smile crossed the features of Mr. Madder.

“Singular remark, that!” said Mr. Kittle.

“Well, yes, rather, I must say I think it is,” said the broker.

“You do not misunderstand me, I take it?” said Mr.
Madder.

“No, no,” replied John, “but, indeed, this matter is too
painful, for me to speak in more definite terms. I feel more
keenly than you can conceive of.”

“Tut, tut,” said Mr. Madder, “this is the merest folly.
We do not doubt the keenness of your feelings; indeed, we
only wonder at your moderation; but we cannot consider feelings
in such a case as this. You have put it out of our power
to exercise our own discretion in the matter. If you want
any legal advice we will send for your lawyer to meet us at
the magistrates, but really you presume too much on our
good nature by obliging us to wait here.”

“I know not what you mean,” replied John, “I have taken
no part in this thing, and my attendance cannot be necessary.
Jeremiah will answer all your purposes; and once more I
assure you that I cannot go with you. Believe me, I am in
earnest.”

“We would not make use of force if it were possible to
avoid it,” replied Mr. Madder, “but you compel us, and the

[figure description] Page 366.[end figure description]

consequences be on your own head. Officer, do your duty!”

“What's the meaning of this? Am I to be treated like a
criminal!” exclaimed John as the officer grasped him by the
collar.

“The meaning of it!” exclaimed the grocer, “the meaning
of it, indeed; ah! my young fellow, it is too late to give
yourself airs now; little did your old father think that you
would ever come to this. The meaning of it, indeed! The
meaning of it is that you have been forging my name; mine,
mine, mine, young man, mine, injuring my credit in Wall
street! and you are caught and must go to prison for it.
Shame on you, you turn an honest man out of your counting-room,
when he civilly asks for his money; yes, you! Ah,
you look astonished; well, well, I hope you will repent of
your roguery.”

“That's a little too hard,” said the broker.

“Do I understand that you have come here to arrest me,
for forgery?”

“I am sorry to say that we have,” replied Mr. Madder
“and although I am willing, for my part, to allow you all
the benefit which your denial of the charge may secure to
you, yet I would advise you as a friend to make a frank confession
of your crime. You will stand better in the estimation
of business men for doing so, I assure you; and it is no
use to deny the charge; the evidence against you is so direct
and positive, that you can have no hope of acquittal. I
received the notes from you myself, Mr. Kittle here says
that you tried to procure his endorsement, and both of your
partners, who came very near being suspected of a participation
in your crime, swear that you brought the notes to them,
and told them that you had procured the endorsements by
paying a commission. It is a very clear case and I see no
possible chance for your escape. I do not wish to give any
distress that can be avoided, for I doubt not that you had no
expectation that any harm would come of the act, but you

[figure description] Page 367.[end figure description]

see how impossible it is to do wrong with impunity. Somebody
must suffer, and it is well when the chief aggressor is
the chief sufferer.”

“Ah, yes indeed, that's the ordering of Providence,” said
Mr. Kittle.

“Do my partners swear as you have said?”

“They do,” replied Mr. Madder.

“O, how can I repel this! Have I no friend among you,
gentlemen? Will either of you believe me? As he turned to
them he burst into tears and exclaimed, “if there is truth
in Heaven, they lie; I am innocent of all knowledge of the
forgery which you say has been committed.”

“Come, come, young man,” cried Mr. Kittle, “don't add to
your fault by perjury. Your partners are well known in this
community as smart fellows.”

“O, O!” ejaculated the broker, quite overcome at the enormity
of the young man's hardness of heart.

“Let him go on,” said the financier “his abuse can do me
no harm, I expect it as a matter of course.”

“So do I,” said Fred with an air of determined resignation,
“but I can endure his abuse so long as all is right here,” and
he put his hand to his heart.

“O, God! O, God!” exclaimed John, “I little dreamed of
this! I see that I am ruined. O, that I should have lived to
be accused of a crime like this. I cannot look upon my
friends in this world again, but those that look upon me from
the other, know that I am innocent. My partners, gentlemen,
have done this thing themselves; it is true that I delivered
the notes myself, but I received them from the financier who
refused to tell me how he had procured them. But, you do
not believe me, I see; it is idle to declare my innocence.
O, it is cruel! cruel! I cannot speak to my partners, I cannot
appeal to them, I have nothing to hope from them; they
are murderers, I dare not look at them; the crime of which

[figure description] Page 368.[end figure description]

they accuse me is a righteous deed compared with that of
which they are guilty.”

“Let me come at the villain,” cried Tom Tuck, while his
brother stood gasping, as if for breath.

“Shame! shame!” cried Mr. Madder, as he held the financier
back, “we must not allow this. You only aggravate
your crime, Mr. Tremlett, by conduct like this; your partners
have already suffered too much from your bad acts.”

“I can wait no longer,” said the officer; “if you wish to
take a valise with you, I will go with you to your chamber
to get it, or you can send for it, but I must go right off.”
“I will not detain you long,” said John, “this will soon be
over. Be so kind as to call my house-keeper. I must see her
before I go.” The officer stepped into the next room and
returned in a moment with Mrs. Swazey.

“O, my dear God, what is the matter?” exclaimed the
housekeeper;

“Mother,” said John, “these gentlemen have come here to
carry me to prison. They say that I have committed a forgery;
but you know that I am innocent, do you not?”

“Know it! Precious sweet, aye; who is it says so? Do
you? do you say it? do you? No, nobody shall say so before
me!”

“Be quiet old lady,” said Mr. Kittle, “I know my own
business.”

“I am innocent, mother, innocent of this crime as my poor
father; and so is Jeremiah; he knows nothing of it; tell me
again, mother, that you believe me innocent.”

“Help me God! my dear God, I know you are. I do
believe it, I know it my precious child!”

“And will you tell Fidelia so, will you tell her I say so,
tell her to believe so, for my sake?”

“Precious, precious soul, I will; but why should I,” sobbed
the old woman.

“Do not weep, I beg of you. There is no need of shedding

[figure description] Page 369.[end figure description]

a tear for me, they cannot harm me. Kiss me mother again.
Now, let me go; God bless you, mother! They are waiting,
O, take her from me, gentlemen, and I will keep you here no
longer. Will you allow me to go to my room one moment,
I will not detain you?”

“I will wait for you at the foot of the stairs,” said the
officer, “but I can't wait long.”

“Thank you, thank you,” and he pressed the officer's hand
and hurried up stairs.

“Remember, it is at your peril,” said the financier.

“I know my duty, sir,” replied the officer.

“Don't be too harsh,” said Mr. Madder, as he wiped his
eyes. And even the broker and Mr. Kittle were obliged to
look out of the window to hide their emotion; but the brothers
stood apart, pale and apparently unmoved by pity.

John's footsteps were heard a moment in the room above
them, but suddenly it was still as though he had sat down.
Mrs. Swazey had retired to her own apartment, and the gentlemen
in the hall looked at each other in silence. It was
awfully still for a few minutes, and the officer began to look
uneasy.

“He is gone a long while,” said Mr. Madder.

“I will hasten him,” said the officer, and he leaped lightly
up the stairs; “we are waiting for you sir,” said the officer
speaking through the key-hole of the chamber door, “we can
wait no longer.” But there was no response. He knocked,
lightly at first, and then louder, but there was still no reply.
“There is something wrong, I am afraid,” said the officer.

“Knock down the door,” said Mr. Kittle, “he may have
fainted.”

“Wait, wait,” said Mr. Madder, “let me speak, perhaps he
will reply to me,” but still there was no response.

“Well, upon my word, it is strange, however; what must
we do, officer?” said Mr. Mildmen.

[figure description] Page 370.[end figure description]

“There is but one way, sir, I must force open the door,”
replied the officer; and after two or three attempts the door
flew open and they all rushed in, but started back with an
exclamation of horror.

“God of Heaven! What a sight!” said Mr. Madder.

Sitting in an arm chair, with his head resting on the side
of the bed on which his father had died, they found the unfortunate
young man with a frightful gash across his throat and a
stream of thick black blood running upon the floor; an open
razor lay on the bed beside him. The wound was very deep,
and he appeared quite dead; but they sent off the officer for a
surgeon and tried to stop the effusion of blood. But their
efforts availed nothing. He was dead.

“Plain proof of his guilt,” said the financier.

“I am by no means sure of that; it strikes me differently;
there has been foul play somewhere,” said Mr. Madder.

“Poor fellow! poor fellow!” said Mr. Mildmen, “what a
rash young man; well, ah, indeed, but its a bad business.”

“I hope he thought nothing of my remarks; for I liked
the young man, after all; I meant nothing,” said Mr. Kittle,
and his carbuncled visage changed to a dismal blueish hue.

“This is too much for us; my brother and I must retire,”
said the financier, “you know where to find us. My poor
mother will be prostrated by this sad news.”

The brothers hurried down stairs together, and leaping
into their carriage, which stood at the door, drove with all
haste to their mother's house. They found her in her dressing
room alone, just prepared to go out to a dinner party.

“My children! my children! What ails you? How
dreadfully pale you are. You tremble, Fred. What has
happened to you? Tell me quick?”

“Ask no questions, I have no time to talk; I am off on a
journey, and you musn't know where,” said Tom.

“My son! my son! you will kill me!”

[figure description] Page 371.[end figure description]

“I cannot help it, I tell you I am off, and you must not
know where.”

“My dear, dear Fred, tell me what has happened, or I shall
die. You will not leave your poor mother!”

“Nothing has happened to speak of, only we are ruined;
it matters not how; it is better for you not to know.”

“O, my children, if you are ruined, if you have failed, don't
let that trouble you. I can get money for you.”

“You can?—O, yes, I dare say.—By stealing, I suppose.”
said the financier.

“Ah, now, my son, how can you say such a word to your
dear mother?”

“Dear mother! yes, you have been a dear mother to me;
and dearly am I paying for you now. Come, don't stop to
cry. Don't you see we are in earnest? If you know of any
way of getting money, let us know it. I am serious. I must
have some money.”

“O, my children, O, my son, if your poor father could
have heard that speech—”

“Will you leave off with your trifling, and if you can help
us to anything, let us know it,” said Tom.

“My dear son; be patient, and you shall know. But don't
reproach your mother, remember that I have lived only for
your sake, and what I am going to tell you was done for
your good—”

“Well, well, let us hear it, then,” said Tom.

“The day that old Mr. Tremlett died,” said Mrs. Tuck, “I
watched by his bedside, and while I was engaged in changing
his pillow, I discovered a small package lying under the
bolster; I had a curiosity to look at it, and being left alone
in the room a few minutes after he died, I slipped it into my
pocket—”

“Stop! stop!” cried Tom, while large drops of sweat ran

[figure description] Page 372.[end figure description]

down his face, “don't tell me it was his will,—don't tell me
that!”

“It was, my son, it was. I have got it now. He bequeathed
all his money, to that bad fellow who robbed us of our Julia,
and our property. I was resolved to be revenged for the
wrong he did us, and I kept it to spite him. But, now that
you are in want of money, my children, you shall have it;
he is your partner and you can, of course, share with him.—”

“O, mother, mother, why did you not tell us of this before!”
said Fred.

“He our partner!” said Tom with a sneer, “he's in Hell;
The will is worth nothing to us, nor to him.”

“O, my son, you affright me, what is it?”

“It is this; he cut his throat not an hour since, and he
now lies drowned in his own blood.”

“O, horror! horror! but do not blame me my son, do not
blame me, it was done for your good; love me still my
children; do not forget that I am your mother.”

“Love you,” said Tom, as he shook his clenched fist at
her. “I hate you! see what you have brought us to. I tell
you I hate you. Yes, I am in earnest. You have ruined us,
you have learned us to—. But never mind, you will know
in the end. Love you! I tell you I have not so much love
for you as could fill the space which a needle's point would
occupy on the surface of my heart. Now let me go, I have
no time to waste.”

“Never, never,” shrieked the wretched woman, as she fell
upon his neck, and clasped her arms around him, “never
shall you leave me until you recall those words and tell me
that you love me; never! never! until you tell me that you
forgive me!

“You will strangle me, you will murder me,” exclaimed
Tom as he struggled to free himself from her, “you will

[figure description] Page 373.[end figure description]

repent this; let me go, or you will murder me;” but she
clung to him and shrieked wildly, while Fred sat pale as a
ghost and trembled as though he had been shaken by an
ague.

While this terrible struggle was going on between the
mother and son, the sound of men's feet was heard on the
stairs. The brothers started at the sound.

“Hush! mother! hush you will destroy us,” said Fred,
there was no way of escape, and he crept into a clothes-press
and hid himself beneath a heap of clothes.

“Mother! mother! let me go, I will do anything, I will
promise anything,” cried Tom as he struggled in vain to free
himself from her embrace.

The sound of footsteps approached nearer, the door was
forced open and three men made their appearnce. They
started back at the strange sight that presented itself, but
immediately re-entered.

“You are my prisoner,” said the foremost one.

“For what?” said Tom, haughtily, as he turned upon them,
for his mother had released him as the door opened.

“For murder!” replied the officer, “for murdering your
uncle.”

“O, my son! my son!” shrieked his mother, and fell, as
though she were dead upon the floor.

For the first time the financier was thrown off his guard.
The announcement was so unexpected that it fell upon him
like a stunning blow. He staggered; his eyes glared wildly;
his face turned ashy pale; his tongue was stiff with fright
and he gasped for breath.

The officer, accustomed to distinguish between the evidences
of innocence and crime, which, to the unobserving,
often appear the same, saw with an unfailing instinct that he
was guilty, and fearing some violence on his part, immediately
secured him. “Where is your brother?” demanded the
officer.

[figure description] Page 374.[end figure description]

“Am I my brother's keeper?” replied the financier, helped
no doubt to this little scrap of scripture by the enemy of
men's souls, who has the reputation of making apt quotations
when they can be done to serve his purpose.

But it was not necessary to repeat the question, for the
reply was hardly uttered when the door of the clothes-press
flew open and Fred Tuck rolled out upon the floor; he had
fainted; but a dash of cold water soon restored him and
the brothers were taken to prison, while their mother lay insensible
in the arms of the servants who were striving to
revive her.

Tom preserved a haughty, stern demeanor, and conducted
himself with great dignity and propriety; but Fred set up a
most dismal howling and behaved in a manner altogether
different from what one would have supposed a gentleman
of his elegant tastes and fondness for aesthetics would have
done.

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