“Gentlemen, pardon me for interrupting, but I must ask your indulgence for a few moments. I wish you would read this article. I am humiliated enough without any further complications or misunderstandings.”
He handed [151] Marcus Donald a copy of the Banner. Donald adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles and read aloud the entire article, “Two Western Towns.” When he had concluded, Vance turned toward Winthrop.
“Why, yes,” said Winthrop, “but how is this?” said he, picking up the paper. “The Butte City papers published only that part of the article referring to Waterville; but how came you to write such a letter at all, Mr. Gilder? You certainly know there is not a syllable of truth in it from beginning to finish.”
Vance looked first at Winthrop and then at Donald, [152] and replied, “I did not write it.” He then proceeded to give them a history of his dismissal.
“This was written,” tapping the paper with the back of his hand, “evidently to counteract the influence and effect of what I had written the week before.”
“Of course that puts it in a different light,” said Donald, rising and extending his hand to Vance. “I could not believe it possible that you, Mr. Gilder, could be guilty of writing such a libelous article as this is.”
Winthrop also accepted the explanation as eminently satisfactory, and sympathized with Vance in the loss of his position on the great New York daily.
“It has completely killed the lot selling business for me in Butte City,” said he, “but fortunately for us, we have made some very excellent sales during the past few weeks, and the Town Company’ has sufficient money in the treasury to pay all its debts, and the last obligation will be paid off before twelve o’clock to-day.”
“Yes,” said Marcus Donald, “they will all be paid off, but it will leave the treasury in a depleted condition; but the future, I believe, is all right. I hope you will not lose faith, Mr. Gilder, in Waterville’s prospects.”
“No,” said Vance, “I have unbounded faith in Waterville, but I would like very much to have the Town Company, if possible, return the $2,500 which I invested for my New York friends. It would save me much embarrassment if I could return them their money’. They doubtless know I have been dismissed from the force, and have read this last article, which puts an entirely’ different coloring on this western country’ from what I represented.”