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To The West, by George Manville Fenn
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Title: To The West
Author: George Manville Fenn
Illustrator: W.J. Morgan
Release Date: May 16, 2007 [EBook #21495]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO THE WEST ***
Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
To The West, by George Manville Fenn.
CHAPTER ONE.
MR. JOHN DEMPSTER.
"What would I do, sir? Why, if I were as poor as you say you are, and couldn't get on here, I'd go abroad."
"But where, sir? where to?"
"Anywhere. Don't ask me. The world's big enough and round enough for you, isn't it?"
"But without means, Mr Dempster?"
"Yes, sir, without means. Work, sir--work. The same as I have done. I pay my poor rate, and I can't afford to help other people. Good morning."
I heard every word uttered as I sat on my stool in the outer office, and I felt as if I could see my employer, short, stout, fierce-looking and grey, frowning at the thin, pale, middle-aged man whom I had ushered in--Mr John Dempster he told me his name was--and who had come to ask for the loan of a little money, as he was in sore distress.
Every word of his appeal hurt me, and I felt, when the words came through the open door, as if I s