Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-12-05

spite of my gentlemsn's attire, flashed
wildly upon my mind; and instead ol
permitting my glib tongue to wsg ir.
lreverently in the presence of a righi
honorable, l bowed with deferentisl &C
quiescence.
Her lsdyship proceeded. and 1. in
substance, received the following in
formation:
Mr.. Charles Merton, during the few
months which had elapsed, had very
literally fallen "amoug thieves" A
passion for gambling seemed to have
taken possession of his being; and al
most every day, as well as night of bis
haggard, feverish life, was spent al
play. A run of i'll luck, according to
his own belief--but in very truth q
run of downright robbery-had set in
against him. and he had, not only dis
sipated all the ready money which he
Inherited and the large sums which the
foolish indulgence of bis mother had
supplied him with, but had involved him
self in bonds, bills and other obliga-
tions, TO a frigbtful amount. The
principal agent in effectIng this ruin was
one Sanford-a man Of dashing exte-
rior, and the pres;d ding spirit of the
desperadees whom l was commissioned
to hunt out. Strange to say Mr.. Mer-
ton had the blindest reliance upon this
man of honor; and even now-tricked,
despoiled as he had been by him and
his gang-relied on his council and as
sistance for his escape from the desper-
ate position in which he was involved.
The Everton estate had passed, in
default Of male issue, to distant rela-
tive of the late lord; so that ruin, abso-
lutte and irredeemable, stared both the
wretched dupe and bis relatives in the
face. Lady Everton's jointure was not
very large one, and her son had been
permitted to squander sums which
should have been devoted to the dis
charge Of some claims which were now
pressed harshly against her.
listened with the deepest interest
to Lady Everton's narrative. Repeat
edly during the course Of it, as she in
cidentally alluded to the manner and
appearance of Sanford, who had been
introduced by Mr.. Merton to his mother
and sister, a suspicion, which the police
papers had first awakened, that the
gentleman in question was an old ac-
quaintance of mine, and one, moreover,
whose favors / was extremely desirous
to return in kind, flashed with increas-
ing conviction across my mind. This
surmise /, Of course, kept 10 myself
and after emphaticslly cautioning the
ladies to keep our proceedings pro-
found secret from Mr.. Merton, took
my leave, amply provided with the re-
sources requisite for carrying into effect
the scheme 1 had resolved upon. l
also arranged that instead Of waiting
personally on her ladyship, which might
excite observation and suspicion, l
should report my progress BY letter
through the post.
"If it should be hel" thought 1, as
1 emerged into the street. The bare
supposiiion had sent the blood whirliug
through my veins with furious violence.
"If this Sanford be, as suspect, that
villain Carbon, it will indeed be tri-
umph-victoryl Lady Everton need
not, in that case, seek to animate my
zeal by any promise of money recon-
pense. A blighted existence, a young
and gentle wife by his means cast down
from opulence to sordid beggary. would
stimulate the dullest craven that ever
crawled the earth, to energy and action.
Pray heaven my suspicious prove cor
rect--and then, oh my enemy, look
well to yourself, for the avenger is at
your heels!'
Sanford, 1 had been instructed, was
usually present at the italian opera
during the ballet; the box he generally
occupied was designated in the memo
randa of the police; and I saw by the
bills that very successful piece was to
be performed that evening, and deter
mined on being present.
I entered the house at ten O'Clock,
Just after the commencement Of the
ballet, and looked around. The box
in which I was instructed to see my
man was empty. The momentary dis
appointment was soon repaid. Five
minutes had not elapsed, when Carbon.
looking more insolently triumphant
than ever, entered arm in arm with a
pale aristocratic looking young man,
whom l had no difficulty. from bis
striking resemblance to portrait in La
dy Everton's drawing-rooms, in deci-
ding 10 be Merton.
Ny course of action was at once de-
terpined upon. Psusing only to mas
ter the emotion which the sight Of the
glittering reptile in whose poisonous
folds l had been involved and crushed,
inspired, / passed to the opposite side
of the house, and boldly entered the
box. Gardens back was toward me.
and 1 tapped him on the shoulder. He
turned quickly round-and if basilisk
4 had confronted him, be could scarcely
have exhibited greater surprise. My
aspect nevertheless, studiously bland
and conciliatory, and my outstretched
hand seemed to invite renewal Of our
friendship.
4 "Watersl" he at last stammered,
1 feebly accepting my proffered grasp
who would thought of meeting you
tberef"