Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-01-28


for gambling seemed to have taken pussess.
ION Ell his being and almost every day, as
well as night Of his haggard. feverish life.
was spent at play. A run of Illluck, &C
corcIng to bis own belielf-but in every
truth run of downright robbery-had set
IN against him, and he had, not Only dis
slpated all the ready money which he had
inherited and the large sums which the
foolish indulgence OF his mother had sup>
pied him with, but had involved himself in
bands, bills and other obligations. to a
frightiul amount. The principal agent in
etfecting this ruin was one Sanford-a man
of dashing exterior, and the presiding of
the desperadoes whom ] was commissioned
to hunt out. Strange to say Mr., Merton
had the blindest reliance upon this man of
honor; and even nOw-tricked, despoi ed as
be had been by him and his gang-relied
on his counsel and assistance for his escape
from the desperate position in which he was
involved.
The Evertan estate had passed, in default
of male issue, to distant relative of the
late lord so that ruin, absolute and IRE
deemable, stared both the wretched dupe
and bis relatives in the face Lady Ever
tons JUinture was not very large one, and
her son had been permitted to sauander
sums which should have been devoted to
the discharge of some claims which were
now pressed harshly against her.
l listened with the deepest interest to
Lady Everton's narrative Repeatedly
during the course of it. as she incidentally
alluded to the manner and appearance of
Sanford, who had been introduced by Mr..
Merton to his mother and sister, suspi-
cIon, which the police papers had first
awakened, that the gentleman in question
ives au old acquaintance of mine, and one.
moreover, whose favcrs | was extremely
DESTROYS to return in kind, flashed with in
creasing conviction across my mind This
surm'se |, of course, kept to myself-and
after emphatically cautiOning the ladies to
keep our proceeding a profound secret
from Nj. Merton, | took my leave, amply
provided with the resources requisite tor
carrying into effect the scheme | had re-
solved upon. l also arranged that instead
| OF waiting personally on her ladyship
which might excite observation and suspi-
cion. should report my progress by LETT
ter through the post
IF it should be he !" thought /, as |
emerged into the street The bare suppo.
sition had sent the blood whirling through
my veins with furious violence "lf this
don, it will indeed by triumph victory
| Lady EvertOn need rot, in that case, seek
| to animate my zeal by any promise of mon
ey recom2euse. A blighted existence, a
! young and gentle wife by his means cast
! down from Opulence t. sordd beggary.
would stimulate the duleSt craven that ever
| crawled the earth, to energy and action
Pray heaven my suspicious prove correct
and then, oh my enemy, look well to
yourself, for the aveDger is at your
| heels ~
Sanford, had been instructed, was usu
ally present at the Italian opera during
the ballet; the box he generally occupied
was designated in the memoranda of the
police; and | saw by the bills that a very
| successful piece was to be performed that
| evening, and determined on being pres
| ent.
| entered the house at 10 o'clock, lust
| after the commencement of the ballet, and
| | looked around. The momentary disap-
| pointmsnt was soon repaid Five minutes
had not elapsed, wheE Carbon, looking
! more ms, lently triumphant than ever, en-
! tered arm in arm with & pale artocratic
| looking young man, whom | had no diff
Guilty, from his striking resemblance t. a
portrait in Lady Evert0n's drawing rooms,
IN deciding to be Merton.
My course Of action was at once deter
mined upon. Pausing only to mast the
| emotion which the sight of :he glittering
reptile in whose poisonous folds | had been
involved and crushed, inspired. | passed to
| the opposite eide Of the house, and boldly
entered the box. CaTdnn's back was to-
ward the, and tapped hiD on the should
err lie turned quickly rouud-and if a
basilisk had confronted him, he could
scarcely have exhibited greater surprise -
My aspect, nevertheless, studiously bl md
and eonciiiatory, and my Outstretched
hand seemed to invite q renewal of our
friendship.
"Waters?" he at last stammered, feebly
accey ting my profered grasp-"who would
have thought OF meeting you here ?'
mot you, certainly, since you stare at
an old friend as if he were some frightful
goblin about to swallow you, really."
Hush let US speak together in the lob
by An old friend" be added, in answer
to Mr.. Merton's surprised stare, I'VE will
return in an instant"
well, what is all this, Waters?" said
Carbon. recovering his wonted sang froid
the instant we were alone Il understood
you had retired from among us; were in
fact-what shall say?"
"Ruined-done up! Nobody should
know that better than you"
My god fell,w you do not imagine
-"
81 imagine, nothing, my dear Carbon
| was very thoroughly done, done brown
as is written in the vulgar tongue. But
fortunately my kind old uncle"
"Passgrove is dead - interrupted my old
acquaintance, eagerly jumping to a conclu
sion, and you are his heir. | cor gratulate
you, my dear follow. This indeed is a
charming reverse Of circumstances.
"Yes; but mind, have given up the old
game. No more dice develtry for me.
have promised Emily never to touch card
again"
The cold eye of the incarnate fiend-he
was little else-gleamed mockingIy as these
"good intentions" of o practical CANISTER
fell upon his ear-but he replied, very
good, quiet right, my dear boy. But come
let me introduce you to Mr.. Merton, highly
connected parsonage, | assure you. By the
way, Waters" he added, in a carressine
and very confidential tone, my name. fol
family and other reasons. which will here
after explain to you, is for the present San
ford"
Sanford
Yes; do nat forget. But allons, or the
ballet will be over"
was introduced as an old and esteemed
friend whom be (Sanf rd) had not seen fol
many months At the conclusion of thu
ballet, Sanford proposed that Ne Sd luld ad
journ to the European Coffee HJusa, near'y
opposite, and out we sailed. At the top o
the staircase we jostled against the Com
missioner who, like US, was leaving tn,
house. He bowed slightly to Mr.. Merton
apology, and bis eye wandered coldly az q
briefly over over our persons; not the slight
est sign or recognition escaped him.
thought it possible be did not know me il
my changed apparel-but locking back, af
ter descending few steps. was quickl y
undeceived. A sharp, quick glance, ex-