Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-04-18
A DESPERATE CHANGE!
BY CHARLES PORTER SUMNER.
CHAPTER II.

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 Since had arrived at my majority my uncle had resigned the manage ment of the property had inherited into my own hands, and had never questioned me about it, decming, per haps, that Its control would qualify me to guard greater interests when they should come under my management. Hence it was possible for me to stake and lose, as I had done, and had that been the extent of my folly l could have concealed it and borne it with equanimity. But besides this enor- nous loss, had given bonds for eev- eral other sums, making in the aggre- gate an amount l was utterly unable to pay. My creditors, the gamesters, urged, as have no doubt now, by Ar thur, pressed for settlement, and at last, to my horror and astonishmcnt, threat ened to expose mo to my uncle!
 That such a catastrophe was certain to result in my complete ruin l was only too well aware. Jason Wilncr would have trusted murderer sooner than gambler, and had he deemed his right hand capable of stalking money on game of chance he would have cut the arm off at the shoulder. Let him once suspect that had done this fear. full thing and he would disinherit and discard me without pity. My terror and agony, when 1 contemplated such prospect, became overwhelming, and in the depth of my despair the tempter again found me.
 cannot detail the artful cunning with which he instilled. the poison into my mind, nor do l clearly recollect how and when l first completely un- derstood the diabolical design he broached to me. It was in the midst of my most utter desperation, and for long time I could not comprehend his meaning. But suddenly it burst clear and full upon me, and stood aghast! It was his deliberate propo- sition that should rob my uncle, Ja. son Wilmer!
 When first I thoroughly realized what he said l instantly and totally re- fused, with every mark and loathing and indignation. I knew not with whom 1 had to deal, his internal pa- tience never deserted him, and he de- liberately began to combat that resolu- tion with a cunning casuistry worthy of the most righteous cause. He had Q faithful and potent ally, too, in Helena, and, taking care to word their argu- ments so as not to alarm me at the first they slowly undermined my opposi- tion, which grew weaker with their pertinacity, until they triumphed once again and won me to their purpose. am again at loss to describe their sophistry. What of their arguments l can recall seems so weak and puerile now that stand amazed at the thought of having even listened, much less suc- cumbed, to them. Selfishness was made to appear virtue by the sugges- tion that l would thus, undoubtedly, relieve my own desperate condition. The hackneyed reasoning that he was rich and would not miss the sum l must take that all would be mine one day, and there was really no crime in thus anticipating my inheritance; all, all were insinuated into my bcwilder- ed mind with fearful ingenuity that won its way in spite of me, and at last l reluctantly consented to plunder my benefactor! It tisan old story, but am sure no criminal was ever pursuaded into guilt with more crafty skill, or by such clever tempters as myself.
 My acquicscence once obtained, they gave me no time to deliberate, but ar- ranged my plan of action for me and pushed me onward to its accomplish ment without delay. From the first it was decided that the robbery should be committed as an ordinary burglary. This course they convinced mo would be more certain to avert suspicion from myself, for. though could have rcadi- l ly obtained the money by abstracting it from the large sums which daily passed through my hands in the count i ing house, it's loss in this manner would inevitably bc traced to me; wherea. no one could possibly suspect me oi committing . burglary, as all the