The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-28

His father, who was rich, was past forty
when he married. Therefore, when it is sale
that he married young and very pretty
woman. it may be inferred that she mar
ried for position. 1t is to be feared she
never truly loved him; and when, about
five years being past, he died. leaving heI
with one child, Austin, and mistress of o
large fortune, probably, after the first
shock, of his death was passed, shc expert.
euced u sense of relief. Certain it was that
she abandoned her mourning at as early q
period as possible, and once more appeared
in society.
She was neither a clever nor considerate
woman, and at once she began living be.
yond her income, most absurdly cNcusinn
herself upon the plea that her Austin was
the sou of a gentleman, and therefore hil
mother mus. live SIS lady. Austin's edu-
cation, as far as mere scholastics were con-
ccrned, was well attended to: but, apart
from these, the example and encourage
ment set the boy were frightful. The
mother loved him, after her preposterous
styIa, and spoilt him. He was brought up
as though, once a man, he would be mil
IiOnaire. Nothing that he wanted was de-
med him; and when he asked for money,
the request was never refused.
l. it any wonder he was ruined as a
man before he ceased to be boy? As ne
crew up, the unfortunate mother never
drcamt' OF putting him to any profession;
and, finally when he became legally man,
be was capable of doing nothing for liv-
ipg.while lie had acquired all the habits and
necessities Of IL man of rank. By this time,
The mother. now nearly forty, had almost
exhausted the fortune left her unguard-
edly in trust for her son. She had, there
fore, nothing to do but to die; and at least,
rid the unhappy young man of the burden
Of supporting a mother who had willfully
neglected lis every true interest. When
Austin was twenty-four she died, very
suddenly, of appoplexy, leaving him at the
head of house magniiicently furnished.
well stocked with wines and servantS-and
with not FIVE Thousand pounds beyond this
property.
That he might have been q useful men,
ber of society, is very evident from the
mode in which he met his new position.
At once he put down the establishment,
sent the servants about their business, sold
off the furniture and the wines, disposed
of the carriages and horses in the best
market; and, within month of Mrs. Siv-
ory's death, the house i'll which she died
was empty, and to be let.
There were a number of creditors to
pay; aud when all was settled, Austin
found himself the possessor of about four
Thousand pounds, and, so far, respectable
character.
What was he to do7 He had been so in
duIated to luxury and society, that he was
utterly untitled to go through the hard
work, which the requirement of any pro-
fesSion would have demanded. But tho
native energy of the Inan-inheIited,pr prob
ably, from the father-told him that he
must take to some means of replcnishing
his means; SO he adopted as profession
the three ways of making money in so
cicty'-betting upon races, billiards, and
cards. These practices bad been his
TO which he had served a very
long and handsome apprenticeship; and
they became his handicraft-one to which
he added a little stock -jobbing when he
had large funds in hand, and lie had no
immediate call for them.
Thus commenced, and was continued
through four or five years, strange, an
exciting life. Beginning with those few
thousand pounds, and with all the appear
ance of being rich man-few knew to the
contrary-he lived like q wealthy person;
and was, indeed, sometimes comparatively
wealthy. Sometimes he was worth thou
sands, at others worth nothing. 1t has
been seen how, at tie commencement Of
this story. Austin had reached one of bis
bad season 2, and bad been unable to meet
Graham Forbes upon certain settling
day; how he had accepted Gill6 for the
amount; and how, his good fortune
waiting for him at the German gam
ing tables, lie had won sufficient money to
pay the acceptances held against bin by
tie dead man; and how, finally, be had
cleared Lis character before the magis-
trate, though he had not cleared it before
Margaret herself, and Wehber.
At this point he was brought into Mar
saret's pure presence. He had admired
he had never loved; and what woman was
more likely to inspire him with the master
passion than this lovely, retired, and un-
assuming woman9
A month passed, and, in his heart, Austin
Sivory lived but for Margaret. In his
heart be was at her feet.
But be had no power to tell her this.
Never did he see her but the detective
was present - never were his cold, dead
eyes taken off the couple while they
were together; and Austin, battling with
tho great passion, which is all the more
terrible al. enemy when it faces US for the
first tine when we are no longer very
young.-Austin almost prayed that VaTli
might die; for instinct told him the man
was his great enemy.
As the child plays with the viper until il
turns aud bites him, 50 Austin had dallied
with G passion which could be only fatal
Ithad gripped his throat, and he was gasp
ing at its mercy.
CHAPTER XVI
ALONE AT LAST.