The Red Cloud chief., 1882-10-06

a - ,, - - tsys'%
He said I would make q fool Of myself
and ] said: We'll. well. George.
won'tr He thought I meant ] wouldn'
consult you. But what / really mean
THAT you wouldn't make . fool O
yourself" tho signor interrupted
And here you're doing 1t. I'm afraid
after ALL"
"No. nor' cried the. planter. conf
IDENTITY. "You just come around TO tn,
house with me. examine the premises
and talk with the folks. and I'm posi-
tive You can guess the riddle. II yo,
haven't guessed IL already. Ahr' h.
laughed. gieefully. see by your eye
you have guessed it's
Indeed. the suspicion which had en-
tered the signors mind had become nj
most q certainty; and il was not with
out hope Of being able To solve the mys
terry, 10 his own satisfaction IL not To the
planters. that he finally consented te
visit the house.
He was introduced TO the planter
wife and daughter; saw the servants
simple old negro and his wife; and Wa
shown the room from which the valua.
blcr had been purloined.
While he was thus engaged. . fine.
looking young fellow. but with . rather
carcworn face for one hardly yet out OF
his teens. came and stood in The door.
way.
"Ah! Signor. here Is my son." said
Mr.. Oatman. slightly embarrassed.
You see. George. I-I-ihouyht best
to-you won't mind. nv boy; for ask
ing him in can't do any hurt. II il don't
do any good.
"All right"' said George. carelessly.
But the signOr. who exchanged glanccs
with him, saw that his Tsp twitched
neryously. and that there was an anx-
ious look in his eye.
"four father has an ~extravagant no
ton " my poor abilities" the signor re-
marked, in a friendly tone. "rou
haven't witnessed my pcrformaDccsP"
81 haven't had that pleasure" the
youth replied. drily.
mo doubt you have been more pleas
antly employed. The city offers a good
many attractions 10 "a spirited young
man; and j see by your looks" the
signor added. with a meaning smile,
THAT you are not one Of those billiards
who go 30 bed At dusk"
George smiled in n CLASSY sort of way.
and seemed trying to bring out some
careless reply. whem his mother re-
marked. complainingly:
"George keeps very late hours this
winter. I'm SO sorry! for any n can
see il isn't good for him"
"He used To make calls with me.
evenings" said the sister. but he
never does, nowadays. ! can't think
what he finds TO amusc him SO late.
every night"
IL can think" said the signor. 81
know the city. and ] know young men.
I'm sorry. Gcorgcr' He looked the
young man kecnly in the eye, rs he con
unued:
elf you had been ia the habit of re-
naming ut home nights. this theft nerer
Wouid hare taken piace!r'
BY the look. and the words. and still
more by the one in which the words
were spoken. poor George must have
perceived that his secret was in the
signor's possession. Still the trusted
parents and aficctionatc sister remained
free from the slightest suspicion of his
guilt.
81 reckon that's true. signor!' said
the father. "Gcorge is known to be a
capital shot, and no burglars would VEN
ture in the house when he was ut home.
you discover anything more?"
.Beipg. n stranger her." the signor
replied. 81 can't makeup my nnnd Mt
once. IL your son should set abont il,
I've no doubt he could clear up the mys-
terry very quickly; but | shalt have to .
study over j: awhile"
Declining TO say anything more def. !
but promising that the family !
should hear from him If he succeeded in
finding the lost treasures. he presently
took leave. giving George a very signiii-
look ut parting.
- lie had not been long ut the hall.
bordering over the painful problem he (
had been set to solve haunted by the
pale face of the guilty son--when the
lace itself appeared before him. /
"Ah, George" said the signor. kind
y; 81 am glad TO see yoa.n
The youth came forward slowly. too
much agHated to speak. Then. appar-
entity touched by the signor's $, mpa-
.hetic manner, he broke forth impior-
ngly:
''for mercy's sake. sir. don't expose
''My dcarG eorge" replied the signor.
aking his outstrctched hands. ii shall
expose you if ! a help it. But
cts understand each other. Tell me
Ill about it,"
lyon know it ail." exclaimed the
vre;ched youth. beginning to tremble
md sob violently.
Al know something. You have fallen
n with bad companions. But how
'ould %you-how could you deceive and /;
wrong your own ~Iarenis?' I
because l am an idiot. because / am !
he most miserable. u%ngratcful. wicked I
on that ever had good parents to {
said George. in q CONFUSION of !
and despair. but l didn't .
nean TO rob them" !
81 know" said the signor. "You I
meant TO return what YOU took. That's I
that every well brought-up young man {
means when he takes the first step in s
rimes of this sort" c
"Truly meant it, George protested. ]
i took the money first, hoping to WIN $
SCh VIII IL Will i nau loSl NJ piay. D
hen when l had lost that. I took the @
ing. Then. desperate fool as I was. l S
ook the watch and pledged it. That
ID to the discovery. II it hadn't been c
Dr. that, all would have been WELL" "
"How SOP" the signor inquired. h
"Last night the luck turned" said il
land l won back = good part of 4
hat | have lost; enough to recover the c
'atch and ring and all the money l 8
,ok from the TILL" n
us it rossibler' exclaimed the signor. u
stoniShed. d
Il have it all here" said George, O
his coat 1T was i'm my pock- e
when you came to the house; didn't p
ou know it," D
The signor was obliged to confess that O
D had not seen so far as that. d
81 was in distress. trying to invent el
me way Of returning the things with it
1t being found outlying to keep my al
Their quiet-whcn he brought you in {.
Id spoiled all, Unless" said George. OF
ith looks Of entresty-..unless o will N
} merciful and help mel" d,
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