The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-11-07
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Wednesday, Nov. z, 1888.
A DOUBLE TREACHERY.
CHAPTER NIX.
CONTINUED

were old customers Of the Speed manufac-
tory. They had begun in a small way,
and been accommodated with long credits
by the firm, and were now indebted to them
to very large amount; the Speeds neg
lecting to call in their money as they knew
it to be perfectly safe.
Job looked about with keen, inquisitive
eyes, The increasing business and pros
perity of the establishment were plainly
to be seen. At the cashiers desk, behind
the grating, sat the wife of one of the sons,
with an air of authority on her fair young
face. The old man ground his teeth with
rage as he thought of the difference at the
mandatory; but what most troubled
him was, in what way he could ask for
the money they owed without betraying
his masters pressing needs. Business was
good, he began, with an air Of Indifference,
but he liked TO steal away sometimes and
see old friends. Then, catching a glimpse
of concealed amusement in the faces Of his
hearers he became confused, and took up
his hat to go away. On the threshold he
stopped.
.Since / am here" he said, "you might
as well settle our old account"
The two brothers and the woman at the
desk exchanged a look.
What account2' And they laughed at
Jobs joke, as they considered it. He
laughed, too, but what laugh was his.
Then they explained to him that young
Mr.. Speed had given them receipt in
full. and taken all the money they owed
the firm, six months before. job had
hardly the strength TO stammer:
ssTo be sure-I had forgotten, good
friends. I'm growing old, and losing my
memory"
And with these words the old man de-
parted. The young people looked at each
other, and shook their heads sadly; for
they understood the affair perfectly.
Job walked down the street as If he
were in dream. This then was the rea-
son why George never came to him now
for money. Evidently, wherever he might
go, he would find that George had preced-
ed him. He would try, however He went
to another OF their customers; he half
opened the door.
"a thousand pardons!" he cried; "but
will you oblige me with the date of your
last payment to our houscf l forgot to
enter it in my books
They told him that five months prcvi-
ously they had paid everything. He
closed the door and persued his weary
pilgrimage. At that moment Mrs. Speeds
carriage swiftly passed him; but Annie,
busy with her own miserable thoughts.
had no eyes for him.
The task she had undertaken was no
easy one; to ask for n large sum of mon
ey from man who boosted loudly that
never in his life had he borrowed Il penny,
and who declared that while he lived no
member Of his family should receive any
thing from him. True TO his nature he
had given his daughter no dowry on her
marriage, and had always been more or
less annoyed that her husband had sue
ceeded in acquiring wealth without once
coming to him for assistance.
When he used to see his son-in-law hap
py and successful, the old man would say
with q malicious smile. '.Wait awhile, we
have not seen the cnd!' and sometimes, at
0alxlands, would look at the house, the
stables, aud eonseiyatories, and say, II
am consoled, when / think of dying that
no member ofmy family is rich enough to
keep up this establishment when l am
gomez
Nevertheless, with certain tenderness
that is not uncommon IN grandfather
who is hard to everyone else, old Gray
would have petted Annie; but she, even
when quite u child, was afraid of him.
His roughness repealed and his SELFISH
ness Disguised her, so that ON her mar
rage, the old man said to his daughter,
Mrs. Speed:
IF your daughter wishes, she shall
have a princely gift from me; but she
must ask me for it,
But Annie received nothing. for she
never would ask him for anything. There
fore the modification she was enduring
now, three years later, ON her way to i'm
plore q favor from him, is more easily
imagined than described. Poor Annie!
her grandfather would certainly try her
temper and her patience by attacks on
herhusband; reproaches and sneers would
be lavished upon him. But the thought
of defending the being she loved best in
the world gave her u certain courage.
1t was noon when she reached her des-
tination, and. as she had sent no intima-
ton of her coming, the carriage was not
waiting at the station. She was therefore
obliged to walk to the house.
The cold was excessive, the ground
frozen and uneven. The chill north wind
blew sharply through the bare and leaf
less woods; the little lake was black, re-
fleeing the leaden skies above; the whole
scene was gloomy and discouraging, and
the creaking of the weather-eock on the
stables seemed to say, Don't come here
don't come here"
Had poor Annie but listened to this adj
vice she might have preserved her peace
vi Dul Sllt INIStNtittl III HtT otlttts
and was shown in the presence of her
grandfather, who was in n small room that
he called his sanctum Seeing his grand
daughter pale and shivering, in spite of
her handsome sealslkin, the old man UNI
derstood at once that some matter Of grave
Importance required his attention.
"What is the matterY" he said.
Annie went towards the fire. and. seat
ing herself without even lifting her veil,
proceeded at once to lay before the grand
father the occasion of her unexpected
visit. She dare not even attempt the or
binary exchange of coultcsies, lest she
should lose all courage.
lie did not interrupt her while she
spoke, but am acute observer could have
seen in his eyes u CLEAN of malicious Joy.
$50" he thought to himself, ..these stuck
up Speeds are humbled at last, and have
felt the need of old Graym When she had
finished he began, of course, with the
words:
II told you SOL / knew things must
come to this sooner or later" and then in
o hard, severe tone continued to express
hissurprise that, when his sentiments were
so well known to his family. she should
have ventured to apply to him, finishing
by fatty refusing To lend her penny.
would have TO bear the dishonor of her
fathers failure but the old man remained
unmoyed. and even sought to humiliate
her still further; for his was that hard,
vulgar nature that likes to leave the
marks of his hob-nailed shoes on the face
of his fallen enemy.
.All can say. is my dear, that you can
have home at 0aklands. Your husband
may come. too. for / need secretary, and
will pay him a small salary; tell him So
She rose in indignation. She came as
his grandchild, and he received her as il
she had been beggar. God be praised
She had not reached that point And An
ME turned towards the door.
Take carer said the old man. "You
may come to that yet. 1t is for your sake
/ have offered to receive your husband
here. You have no idea of the life he
leads in London, on you certainly would
not ask me to assist him with my money,
But ] am pretty well acquainted with the
scamp's doings. know where he passes