The banner-enterprise., 1883-05-10
PENRHYN'S WARD.

KNOW now you happened 10 10 IL!
should, by JoveP'
SCOT married, you mean"
"Why, yes; you were old enough
"To know better, eh?" interrupted
Larry Penryhn, knocking the ashes
off his-cigar.
Precisely" answered his friend
"and you see, nobody expected it Of
you, because you were always so Ger
tain of remaining a bachelor, and
gave everybody your word for it."
"When l said l should die a
bachelor, did not think would live
to be married." quoted Penrhyn, YET
with a reflected cast in his eye tC
satisfy one that something more
rational was to be expected.
1t was cool night, and there was
confidence burning in the Goals upon
the hearth, and the two men sitting
beside it, with the tobacco between
them, were cd cronies. Time and cir
cumstances had drifted in between
them, but for this one night, at least,
they were together again, and sat talk
ing as women are said to talk to each
other of the hidden life, but as only
men can, because of common morals,
common manners and common follies.
81 really could not~help it, Tom,"
said Penrhyn, looking hard into the
fire. at really seemed the only thing
to do at the time |"
1t was rather strange reason to
give for so grave an event, but looking
into the calm, strong face of the man
taking into consideration the mass
i've, intellectual brow, the firm, yet
tender mouth, one might know that it
could be nothing less than worthy q
true and honorable gentleman, how
ever anomalous in form.
You want to know all about 1t !"
at last, he said, with laugh, and
blowing up a fog of blue smoke
around him he settled deeper in his
armchair as if the story were not a
short one. "Well, to begin with, my
wife is the daughter Of Halstead Scot,
whom you doubtless remember"
Now, indeed, did blank surprise sit
upon the countenance Of Penrhyn's
friend. who did remember Halstead
Scot, whose stupendous rascality and
breach of trust had convulsed a city,
and Of whose miserable self-murder
the world yet talked about.
al do not wonder that you are sur
prised that l should have married the
daughter of such a man, especially as
that man was not supposed to have a
daughter up to the hour of his death
but hear the story, and reserve your
judgment until you get the case.
about six months previous to Scots
suicide, when his irregular practice
was only being limited at, softly, among
the knowing ones, he came to my office
one day and wanted me to join him in
the prosecution of some cotton claims
against the government.
IL thought it rather queer that a
man in his position should approach
me-scarcely full-tedged barrister--
with propositions Of such magnif-
cence, but, more out of curiosity than
, any actual idea of taking hold of the
matter, l asked for time to look into
the case.
"The papers were old, yellow, appa-
rently without flaw, and involving
millions of dollars, yet concluded that,
in justice to my own clients, could
not undertake to work in the case.
The next thing that came was Scots
suicide, and the papers rang with his
attempted fraud, his forgery and the
complaints of the people whose moneys
he had held in trust and speculated
away. At this point in the unhappy
mans history, my real connection with
him began. The morning following
his death there came to me, through
the mails, letter reading something
in this wise:
bos'LARRY PENRHYN-I believe you
be an honest man. therefore give
/ Enclosed papers into your keeping,
feeling sure that the secret they con-
tain will be safe with you, and that
you will protect from all painful
knowledge the being whose life they
so vitally concern.
'(Signed), HALsTEAD SCOT
"Now comes the most singular part
of the story. The papers inclosed were
a certificate of marriage between Hal
stead Scot and Gabrielle Wyndham
government bonds to the amount of |
thirty thousand dollars, registered in
the name of Gabrielle Scot, and the
necessary directions for finding that
person.
1.-TWO days later there came to me
another letter, written in u cramped,
old-fashioned and feminine style, from
which, as l opened it, there fell out a
printed slip cut from some newspaper,
and giving an account of Scots un-
happy end. The letter itself was scant
of words and ceremony, and briefly
stated that Scot had informed the
writer that in case of his death l was
to act as Miss Gabrielle's guardian, and
requesting earnestly that | would see
my ward at my earliest convenience,
and this letter was signed--Patience
Wyndham.
Fortunately for my curiosity and
the exigencies of the case, could get
away from town just at that particular
time, and as there really seemed no
way of decently abandoning the trust
without betraying the dead mans
conGt ence, started off at once.
1T was romantic little country place
at which found them, with noun
talng all around the half-hundred of
houses the church, the store, the
Aa,,.r-, that formed ihn villnua and