The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-07

biz, showy, handsome in his vay, vi3h [ sort of air about him that impooed cu women-and men vho didn't knov him underneath his veneer an utter black. guard. Ormsby naturally took to him followed him about, quoted him and i'm itated him to the bess of his ability. vhils Vandeleur alternately pztroaised ana sneered at him covertly. Welli it va. no ones business to interfere. He va old enough to look out for himseif, and if he liked Vandeleur and the very shady society that he affected, so much the worse. Yet, as told Smylie tonight the thought ofwhat that poor boy mighl have been saved from if any of us had made it his business, bothers me oftez enough nov"
 "Whas didnt you save him from 2 I asked, for Loxdale had fallen a-meli- tating.
 Griei-uttez! The usual thing. 4 little high play. little book-making, a little seeing life under Vandeleur's guij. ance, and . pot of money gone, and nothing to show for it. His old uncle- did tell you he vas heir to 2 big prop. erty close by: Penderell Court? old Penderell had brought him up-his uncle had paid his debts and set him straight with the world once more, and then"
 The relapse, of course,"l suggested
 "Vandeleur took care of that" sighed Loxdale.
 "Old Mir. Peuderell came up the bar racks one morning, looking like ghost A check, bearing his signature, bu, which had manifestly been tempered with, had been stopped at the London and Marlborough bank. It was paid in by Frenchman, friend of Vandeieur's $ who had received it the night before from Ormsby, in payment of his losses at ecarte- It was the clumsiest of foTger- ies. No man in his sober senses would have attempted it. Lsoo had been all tered to L7.ooo, evidently. and the check presented at the very time Mir. PenderelI a director, was certain to be at the bank. 1 never liked the old man. He was sour, Puritanical, unforgiving, and his wrath against Ormsby vas something unholy. He came to me first then sent for Van deleur and Ormsby.
 The latter came in as coolly as possi- ble, nodded to De Barnac the French man who had come up with old Fender ell and took the affair very easily. It was a mistake from beginning to end. He had never played with De Barnac, never owed or paid him anything. They had met in Vandeleur's rooms the night before, but that was the beginning and end of the acquaintance. could see that no one but myself believed him for a moment; did, and do still.
 Then in came Vandeleur, looking SO honestly grieved and ashamed that he al- msst imposed on me for moment. Old Penderell produced the check. Ormsby looked utterly bewildered and stupe6ed, but when De Barnac eooily repeated his statement, and Vandeleur confirmed it, letting old Penderell extract the facts as reluctantly as possible, then he sank down, crushed and hopeless. l shall never forget the look he fixed on Vande- leu' in his despair.
 The affair had been made too public to hush up, and the colonel was at his wits end what to do next, when the poor boy saved him all further trouble. That evening when we were at mess saw Ormsby's face at the window. He look cd in on us all with his great, wild, hag- gard eyes, and disappeared. It was his farewell. His servant had caught him fooling with his pistols that afternoon and stuck to him like wax. but Ormsby was too quick for him. He made of down the back lanes to the river. You know the Yarn flows pretty deep and strong just below the Market street bridge, where there are wharves beloug- ing 10 some disused factory buildings not far from here.
 Before the man came up with him he saw Ormsby toss his arms in the air, give sort of cry, and go Tn like stone. There was no boats about or any means of getting at him, and before the river police could be summoned, the body must have been far cut at sea.
 It was perhaps as well. An inquest would have been a nuisance 10 the family but s:ill-if he had been decently buried the service read, you know, and that sort of thing-perhaps we shouldn't have had all these queer stories about now"
 Loxdale concluded with bothered look. pondered over the little history awhile.
 linen you think it was Vandeleur's doing, or the Frenchman's, ;, with his con- nivance :"
 "l do-most certainly. He had his own reasons for wanting Ormsby out of the way. don't think he quite expected such an end, though"
 "Ah nov l comprehend the case who was she" Inquired with youth full cynicism.
 "Miss Barbara Dacre, distant cousin, also brought up by old Penderell. Their marriage was to reconcile conflicting claims to the property. A majestic young creature, with creamy skin and fine auburn mane of her own, who car ried her chin in the air and looked at us through her black eyelashes as if no man alive was worth the trouble of lifting an eyelid. Harry always seemed devoted enough, but rather afraid of her, and vandeleur-well, as soon as saw him look at her, knew evil was brewing. He gained nothing after all by Ormsbys death, for she would never set eyes on one of us again; shut herself up and nursed the old man over there at Fender ell | ess~rns~ kA ,s A>.l n~l .A..