The Red Cloud chief., 1884-10-31
CHAPTER XYII.-COSrISCED.

lie went To his CLUB, Dut the Urs-
person who came TO him was MIR. Whit
~tlestaf. Mr.. Wbittlestafi, when he had
left the park. had determined never TO
roe John Gordon again, or 10 see him
only during that ceremony OF the mar
riage. which it might be that he would
even We; escape. All that was still in
the distant future. Dim ideas a. To
some means of avoiding it fitted
through his brain. But even though
he might see Gordon on that terrible
occasion, he need not speak to him.
And il would nave TO be done then, and
then only. But now another idea, GER
ta;nly very vague, had found its way
into his mind, and with the object of
CARVING il out, Mr.. Whittlestaff had
come to the club. 'Oh. Mr.. White
staff. how do you do again?"
I'm much the same as / was be-
fore. thank you. There hasn't hap
pcncd anything TO improve my health "
Il hope nothing may happen to in
jure it,"
lit doesn't much matter. You said
something about some property you've
got ia diamonds. and you said once that
you must 20 out 10 look after it."
But I'm not going now. / shall sell
M share in the mines. | am going TO
see a Mr.. Tookcy about it Immediate
~"
Cant o sell them TO mc?"
The diamond shares to you?"
"Why not to me- If the thing has
to be done at once. OF course YOU and |
must trust each o.her. l suppose you
can trust me ="
Certainly | can
AS 4 don't care much about il,
whether | yet what | buy or not. IL does
not much matter for me. But. in truth,
in such an affair ~ this I would trust
you. Why should not l go in your
place"
al don't think you are the man who
ought To 20 there"
II am too old? I'm not a cripple, if
you mean that. l don't see why l
shouldn't 20 to the diamond-iiel rs
well as a younger man"
1t i not about Your agc, Mr.. Whit
t~lcstali; but | do not think YOU would
lie happy there"
Happy. 1 do not know that my
state of bliss here is very great. If |
had bought your shares. a You call
them, ana pad money for them, | don't
see why my happiness need stand in the
way
You are "A gentleman, Mr.. Whitile-
staff"
We'll; | hope So
And of that kind that YOU would
have your eyes picked out of your
head before YOU had been there a week.
Don't 90. Take my word for it, that
life Will be plcasanter to o here than
there, and that for you the venture
would bc altogether dangerous. Here is
Mr.. Tookey.' At this point of the
conversation Mr.. Tookey entered the
hail door, and some fashion Of intro
duction took place between the two
John Gordon led the way
into a private room. and the two others
followed him. Here's n gentleman
anxious TO buy my shares, ToOkey.'
said Gordon.
What, the whole lot Of the old
Stick-in-the-MuI? He'll have TO shell
down some money IN order to do that
Ii | were to be asked nv opinion, ]
should say that the transaction was
hardly one in the gentleman's way OF
business
Il suppose an honest man may
work Il it." said Mr.. WhittleStatf.
Its the honcStest business l know
out" said Fitzwalker TOokey; "but il
does require a gentleman TO have his
ewes about him.
Haven't | got my eyes,"
..Oh certainly. certainly said
Tookey; II pever knew a gentleman
have them brighter. And there are
eyes and eyes. Here's Mr.. Gordon did
have a stroke of luck out lhere;-quite
wonderful, Blu. because he tumbled
on a good thing it's 40 reason other.
should. And he's sold his claim
already. if he doesn't 60 himself
either to me or else to Poker Il Hodge
Pm afraid it is So" said John Cor
don.
There's my darling wife. who is
going u with me. and who means t.
stand all the hardship of the hard work
amidst those scenes of constant labor
a lady who is dying TO see her babies
there. | am sure, sir. that MIR. Gordon
won't forget his promises to me and my
wife"
.lf YOU have the money ready"
There is Mr.. Poker in a hanSom-
cab outside, and ready to 60 with you
TO the bank Mt once, as the matter i:
rather pressing. If you will come witt
him. he will explain everything. viii
follow in another cab. and then every
thing can be completed" John Cor
don did make an appointment to meet
MIR. Poker in the city later oil in the day,
and then was left together with MIR,
Wnittlestatf at the club.
Ii was soon decided that Mr.. White
staff should give up all idea of the dia.
mond-iields. and in SO doing he allowed
himself To be brought back to n state OF
semi-courteouS conversation with his
happy rival. ..Well yes; YOU may
write 10 her. l suppose. Indeed. don,
know what right have to say that you
may or YOU mayn't. She's more yonr:
than mine. | suppose" Turn hel
ont. | don't know what makes YOU
take such an idea as that in yoal
head John Gordon had not suggest.
ed that Mr.. WhittleStatf would turn
Mary Lawrie out--though he had spoken
of the steps he would ave taken wers
he 10 find Mary left without a home,
''She shall have my house as her own
till she can find another. As She Wi.
not be my wife, she shall be my daugh.
ter-till she is somebody else S vile. ]
told YOU before that You may come ana
marry her. Indeed l can't help nv
self. OF course o may 90 on as vou
would with some other giri-only wish
it were some other glrl. You can gC
and stay with Montagu Blake. If YOU
please. 1t is nothing to me. Every,
body knows it now" Then he did say
goodbye, though he could not be per
suaded to shake hands with John Cor
don.
Mr.. Whittlestaf did not 90 home that
day blft on the newt ramaipipr in fpwv