The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-10-07

iOn Mingled with his wa
neverless something every now and thel
which approached a defiantswagger, almos
as though he sought a quarrel.
None of these symptoms affected the usul
er-non of them escaped him. He closet.
examined the bill Offered by Lashbreigh
! appeared satisfied with the scrutiny.
Eyes, that is Ezekiel Gray's signature
sure enough" he said; ''but until | saw it
did not believe he would hav put his nam
to such a document-and at three months
too! Why does he not lend You tn
money!"
because he prefers not to do SO. l sup
pose" returned the other; perhaps n
thinks l am more likely to pay you thai
him."
swell, it is no business of mine, continue.
Hyltman; "here is my check-wll a checl
suit youo?"
81 should think So" ~retorted the visitor
with a somewhat coarse laugh. 81 wish !
was for ten times the amount-thats all
Well, I shall bid you goodbye for tire
months. unless my luck enables me to cal
on you before"
After a brief conversation the young ma
| departed, the usurer looking after him Will
much the same thoughtful, half-puzzled ex
preston as he mad worn on the previous
| euening.
1laUlOOk again. lie solIloiuiAeN,
it is not associated in my memory with 6
| coarse, registering gambler, such as he is
Yet there was but little heart in his laugh
and he knows 1.-THE felt it. His luck! !!
| old Ezekiel Gray does not have to pay thls
| money | will own myself a shallower TOO
than the boy who has just left me; and u
that boy has no other bills than TINS &c
meet. it will be an exception to all such
rules"
No more transactions occurred between
the pair, rather to the surprise OF Hyltman.
who fully expected to see his client calling
upon him ere many days had gone by, and
proposing a fresh advance at still more
ruinous rate of interest; not the money.
lender considered he had charged at all
high for the late advance, and most
assuredly would not have granted another
loan to Lashbreigh, or any one fairly Ill his
grip, upon anything like the same terms.
He had only deducted 6 guineas for
interest and Expenses" from the amount,
and our readers can see that this was
ridiculously low-or Hyltman could see it
for a gross sum of $50 for three months.
But all at once-Hyltman a excellent
means of learning these things-it was said
the house OF Lashbreigh & Grey was in diff
foated than there came a crash. The prin-
cipal partner. Gather OF Mr.. Hyltman's
%client), was declared to have absconded.
lea wing Mr.. Grey, who was little better thai
a sleepiug partner in the concern, to bear
the brunt OF settlement.
To add to the unpleasantness Of the mat
ter, it soon appeared that Lashbrelgh had
resorted to some ln%alpractices in order to
secure funds for himself, and these resulted
III claims being made on the remaining
parnner and in some harrassing law pro-
ceedings. Old Ezekiel Grey was a wealthy
man, and not likely to be overthrown even
by these claims; but he was terribly exas-
by them, and his temper, not OF
the milk-in-honey sort at the best OF times,
accordingly.
More han once a rumor got abroad that
young Sashbreigh had also adsconded. but
as each time falsitied, as the young man
was seen in the city. but not 50 openly, SO
swaggeringly as before; he was now only to
be found in the obscurer haunts to which
was partial.
It was evident to Hyltman that the pres
entation of his bill would be another an
noyance to Mr.. Grey, but that could not
be helped. The usurer did not mean to
lose his money, and less experienced eyes
than his own could have seen that now
there was no possible chance OF the young
himself meeting the liability. In
the luck" on which he had, like other
gamblers, relied, had been so perverse as to
drag him a gIeat deal further down; n
Hyltman knew that he was a candidate for
smaller loans-an unsuccessful candi-
date, too-than the bill which had been
for him.
1t was fairly winter time now-windy,
rainy winter, as it generally is in Cliffbor-
the day on which the bill fell
due was at hand. 1t s. happened that
Hyltman had occasion to see Mr.. Grey
who was frequently engaged in matters
allied to the formers profession-on some
business; at the conclusion OF
Mr.. Grey launched out into denun-
OF his late partner, for the treach-
cry he had practiced on him, and the loss
and worry he had caused.
Il am afraid it will revive all your an
noyance when | present your bill on Thurs
said Hyltman, "there is no chance
of the young fellow paying it."
my BILL" exclaimed Grey; then he pro-
with much harsh language, to ask
his visitors meaning. An excited discus
sion ensued, from which it became only too
clear that the unlucky young Lashbreigh
trusting, no doubt, to the good turn
never came-had actually committed
had written, with a skillfuI iinita-
ton, Grey's name to- a document OF which
~ hdu llCNCA AColus
The young fellow had simply made him
self liable to penal s%ervitude, and it was
manifest that even if Hyltman
were disposed to be merciful-of which
there was no great probability-that Grey
would be delighted to punish a man whom
he hated, not only for himself, bnt as be-
to a family from whom he had SUI
so much, especially as the sons ex-
he considered, had been one
cause OF his fathers misconduct.
His last words, accompanied by a warmer
shake OF the hand than he was in the habit
Of bestowing on his business visitors, will
his feelings:
II leave it in your hand, then. Mr.. Hylt-
man. l will share your loss-there's my
word for it. Only let him sleep in the
gaol tomorrow night, and l will never
again murmur at what they have DONE"
".
The money-lender did not 60 to work SO
promptly as Mr.. Grey might have done; he
not quite the same motives to stimu-
ate him. He waited until the next night
lad passed, thinking it probable that the
fellow would at the last moment, by
some s"uperhuman effort, come and redeem
he bill, SO as to prevent the serious conse-
luences which must otherwise follow. So
ong as he regained his money. Hyltman
would not do anything in vindication of
he law-that was certain.
But the young man did not come. and on
he next morning, in a mood little inferior
20 that OF Grey himself, the money-lender
information to the police, and a war
ant was at once issued for the apprehen-
ion of Bertram Lashbreigh. !
1t was anticipated that he would be taken
It once, as his resorts were well known, but |
he freeMasonry which exists among those
Who dread the law, and would rather battle
IS ministers thar aid them, stood him in
God stead for a time.
Cnvertly as the officer went to work, his
was OWNED, and Lashbreigh was
pirited away to an asylum (which reads
than ''slum," vet means the same),
here for a little while he would be safe.
Perhaps he could get from the city, but
his was doubtful, as he was well known,
nd, a reward being offered by Grey on the
lstant he heard of the young fellows flight,
he watch was close.
Hyltman met Mr.. Grey in the course of
he day-in fact, it was through this meet
az that the reward was SO promptly
ffered, Grey being quite willing, he said,
0 drop al extra hundred to get a little re-
enge out OF the family.
At this meeting the ex-partner blamed
[yltman for his dilatoriness. but said that
be young reprobate would be sure to try
0 see his mother, who dotted on him, he be-
,g an only son.. The young goal-bird
'OulH he SIRE to do this and he l(Gravl