The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-03-07
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whole business by now. Thousands-thou
sands--and all for Iris!'
O"Look here, Mr.. Emblem" said the law
yer, angrily. You'll not only be bank
rupt il you go on like this, but you'll DO a
fraudulent bankrupt as well. Is it honest,
want to know, to refuse to pay your just
debts when you've put by thousands, as you
boast-you actually boast-for your grand
daughteri"
eyes" said the old man, "Iris will have
thousands"
"a think, SIR" said Lala Roy, that you
are under an illusion Mr.. Emblem does
not possess any such savings or investments
as you imagine
Then why does he go on talking about
thousands"
"Hs har had shock; he cannot quite un.
derstanl what has happened You had bet.
ter leave him for the present.
Leave himl And nothing but these
mouldy old books! Here, you. sr-you-
James-you shopmaii-come here! What Is
the stock WORTH
or selling" said James. "If you we're to sell
| it under the hammer in lots, il wouldn't
fetch hundred pounus."
Not hundred pounds. anu my ill Of sale
is three-lifty"
"Pray, sir" said Lala Roy, who told you
that Mr. Emblem was so wealthyf'
"IIis grandson"
Then, sir, perhaps 1t would be we'll to
question the grandson further. He may
know things OF which we have heard moth
ing
Mr. Chalker vent away at Length. leaving
the man--the professional persn-behind.
Then Lala Roy persuaded Mr.. Emblem to
20 up stairs again. He did IsoDvithout any
apparent CONSCIOUSNESS that there was a
man in possession X(tEw
James," said Lala Roy, ''you have heard
that your master has been robbed. You are
rejecting and medtating on his circum.
stance Another thing is that a creditor
has threatened to sell OFF everything for
debt, Most likely, everything will be sold,
and the shop closed. You will, therefore,
lose the place Won have had for fvs-and-
twenty years That is a very bad business
for you. You are unfortunate this morn
ing To losa your rlace-and then this rob
berry. That seems also a bad business
1T is" said James with hollow groan.
at is, Mr.. Iala Roy. 1t is a dreadful bad
business"
"Pray, Mr.. James, continued this man
with grave, searching eyes which made
sinners shake in their shoes, pray, why did
you run away. and where did you 70 after
you opened tho shop this morninfl You
went to see Mr.. Emblem's grandpn. did
you notf'
eyes, did. said James.
"Why did you 20 to see him Z"
~ w-w--went--oh, Lord II weit to tell
him what had happened, because he mas
ters grands n, and l thought he ought to
know, said James.
Ibid you tell HING
"No; he has left his lodgings. don't
know where he is--oh, and he always told
me the shop was his--settled on him." he
said
"He is the Father OF Lies; his enc will bs
confusion. Shame and confusion shall wait
upon ali who have hearkened unto him or
worked with him, until they r,pnt and
make atonement
Don't, Mister Lala Roy-don, you
brighten me-" said James "Oh, what o
dreadful liar he isi7
All that morning the Philosophc sat in
the booksellers chair, and James in the
resting continually upon him, AM knew
that bit by bit his secret would 10 ragged
out OF him. II be could get up and run
away--if customer would comt--if the
dark gentleman would 60 up shirs--if he
none of these happened md James,
fore him, passed morning com
oh Z IL
Purgatory would have been comfortab 9.
Presently a strange feeling cane over him
as il some invisible force wa pushing and
dragging him and forcing hin to leave his
chair, and throw himself at tn Philosophers
feet and confess everything. This was the
mesmeric effect OF those reroachful eyes
fixed steadily upon him An, in the door.
way, like some figure in a nightmare fig
ure incongruous and out Of pace-.he Nm
in possession sitting, passive and uncon-
cerned, with one eye on the,treet and the
other on the shop Up stars Mr.. Emblem
was sitting fast asleep; joy had made him
sleepy; and Iris was at work among hsl
pupils letters, compiling suns for the fruit
erer, making paper OH cmic sections for
the Cambridge man, and working out trigo-
nometriral equations for t!e youn hoo
master, and her mini full OF solemn exulta
ton and glory, for she vas q woman VINO
was loved. The other things troubled hsr
but little Her grandfather would get back
his equilibrium Of mind The shop might b
shut up, but that matteed little Arnoli,
and Lala Roy, and heI grandfather an
herself, would all live together, and she and
Arnold would work. TIE selfishness o
youth is really astonishing, Nothin.-ex.
cept perhaps toothach--can make a CIR
unhappy who is loved and newly betrothed.
She may say what she pleases, and her face
may he yard long when she spsaks OF the
msfortunes of Others. but all the time her
heart il dancing.
To Lala Roy the situation presented O
problem with insufficient dah, some OF
which would have to be gussset. letter,
now lost, said that certain Gao contained
papers necessary to obtain an unknown in
heritance for Iris. How. then to ascertain
whether anybody was expecting or looking
for girl 10 claim an inheitances Then
there was half coat-os-arnS, and lastly
there was certain customer Of unknown
name, who had been acquainted with Iriss
father before his marriage 10 far for Iris
AS for the thief, I.ala Roy hid no doubt at
all II was, he was quito cerain, the grand
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