Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-16

cause the cursed loss of my finger prevents
me from playing any other way. But you
-you-you shall play with every advantage
Of science, skill and courage"
Obj Dick, it is fair to say, had no OBJ
~jections on the score of honesty, but be dis
trusted his own powers. ''Oh, it is impossi-
blel"
"A beautiful dream. Everywhere the
most delightful life, and the, easiest; every
where the fools who sit about the tables, and
expect to win. Perhaps a time may come
when it will be no dream, but a necessity"
The count sighed, and Dicks eyes kindled
"A Irvine life, with everything that can be
bought, and always money at your fingers
ends. You might be my pupil. In six
months | would. leach you enough. Then
we would begin. You should be the young
Englishman of fortune on his travels No
one suspects the young Englishman Of for
tune; he is always a fool; he is always the
prey of the profession. Would you like to
be that young Englishman? He loses when
the stakes are low, and he wins when the
stakes are high. Would that suit youl'
The spider has many Establishments. To
the fly he talks the language of innocence,
of flattery, of dis,nterested friendship, and
of love. But to brother spider he uses a
different kind Of talk.
"If | could only get awayN' he said. GAS
for the city, l hate it! If l could only get
away!'
you may-you shall. Ny dear young
friend. | will help you because you can help
me. That is the founda ion of every friend
ship. My secrets are yours, and yours are
mine for the future. We must trust each
other, because we can be of service to each
other. Hands upon it."
Dick gave him his hand.
$50" said the count "Now. my friend,
/ have business. / will leave you here. l
shall return in two hours. You will stay
here" for the first time he assumed a tone of
command. You will not leave this house
until my return" He put en- his hat and lit
a cigarette. by the way, have you got me
another check!'
NO" said Dick shortly.
''Those first three checks-they were all
right-on the square!'
"Of course they were all right. Why
should they not be all right?'
"Good-very good. Your secrets are
mine, and mine are yours. Partners such
as we shall lie have no secrets from each
other, have they!'
He laughed pleasantly and vent away.
Dick, left alone, began TO imagine that
life. His own had been so dali that he had
not the least idea what it would lie like.
Blu there would be no city work, no office,
no drudgery of copying and of making up
books. There would be charge and excite
ment in it; there would be money in it, and
gambling ION the safe side in it. Was the
count serious! Yet he hid spent q great
deal of trouble over him. He was not likely
TO spend that time and trouble for nothing.
The chances of leading such a life depended
upon himself.
He seized the pack of cards and began to
practice some of the passes and tricks which
the count had taught him. But he was ex-
cited and nervous. Tn most that he dared
TO hope that morning was safety for a time;
what was opened up for him now was more
than safety for a time-it was rescue.
The count said that the trouble was COM
ing that very day. Well, he know that the
checks were burned, wi tn the check book.
There can be no forgery unless the docu-
ments are produced, and they were gone.
Oh, what a fortunate chance was this that
placed in his hands the very proofs OF his
own guilt! The checks were burned. If his
father discOI cred the truth, he would do
nothing-nothing at all. There would be a
row; there would certainly be a row.
Well, the greatest row breaks no bones.
And he would, perhaps, be turned into the
streets. Very well. Then, perhaps, the
count would really do what he had prom
ised-bocome his friend and partner. Re-
cause, you see, Dick hal as yet none Of that
sense of honor which exists between broth
ers in iniquity. That had to be created in
him.
He could do nothing with the cards. He
threw them down and took up the paper, 1t
was The Times, and on The second column
his eye fell upon the following adver ,ise-
ment:
FIFTEEN POUNDS observation-disclosures on hes the
nth and the It'll days of June, respectively, there
were pres n.el and cashed at the Royal City and
Provincial Bank, F~insbury Circus branch, three
checks, each for twelve pounds. PAYABLE to sell N
bearer, and purporting to lie signed by myself, the
above named reward will be paid to any person who
shall df cover the man who presented them, He
described as an elderly man, well dressed, speaks
with a foreign accent, has short white hair and white
mustache, without beard, and has lost the fore
finger Of his right hand:
Signeb JOIN MURRInGE,
"Finsbury Circus, +. c.
Mr.. Murridge, in short. was a practical man. The
case perplexeI and worried him. He could see nC
wav out Of 1t. NUrah took the checks that was Ger
tam. she anu ntf LGOtleE pTCSSHleu tNOo tltIl
that was certain. Whyl And who presented the
: other threef
There cannot ba many men in ondon with the
three distinctive characteristics of age, a foreign ac
cent, and the loss Of the foretiner on the right hand
The he wanted must be an accomp!ice in III
robbery, or he must have received payment witt
these checks. IN the former case he might be dis
covered by some one who would see the advertise
ment: inthe latter he might himself come forward
He was quite right; the advertisement produced the
man. 1t did more. There were, | think, ifty.twC
members Of the club. 1t was, therefore, remarkable
that, in the course of that day and the next, Mr.
Mulridge received forty six letters, all from the I'm
mediate neighborhood of It. PancraS, Kings Crosp
and Camden Town, and all informing him that the
VIZ ter had it in his power to produce the man ad
vertised for on the receipt Of the promised reward
which might be sent by return post. 1hrtyslx o.
the writers followed up the letters by q persona
call; twenty six were abusive when they found tina
they had to 20 away with nothing-not even thei
tempers, which they lost IN the oftice-and ten wen
away sorrowful. There would have been fifty ont
letters; but, unfortunately, the remaining five die
not see The Times.
A simple advertisement. Nothing more. Yet /
Knocked down at one stroke the whole OF Dick
careful construction. No more was left Of it afte
tic advertise ment appeared than remains Of an ic
palace In the summer.
Dick knew that. The moment he read the ad
vertisement he understood what would happen.
At two o'clock the count returned.
my friend, he said, gravely, you have don
wrong"
what have IdOne?'
you have not trusted me. A dozen times have
asked you II those checks were right"
wei they are" he began.
ufT-.. lu,a ,,y{4l, lia ~ roIt fhn oOIInk ro,V0h I a.