Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-23

was MS SON and not NOEah at all, who had
done this thing, and he saw in the signature
Of bis son what he had never noticed before
perhaps he had never before seen his sons
aignature-a fatal resemblance to his own.
You have not yet, SIR said Hugh,
given US your name and address"
The stranger laid his card upon the table.
Hugh took ii, read it, and handel it to Mr.
MurIidge.
''Signor Giuseppe Piranesi, No. IS Agile
square. That address will always find
yOul'
Il am in lodgings there. That address
will find me for a feH weeks longer"
why did you lend my son money! Mr..
Murridge asked, quietly.
TO pay his losses at cards"
His losses at-at cards' Dicks losses at
cardsf'
Your sons losses at cards.
You will have to prove these things.
sir" said Mr.. Murridge. you will have 10
prove them. You shall go before a magis-
trate."
Before the lord mayor himself if YOU
please. Meantime | will keep this little
document" He replaced the / o U in his
pocketbook. And if l might suggest, as
the next step, you might put one or two
questions to your son. AS, first, how and
where he spends his evenings; next, how he
has done lately in the matter Of luck; and,
thirdly, who has lent him money to 90 on
with?"
Mr.. Murridae said nothing.
A to the first, he will reply that he spends all
his evenings at a certain club, where there is social
conversation, with a little friendly gambling-such
as a baccarat table and tables for ecarte, and so
forth, and that he Is a gambler acharne-for his age,
1have never seen a more determined gambler. As
Tor the second question, he will tell you that luck
has been very much against him for some weeks;
and, as to the third, that the proprietor Of the club
lent him money from time to time. When you have
put these questions and received these answers. 1
think that you will not want to go before any mag.
~istrates."
You are, then" said Hugh, "the proprietor Of a
gambling club2'
II am its founder, young gentleman. shall be
happy to welcome you in @tse you, TOO, like Mr..
Richard Murrldge, are devoted t. the green table.
You will find the club a highly respectable body Of
gentlemen"
Mr., Murridge sat quite silent.
Just then Datfodil arrived. He knew nothing Of
any trouble, and walked in with his careless, cheer
full bearing.
Here l am, Mr.. Murridge. What do you want me
fora Is my father elevated to an earl or a dukeY'
VIII you ask him the question, or shall Ir said
Hugh.
Mr.. Murrldge shook his head.
We'll, then Hugh went on, "be serious, Iaff. II
you can, Do you remember cashing a check at the
Royal City and Provincial Bank the other day2'
yes l cashed a check all right. For twelve pounds,
1t was"
"How did you get that check3'
why. Dick gave it to me. Asked me to cash It on
my way to Crosby Hall, where was to meet hil..
Igave him the money. Why?"
Never mind why. Do you know this g%entleman2"
The signOr offered his hand.
Tits my young friend whom fortune favors. When
shall You come again?"
The young man b!ushed.
81 know him" he said. 81 have seen him twice."
'Only twice?" Hugh asked. Consider"
"Only twice, . replied the slgnor. 1.-THE young gen
tleman has only twice been to the club"
Are you in the habit Of gambling, DaH?"
"'ve only gambled twice in my life" " he replied
~blushing.
"Are you in debt?'
lowe about five pounds to my tailor. 1t is mora
than l can pay, but it is all l owe"
"You have only played cards for money twice?'
"Ihave played whist in some Of the fellows rooms
for threepenny points. But l have only gambled
twice. The first time l won five shiilings, and the
second fifty shilings and more"
well, who took you"
Daft hesitated and turned red again. No one likes
to tell tales.
You must tell us. 1t is for Norah's sake"
"Well, then, Dick took me-"
"Dick is my most regularmember" said the signor,
as If 1T was a credit to him. "He begins with the
fist, and he plays as long as he can stay. My most
regular member. There is no one more regular than
Dick. He should have been a Russian"
Very good. There il only one other question I
want to ask you. Did Dick, to your knowledge, ever
ask any one else to cash a check for him?'
"Once he asked NOrah."
"How do you know?'
"Norah told me. We were taking, and she told
me. Isaid she had no business to run errands for
Dick"
"Now, sir" said Hugh, Nope YOU understand the
reason which prompted Norah to refuse any other
answer, or TO conduct this inquiry. She knew be.
torehand."
There is villalny somewhere" said Mr.. Murridge,
harshly; "vlllainy somewhere! How do | know that
this is not a conspiracy? As for you, sir," he turned
to the signor, 81 believe you can be sent to prison for
corrupting the young"
signor Plranesl laughed courteously.
Il assure you, sir" he said, 1.-THE members of my
club are quite corrupt, as regards gambling. before
they come to me-"
"As for you" Mr., Murridge shook his finger at
Daffodil, "as for you, l believe you are In the job
somehow. Villains all! villains ALI"
"And toog' said Hugh.
"You have got the girl to defend"
1.-THE villainy, MIR, Murridge, is established nearer
home. You are ready, l hope. to acquit the first
person charged"
Certainly not-certainly not. How do | know
that this is not a conspiracy against my son? Where
is he? Let him be confronted with these two, Let
me have more evidence. Let me find the last of the
stolen checks"
Now, all this time the door had been standing wide
open, and behind 1t sat the office boy eagerly drink.
AH5 IA EFNAJ hOIlS AC hOHt vi II Hts Time, uls
derstood exactly what had happened. And he now
began to experience the joys Of revenge, because he
had it in his power to deal his long.meditated blow
on the man who had called him a measly little devil.
Accordingly, he stepped from his place and boldly
entered the inner office.
What do you wantY asked his master.
please, sir, I've heard 1t ALL"
what If you have2 All the world shall hear It all
before long"
"Please, slr"-the boys bearing was considerable
more humble than that Invariably adopted by his
favOrite heroes, but the matter Is more important
than the manner-"please, sir, I've found something
which Mr.. Richard dropped"
"What Is itT
The boy produced an envelope in which were two
pieces Of paper. One of them, pink in color. he laid
on the table.
at is the last of the checks" cried Mr., Murridve.
The signature was only, as yet, In pencil. very
carefully written. The rest Of the check was filled
up. Like all the rest, it was drawn for the sum of
twelve pounds.
"What is the other Paper in your hand?' asked
Hugh.
M Richard was always writing things and tear.
ing them up. On dai he spent all the morning in
writing over a single saeet of paper. Then he tore
1t up into little piece Ipicked them up and pieced
them together"
he gave Hugh the result. It was a half sheet Of
foolscap. 1t had been torn into a hun dred pieces.
and was now put together like a child's puzzle, and
gummed upon another paper. Across 1t was writ
ten, over and over again, like one Of Coutt's checks.
the name of John Afurridge-John Murrldge-John
Murridge, all exactly alike, and all in exact imlta-
ton Of Mr.. Murridge's usual signature. Hugh placed
this before MI. Murridge.
"Are you satisfied now, STRIP he asked.
g. r.
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