Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-05-20

two natures were opposed to each 9TH
er, his and Charles were, the one all
cool calculation, the other all thought
less impulse. Oscar had also the adj
vantage of Charles, by half dozen
years.
They dined together at Charles
rooms. Charles urged some outdoor
attractions afterward, but he urged
them in vain. Oscar preferred to re-
main at home. So they sat. and
smoked, and slipped their wine; at least,
Charles smoked, Oscar was not given to
the habit. Still he said nothing. At
eleven o'clock he rose.
''It is time for sober people to be in
bed, Charles. hope have not kept
you up
Charles Dalrymple fairly exploded
with laughter. Kept him up! at only
eleven O'Clock!
MY evening is not begun yet" said
he.
"No!" returned Oscar, looking sur
prised, whether he felt SO ornot. 'What
do you mean?'
II am engaged for the evening to
Colonel Haughton. :"
1T is curious time to begin an even
ing. What are you going to do at Col
Onel f1augntOn 5:
Cant tell till 1 get there"
Can | accompany you?'
Charles face turned grave. "No,"
said he, sit is a liberty may not take.
Colonel Haughton might resent it. He
is peculiar-tempered man."
Goodnight
Goodnight, Oscar. Come to break
fast at ten
Oscar Dalrymple departed. But he
did not proceed to the hotel, where he
had engaged a bed; on the contrary, he
took up his station in shady place,
whence he could see the door he had
just come out of; covering there like
house-breaker watching the putting
out of the lights in the house he con-
visit; or, like the policeman keeping
housebreaker. Presently he saw Charles
himself away.
Hardly had his echoing footsteps
died out when Oscar retraced his steps
to the house and knocked. His cousin S
own man answered it. A faithful SER
want, getting on in years now, Charles
was the third of the family he had
served.
Reuben" said Mr.. Dalrymple, Il
think have left a note-case in the sit
ting-room. lam come back to find it.
The note-case was looked for without
success; and Oscar discovered that it
was safe in his pocket. Perhaps he
knew that all the while.
nothing, Reuben. Did L call you out Of
y-n,,r bod D.,
mo, no." answered the man, shak-
ing head. There's rarely much bed
for me now, before daylight, Mr.. Os-
car"
How is that?' inquired Oscar.
Il suppose young men must be
young men," he replied. 81 should
not mind that; but Mr.. Charles is get
ting into just the habits of his uncle"
Oscar looked up quickly. "His uncle
Charles Dalrymple?" he asked, in a low
tone.
GAY, he is. My heart is almost mad
pose | must not talk about it. If my
should just 90 down to the Grange and
tell him every thing"
A new idea t1oated over the mind of
Oscar as he listened. 1t gathered
strength Mrs. Dalrymple had not
mentioned whence she had received
news of Charles exploits, but he now
felt sure it was from no other than Reu
ben.
II came up to-day at Mrs. Dali
rymple's request" said Oscar; ''but
that must not be told to Mr.. Charles.
Tell me all, Reuben, for 1 have to re-
port it at the Grange. How is he go
ing onr'
mot well, sir And should things
ever come to a crisis with him, as they
did with the first Charles Dalrymple,
thought, may be, Mrs Dalrymple would
blame me for not having warned her.
Therefore l wrote"
Oscar Dalrymple had not taken his
eyes off the servant during the last
sentence. Some of the words struck
strangely upon his ear. "Do you
fancy-do you fear-things may come
to crisis with him, as they did with
his uncle?n he breathed, in low voice.
s.Not as to him; not to the same
| crisis. as to him. And the servant
agitation was so great that the tone of
his voice approached a scream. Mr..
Dalrymple! how could you think it?"
Nay, Reuben think it! Your
words alone led to the thought.
Il meant as to his money. Nothing
else; nothing else. Mr.. Oscar
"Let me hear what you know and
what you fear
He has fallen into just such a hor-
rid gambling set as that his uncle got
into. One of them is the very same
man. They sought him out; they did.
Mr.. Dalrymple, and he never would
have got into it of his own accord.
| was in the room tonight, sir. when
| he told you he was going to Colonel
Haughton's. 1t was the very man who
ruined his uncle
Colonel Haughtonr'
1T was. He was only Captain
onel now. A Colonel by courtesy only.
1 should call him; for I heard he has
sold out of the army long ago. It's to
know whether or not he was turned
out. And they say he has nothing to
live upon. Colonel Haughton called
here some days ago; l knew his face
again, though it's bloated one now.
and his hairs grey, and he had got on
spectacles. And he knew me. Per-
haps he remembered that the last time
we ever met was over the dead body of
poor Charles Dalrymple; for he went
shuffling away, and he has never called
since. l asked Mr. Charles if he knew
how Haughton lived-without saying
that l could tell any thing about him
and he said: No. On his property
h. L.nn txr