Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-06-03
MOAT-GRANGE.
By Mrs. HENRY Woon
CHAPTER

"Aei ,you.
HE positively refused. 1 might as
well have tried to move a mountain
down here. Something ought to be
oone-if you could only tell what. Of
course things got worse, night by
night. Any night he may stake the
Grange
stake the Granger' uttered Selma
Dalrymple. Whatever do you mean?"
..Stake it and lose it, added Oscar.
-" hen the mania for play sets in on a
man, he is not content to contine his
ventures to trifes''
but do not understand" returned
Selma. How could he stake the
Grange? 1t is in the Dalrymple family,
and can not 90 out of it,
"He might stake its value. MORTGAGE
1t, that is, for his own life.''
land could we not remain in itp"
She quickly asked.
Scarcely. 1t might take every
shilling of its in-comings to pay off the
interest. You could not live here upon
nothing
'Would it be sacrificed: useless to us
for so long as Charles lived?' Selma
reiterated, not comprehending vet.
Oscar nodded. Il am only saving
what ne might do: do not say he will
He might so hamper us and involve the
estate, that he could never derive fur
Their benefit from it. Or his family
either, so long as he lived"
''WOuld it return to us at his death?
l am sure if he is to sit up all night, he
will destroy his health and die" she
mOurnfully added.
"1t-would return into the family"
spoke Oscar, hesitating where the
pause has been put.
Alice Dalrymple, who had been buried
in reverie, looked up. A contingency
had occurred to her which she had
never thought of before; so entirely
had the Grange been theirs, in their
fathers recent lifetime, and in the GER
tainty of its descending to Charles aft
erward. Suppose any thing were to
happen to Charles2" she said, whose
would the Grange be? Mamma's?"
No one answered her.
Oscar. L ask you, would it 60 to
mamma?''
mo"
"To whom. then?''
"My DEAR interposed Mrs. Dali
rymple, lit would be Oscars. 1t goes
to the male line
The answer took both the young la
dies by surprise, but they were silent.
They stole a glance at him; a red, con-
scious light had flown into his usually
pale cheek.
Il never knew it." breathed Selma
''And it is of little import your know
ing it now" cried Oscar. = Il am as
likely to come in to the Grange as l am
to be made prime minister. Charles is
younger man than | am
"But, if Charles We're to play it
away resumed Alice, lit would be
yours then"
Alice, you are unusually dull to-
day. said Mrs. Dalrymple. "Were
Charles to be so infatuated-which l
have little fear of; none, indeed--it
would not be Oscars any more than it
is now
"Whose then, mamma? l was think
ing of something else when you were
talking
Charles still. Only he could not
enjoy it. His creditors would take
care of that"
Poor Charlesr' uttered Alice. "He
has been left to himself, up there, he
has had nobody to turn to for advice
or counsel, and l dare say he has only
done, what he has done, from thought
lessness. A word from mamma may
set him right. Do you not think you
GU chit to 90 to him, mammal"
"Yes, Alice l have been resolving
on it, now, as we were talking"
cit is the only PLAN returned Os-
car. looking at Mrs. Dalrymple. He
may listen to you
Il will go-to-morrow is Sunday
the first thing on Monday morning.
You must accompany me, Oscar"
.sIf you wish it, will"
Monday morning .dawned, and all
got up to the early breakfast-table;
even Alice, whose lameness was an
apology for not rising early in general.
In the midst of breakfast, James came
in, and looked at Oscar Dalrymple.
"Will you please to step here, sir. a
minute?"
"What for?"
"Just for minute, SIR" repeated
James.
Oscar went out, some bread-and-but-
ter in his hand, for there was no time
to spare. James shut the door.
Heres Reuben come down, sir, by
the night mail" he whispered: ''He
told me to fetch you out to him. but
not to say to mistress that it was him. y
Oscar walked quickly across the hall.
Reuben, who was peeping for him,
from the kitchen passage. turned into
an empty room. Oscar followed.
What is it? What has brought you
from town.
The old servant trembled with agita-
ton, and grasped hold of the back of a
chair. "Oh, Mr.. Oscar! it is all over.
NV poor young master is gone.
Oscar sat down, seemingly uncon-
scious what he did, and the same red
light came into his cheeks.
The very night you left, sir, he went
out again with those men. Before he
went. he told me he was ruined, and
more than ruined. He never came
back. He followed on the fate of the
first Charles Dalrymple; but he did not
come home to do 1T. .
HE has destroyed himselfP'
ale has! he has!'
"How? In what manner!
drowned, sir. He jumped over
Westminster-br bridge, right INTO the
water. Oh. what distraction his poor
mind must have been in, to urge MN
to such a death as that!
Oscar rose and looked from the VIII
dow. Cold as was his nature, the news
could not fail to shock him-although
he was the inheritOr.
HAS the body been found?" he
presently asked. I'M
mo. Perhaps it never will be. The
officers saw. not half the bodies that
.,,+o tla Tban,as pvpy see the llOn6