The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-04-07
MOAT-GRANGE.
CHAPTER III CONTINUED.
By Mrs. HENRY WooD.

NHhGIEh III -NONTlNubD
Such was not Mrs. Dalrymple's.
"What plan can be adoptedP" she
asked, quitting that part of the subject.
"Did he positively refuse to come down
with youg'
ale positively refused. / might as
well have tried to move a mountain
down here. Something ought to be
done-if you could only tell what. Oh
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.
"When the mania for play sets in on
man, he is not content to confine his
ventures to triiles."
"But do not understand" returned
Selma. ;How could he stake the
Grange? II is in the Dalrymple family,
and can not 90 out Of it..
"He might stake its value. Mortgage
it, that is, for his own life"
"And 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 yet.
Oscar nodded. 81 am only saying
what he might do; / do not say he will.
He might so hamper us and involve the
estate, that he could never derive fur
ther benefit from it. Or his family
either, so long as he lived"
"Would it return 10 us at his death?
am sure if he is TO sit up all night, he
will destroy his health and die" she
mounfully added.
"It-would return into the family"
spoke Oscar, hesitating where the
pause has been put.
Alice Dalrymple, who had been buried
in a 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 "a
happen 20 Charles?" she said, "whosC
would the Grange beP Mamma'sPn
No one answered her.
-,.r5Ssss Oscar, y, l ns1yOu' would it go ''
"No."
"To whom, thenp"
."My dear" interposed Mrs. Dal
rymple, at would be Oscars. 1t goe
to the male line"
The answer took both the young la
dies by surprise, but they were silent
They stole a glance at him; red, con
scious light had flown into his usual
pale cheek.
81 never knew it," breathed Selma
"And it is OF little import your know
ing It now," cried Oscar. 81 am a
likely to come in TO the Grange as ! ar
10 be made prime minister Charles
younger man than am"
"But, IL Charles were to play
away" resumed Alice, ''it would b
yours them"
"Alice, you are unusually dull u
day." said Mrs. Dalrymple. "Wer
Charles to be so infatuated-which
have little fear Of none, indeed
would not be Oscars any more than
Is now"
"Whose then, mammal I was thinl
ing Of something else when you wei
talking"
Charles still Only he could NJ
enjoy it. His creditors would tal
care Of that"
'Poor Chariesr' uttered Alice. "H
has been left to himself, up there, }
has had nobody 10 turn TO for advit
or counsel, and / dare say he has on
done, what he has done, from though
lessness. A word from mamma ma
set him right. Do you not think yo
ought to 20 TO him, mamma"