Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-17

longer. Who can tell We make more
bad debts than people think, and, like the
snail crawling up the post, might now
and then have slipped down at night twice
as far as l had crawled during the day
"But here the whole thing is done. The
last ten thousand made, as the saying is,
by stroke of my pen. And vet it's curl
Gus how | have had a suspicion from the
first moment | set eyes upon this brat that
he'd be at once my making and my ruin.
Tush such nonsense; the thing is per-
fectly legal, and the money is perfectly
safe. Even if lost ii, I'd be very far
from ruined; but it is quite safe. So Mr.
Oswald, you snail have your thousand
pounds more especially as you are pretty
certain to kill yourself with it. Still, I
have strange liking for the lad He has
good qualities, with all his folly. But oh,
humbug what have ! to do with these
feelings? If had anyone to leave my
money to-a child of my own TO inherit
my wealth. might wish to leave it
little cleaner than it is. Yes, it's hard to
think that the riches for which | have
toiled will go to people who curse my
name-if don't leave them to the nation
or turn them into cash ami fling it into
the std D6lOTt ulc- ADIle III
The last two words were in answer to a
knock at the door.
"Mr. Oswald, sir" said boy who acted
as a sort of clerk to Mr.. Heath
Show him in" said the latter, as he
resumed his seat at the table.
A tall, handsome, but very delicate
young man entered the room.
"Well, young sir, what can I do for you?"
said Heath in gruff voice, which was in
tended to be pleasant and assuring.
One of Mr.. Heath's peculiarities was
that he seemed to take delight in max
ing his clients state their business as often
as possible, however well he might be ac-
quainted with it.
You can offer me a chair if you want
to be civil, and glass of brandy if you're
inclined to be friendly" replied Oswald in
a languidly familiar manner, which Just
bordered on being contemptuous.
"Oh, please be seated, my dear sir, if
you insist on ceremony" said Heath, push
ing the bottle and glass toward the Wis
itor as he spoke. "And, now, besides
offering you chair and little brandy,
what else can l do for you?p
"Well, confound it you know what /
have come about. You have had my let
ter. What's the use of asking such a
question ?" was the impertinent rejoinder.
yes, have had your letter, but l don't
like the business. l tell you frankly. |
don't like to see young man running him
self as you are doing"
"Oh curse it all have not come here
to be lectured," interrupted Oswald angrily.
" Will you do the thing or not 2? This is
Thursday; | must have the money by Sat
urday night"
4" would have to give notice to the
trustees of this fresh charge. and there is
barely time to get the thing through,
| would rather you took the matter some
where else" replied Heath obviously.
I" But that is impossible, aud must meet
my engagements on Monday" was the
answer.
The result of some conversation was that
Mr.. Heath, with great show Of reluctance,
suffered himself to be persuaded to have
everything ready to make this further and
final advance on Saturday.
p" You will have twenty pounds in gold,
eight ten-pound notes, and the remaining
900 Short" said Oswald as he was leaving
the room.
=" Yes, hope you will take care of it."
replied Heath
" shall win twenty thousand over the
Guineas. Good evening"" was the answer,
and Mr.. Oswald took his departure.
On Saturday Oswald duly received the
81 900 after he had executed deed, by
which he assigned the policy of assurance
and his life interest in the e15,000 consols
to Mr.. Heath. According to the will of
the late Mr.. Oswald, the $4,000 was, if
Robert Oswald died without issue, to be
paid to distant relative who lived in
America.
Mrs. Oswald, | may add, derived her in
come from certain investments in American
railway stocks. She was supposed to be
very well off, but it was curious thing
that, though she went a good deal into sa-
ciety, nobody seemed to know much about
either her or her late husband. They had
come from America about FIVE years before
and taken a house in Porchester terrace.
Bayswater.
The late Mr.. Oswald brought very satis-
factory references from Chicago, kept a
very good balance at his bank, and enter
tanned, as did Mrs. Oswald, in a verv hos
pitable manner. This, however, was really
all that was known about them. As 10
their son, Robert, he had unluckily taken
to betting, and got into the clutches of Mr..
Heath, with what result, so far, we have
seen above.
1t is not necessary to say more than that
Robert Oswald lost his money, and brought
himself to his death-bed during the next
two months. AS Mr.. Heath knew, he was
in consumption when he sold his annuity,
and the effect of his losses and constant
dissipation precipitated the collapse of his
system. when SORROWS come, they come
not single spies, but in battalions." On
the morning after the race for the 1.-TWO
Thousand Guineas," when Robert was left
utterly penniless, and in debt to number
of bookmakers, Mrs. Oswald received
letter from her stockbroker saying that he
would like to see her at her earliest con-
venience. Accordingly, she went at once
to the city, where she learned that the
two American railways in which nearly all
her money was invested, had ceased to pay
dividends. That, in short, the shares were
almost unsalahle, as it was highly prob
able that the concerns would be sold under
foreclosure of mortgages. Mrs. Oswald
did all she could under the circumstances.
She gave up her house in Porchester ter
race and took lodgings in st. Pauls road.
OdhlOCh tOWb, NAciC Sllc utfOlcu ntTS6lJ
to the task of nursing her son, who was
now fast sinking in consumption.
PART II.
In the second week of the following
June, Mr.. Heath, who had small house
in Noting Hill, was sitting in his parlor
at little after 8 o'clock in the evening,
when the servant came in to say that
Mr.. Bailey wished to see him.
"Show him in at once" said Heath, who
rose from his seat and went to the door to
meet him.
A shabby dressed little man, who looked
something like lawyers clerk out Of en-
ployment, came into the room.
Well" said Heath, in his usual gruff