The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-01

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 The last two words were in answer to knock at the door.
 "Mr. Oswald, sir" said boy who acted as 8 sort of clerk to MT. 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 a gruf voice, which was intended to be pleasant and assuring.
 One of MT. Heath's peculiarities was that he seemed to take a delight in making his clients state their business as often as possible, however well he might be acquainted with it.
 "YOu can offer me & chair fl you want to be civil, and glass of brandy ii you're inclined to be friendly" re- piled Oswald, in a languidly familiar manner, which just bordered on being contemptuous.
 "Oh, please be seated, dear sir, if you insist on ceremony" said Heath, push ing the bottle and glass toward his visitor as he spoke. "And now, be- sides offering you a chair and little brandy, what else can I do for you?"
 "Well, confound it you know what I have come about. You have had my letter. Whats the use of asking such A question, was the impatient rejoin- der.
 "Yes. I have had your letter, but don't like the business. I tell you frankly, don't like to see a young man ruining himself as you are do- ing"
 "Oh, curse it alll I have not come here to be lectured," interrupted Os- wald, angrily. "Will you do the thing or not? This is Thursday. I must have the money by Saturday night" {"
 "I would have to go give notice to the trustees of this fresh charge, and there is barely time to get the thing through. I would rather you took the matter somewhere else, replied Heath, dubiously.
 "But that is impossible, and I must meet my engagements on Monday" was the result.
 The result of some further conver- sation was that Mir. Heath, with a great show of reluctance, suffered him. self to be persuaded to have every thing ready to make this further and final advance on Saturday.
 "You will have twenty pounds in gold, eight ten-pound notes, and the remaining nine hundred pounds 'short,'" said Oswald as he was leav- ing the room.
 "Yes. I hope you will take care of it," replied Heath.
 "I shall win twenty thousand over the guineas. Good evening"" was the answer, and MT. Oswald took his de- parture.
 On Saturday Oswald duly received the 1000 pounds after he had executed 8 deed by which he assigned the pol icy of assurance and his life interest in the 15,00O pounds consols to MT. Heath. According to the will of the late MT. Oswald, the 15,0O0 pounds was, if Robert Oswald died without issue, to be paid to a distant relative who lived in America.
 Mrs. Oswald, I may add, derived her income from certain investments in American railway stocks. She was supposed to be very we'll off, but it was curious thing that, though she went good deal into society, nobody seemed to know much about either her or her late husband. They had come from America about five years before and taken house in Porchester Terrace, Bayswater.
 The late MT. Oswald brought very satisfactory references from Chicago, kept very good balance at his bank, and entertained, as did Mrs. Oswald, in very hospitable manner. This, however, was really all that was known about them. As to their son, Robert, he had unluckily taken to betting, and got into the clutches of MT. Heath, with what result, so far, we have seen above.
 It Is not necessary to say more than that Robert Oswald lost his money and brought himself to his deathbed during the next two months. As MT. Heath knew, he was in consumption when he sold his annuity, and the ef- feet of his losses and constant dissipa- ton precipitated the collapse of his system. "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battal- ions." On the morning sfter the race for the "Two Thousand Guineas," when Robert was left utterly penni- less and in debt to number of book makers, Mrs. Oswald received a letter from her stock broker, saying that he would like to see her at her earliest convenience. Accordingly she went at once to the city, where she learned that the two American railways in which nearly all her money was in- vested had ceased to pay dividends. That, in short, the shares were almost s,,asn la 6l< 4& hie<hlx< AaI