Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-31


 folded up the sheet of paper, "that is about as straight as it can be put. And this is the time that the old gentleman chooses to ask for another four thousand. He may ask, but the answer will be more than he bargains for"
 He rose from the chair and began to walk up and down the room in evident perplexlty. ''n only," he said, 1T had twenty-five thou sand would take up the mortgages myself and foreclose at my leisure. It would be a good investment at that figure, even as things are, and besides, should like to have that place Twenty-Five thousand, only twenty thousand and now when l want 1t l have not got it. And should have had it If it had not been for that tiger, that devil Edith. She has had more than that out of me in the last ten years, and still She IS threatening and crying for more, more, more. Tger-yes, that is the name for her; her own name, too. She would coin ones vitals into money if she could All Belle's fortune she has had, or nearly all, and most of my savings, and now she wants another five hun dred, and she will have it, too. Here we are" and he drew a letter from his pocket written in a bold but somewhat uneducated woman's hand
 "Dear Bill" 1t ran-Ive been unlucky again and dropped a pot. Shall want e5OO by the 1st October. No shufning, mind; money down; but think that you know me too well to play any more larks- When can you tear yourself from the lovely Mrs e., and come and give your E. a look9 Bring some tin when you come, and we will have times. Thine, THE TIGER."
 1.-The Tiger, yes, the Tiger" he gasped, his face working with passion and his gray eyes | glintipg as he tore the epistle to fragments, and threw them down end stamped on them.
 "Well. be careful that don't one day cut your claws and paint your stripes. By heavenl 1t ever a man felt like murder do now. Five hundred more, and haven't five thousand clear in the world. Truly we pay for the follies of our youthl It makes me mad to think of those fools Cossey & Son forcing that place into the market just now There's a fortune in it at the price. In an- other year or two I might have recovered myself that devil of a woman might be dead l and have several irons in the fire, some of which would be sure to turn up trumps. Surely there must be a way out of it some how. There's way out of everything ex- cept death If only one thinks enough, but the thing is to find it," and he stopped in bis walk opposite to the window that looked upon the street and put his hand to his head.
 As he did so he caught sight of the figure of tall gentleman strolling idly toward the office door. For moment he stared at him blankly, as @ man does when he is trying to catch the vague clew to @ new idea. Then, as the figure passed out of bis view, he brought bis fist down heavily upon the sill.
 Edward Cossey, by GeorgeW be said, aloud. "There's the way of 1t, if only can work him, and unless have made 8 strange mistake think know the way"
 A couple of minutes afterward 8 tall, shapely young man of about twenty-four or five years of age, came strolling into the office where MT. Quest was sitting, to all appear ance hard at work at his correspondence. He was dark in complexion and decidedly distinguished looking in feature, with large, dark eyes, dark mustaches and pale, some what Spanish looking skin. Young as the face was, it had, if observed closely, son1s what worn and worried air, such as one would scarcely expect to see upon the coun tenance of gentleman born to such brilliant fortunes, and so we'll fitted by nature to dc them justice, as was MT. Edward Cossey For 1t is not every young man with dark eyes and good figure who is destined to be the future head of one of the most wealthy pri vate banks in England, and to inherit in due course sum of money in hard cash variousiy estimated at from half @ million to a million sterling. Such, however, was the prospect 1T life that opened out before MT. Edward Cossey, who was now supposed by his old and eninently business like father to be in proces. of acquiring sound knowledge of the pro vincial affairs of their house by z tending te the working of their country branches in the eastern counties.
 "How do you do, Quest2" said Edward Cos sey, nodding somewhat coldly to the lawyer and sitting down. ''Any businessF
 ''Well, yes, Mir. Cossey," answered the law yer, rising respectfully, 'there Is some busi ness, some very serious business"
 | GtTo6ood said Ivy "what is itf'
 "Well, it is this. the house has ordered { foreclosure on the Honham castle estates-at least 1t comes to that"
 At the sound of this intelligence Edwart Cossey's whole demeanor underwent the mos startling transformation-his languor van ished, his eyes frightened, and his form be came instinct with active life and beauty.
 "What the deuce, he said, and then paused II wont have it, he went on, jumping up 'I won't have itl I am not particularly fonc of old De Ia Molle, perhaps because he is no particularly fond of me" he added, rather drolly; "but 1t would be an internal sham, to break up that family and sell the hous under them. Why, they would be ruined And then there's Ida-Miss de la Molle,
 mean-what would become of herf And tn
 old place, too. After being in the family fo all these centuries, l suppose 1t would be solt to some confounded counter skipper or som retired thief of lawyer. It must be pre- ! vented at any price-do you hear, Questr' The lawyer winced 8 little at his chief } contemptuous allusion, and then remarked with smile: II had no idea that you wer so sentimental, MT. Cossey, or that you tool 8 lively interest in Miss de la Molle," and h glanced up to observe the effect of his shot. Edward Cossey colored. 1T did not mea, that took any particular interest in Miss d la Molle," he said; T was referring to tn family"
 "Oh, quite so, though am sure I don know why you shouldn't. Miss de Ia Mou } is one of the most charming women that ever met, think the most charming, if ez 3 cept my own wife Belle, :" and he again locke up suddenly at Edward Cossey, who, for hi . part, colored for the second time. "It seem to me-" went on the lawyer, ''that a man 1 3 your position has most splendid opportunit |, of playing knight errant to the lovely dan sel In distress. Here is the lady with he aged father about to be sold up and turne out of the estates which have belonged t her family for generations-why don't 70 |, do the generous and graceful thing, like th | hero in a novel, and take up the mortgagesi Edward Cossey did not reject this sugges , tion with the contempt that might have bee expected; on the contrary, be appeared { 3 be turning the matter over in his mind, for h