Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-18

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THAT tcas ,rhat you ,canted me for.
iCdSnt it,"
did not speak to Horace, but got
away from the Office as soon as could that
afternoon and went to her u tell her had
found out her secret and to arrange some
plan for retaining the young idiot. When
I was announced sire seemed less self-pOs-
ssssed than usual. thought, and her agi-
tatiou increased when she heard my story.
lyon are wrong on one POINT, Gerald, "
che said, whsn she had heard all had TO
tell her; II knew Horace vas in Difficult
cultiss. but I did not know how he got
iuto them. l never hsd suspicion of the
causs-I only knew ne Was in desperately
low spirits and owed more money than be
could possibly pay; but he never told me
it was betting that had caused his
troubles
But, all the same. he has managed to
make your life one of perpetual torment to
YOU" I returned angrily, as l thought OF
the worry the young rascal had been TO
her. II know all about IL, my dear girl;
Won need not try TO defend him. l can
quite understand how he has come home
when his horse had been nowhere, how
he has cried out against fate aud snOrted
and fumed and paced the room and sworn
he was ruined man, aud declared there
was only one way out OF his misery-to
put an end to himself--and all the rest of
The cheap twaddle. Now confess to me,
CYNTHIA, that you have raised money for
him more than once"
Yes" she said quietly, averting her
eyes and looking ashamed of herself. i
could not let him be so worried while
had the means to help him. q"
"And l suppose you have parted with
some of your mothers jewelry?"
81 did not want it now, you see" she
answered.
GLOW much have you lOst?" ] asked,
feeling my rage increasing within me at
every reply enc made. go and fetch me
all YOU have left, Cynthia; l will keep 1t
tor you-he shall have no more"
~ have none left, Gerald.
1t was quite as much as l could do to
keep back the exclamation that rose to
my lips, but did. She shsmed me into
calmness. What right had l TO storm
and rave when the chief sufferer was
patient?
I took few rapid turns up and down
the room, and, when had thoroughly re-
gained my self-control, spoke again.
as he in debt now?"-"Yes."
The words were scarcely more than g
sigh. hut knew what it cost her to say it.
Chow much-do you know"
She looked at me without speaking, and
her lips quivsred.
"Don't be foolish. Oynthia~ I said, 60
/ ing over 10 her. "What is little mouev
70 me compared with your happiness
You ought not to feel il So"
She tried to spesk, Int her face worked
convulsively, and she pat up her hand and
covered her eyes .or a few moments.
smoothed her pretty hair gently; and,
when I beard a sob come from behind the
sheltering hand, l felt / wanted 10 murder
some one-Horsce for choice.
By and by, when she took her hand
from her eyes, snd murmured something
about being silly, drew forward chair
and sat down in front of her.
''Now l sm going to talk business" l
said very solemnly. This betting is a
serious matter, and l don't know how
best to set about curing Horace. If l
could give him g real good fright it might
perhaps have some effect on him. Will
YOU let me wait here until be comes
home? Ard if you will leave us to-
H. LII 90. . ! !; -, Iorop,ar and for nc
and threaten him with instant dismissal
unless he gives me his word of honor not to
stoop to this folly again. When I've Civ
en- him a good shaking up I'll finish by
settling his present debts. What is the
amounl?"
I took my oheque book from my pocket
az I spoke, and began to fill in, so that
CYNTHIA might have time TO recover her
self. When I bad written in ''Pay to Mr..
Horace Dsbeuham," and signed my name,
turned back the last tally TO look at the
date.
There was Z one on it-neither date nor
CIV other particular. 1t was quite clean
With feeling of horror and despair l
turned back the next tally, ana found 1t
was, as l expected, the one l had filed in
the night bsfOre and given TO Leyens just
before went up to dress.
Then where had the missing cheque
gone? The chsqCe book had not been ont
of my possession since Horace had given
it to me that morning. The inference
was plain-the chtque corresponding to
mis- blank tally had been abstracted dur
ing the time Horace had had the book in
his possession.
Together with this thought came an
other-the recollection of the words he
had spoken when he returned the book to
me-sI thought l should have b en- here
before YOU had time to miss it." l under
stood now how much more there was in
thoss words than appeared on the surface.
If he had reached the Office in time to re-
store the book to the place he took it from
before I had discovered its absence, l
should never have heard that he had taken
it home.
Idated not look at Cynthia for fear she
should see any sign of my horror in my
face. So I kept my head bowed down over
the book and forced myself to 90 on filling
in .be date in a methodical manner. Then
I cleared my throat and steadied my voice
carefully, and asked her for the amount.
Forty pounds she answered; and her
voice was anything but steady-poor soul!
Even as she spoke, and before had
time to fill in the amount, l heard Hor-
aces key in the door Of the lock below.
left the sum unwritten and caught her
for a moment in my arms, holding her