Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-08

Avn SUI 2 ~ - do 4AoIA III oIuCl tAdA IkOu>
ben.
II came up to-day at Mrs. Dali
rymple's request said Oscar; but
that must not be told to Mr.. Charles.
Tell me all, Reuben, for have to re-
port it at the Grange. How is he go
ing onr'
mot well, sir. And should things
ever come to crisis with him, as they
did with the first Charles Dalrymple,
Thought, may be, Mrs Dalrymple would
blame me for not having warned her.
Therefore wrote"
Oscar Dalrymple had not taken his
eyes off the servant during the last
sentence. Some of the words struck
strangely upon his ear. "Do you
fancy-do you fear-things may come
to crisis with him, as they did with
his uncleP" he breathed, in low voice.
"Not as to him; not to the same
crisis, as to him." And the servants
agitation was so great that the tone of
his voice approached scream. "Mr.
Dalrymple! how could you think it?"
May, Reuben think it! Your
words alone led to the thought"
IL meant as to his money. Nothing
else; nothing else, Mr.. Oscar"
LET me hear what you know and
what you fear.
"He has fallen into just such a hor-
rid gambling set as that his uncle got
into. One of them is the very same
man. They sought him out; they did,
Mr.. Dalrymple, and he never would
have got into it of his own accord
l was in the room tonight, sir, when
he told you he was going to Colonel
Haughtons. 1t was the very man who
ruined his uncle"
Colonel Haughtonr'
Haughton IN those days; he is Col
onel now. A Colonel by courtesy only,
should call him; for I heard he has
sold out of the army long ago. It's to
know whether or not he was turned
out. And they say he has nothing to
live upon. Colonel Haughton called
here some days ago; I knew his face
again, though it's bloated one now,
and his hairs grey, and he had got on
spectacles. And he knew me. Per-
haps he remembered that the last time
we ever met was over the dead body of
poor Charles Dalrymple; for he went
shutting away, and he has never called
since. I asked Mr.. Charles if he knew
how Haughton lived-without saying
that could tell any thing about him
and he said: No. On his property
he supposed. Fine property" cone
temptuously added Reuben; che has
nothing but what he fleeces others Of"
Oscar made no comment. He waited
for more.
cit was when found he had drawn
Mr.. Charles into his meshes that
wrote to Mrs. Dalrymple. Every night,
as the nights-or, may say, the morn
ings-come round, at two, three, four
o'clock does Mr.. Charles come home,
flushed and haggard; yes, sir, flushed
and haggard; the two go together with
gamblers, though you may not fancy
So"
You think he gambless''
II am sure he does; / know the
signs too well; l had that experience
with his uncle before him. Sometimes
he will come home the worse for
drink; sometimes he will be sober, and
then he seems the most wretched. He
will often walk about the rooms for an
hour before getting into bed. 1 hear
him from mine, pacing about like one
in frenzy. He appeared laughing
and jocular before you, Mr.. Oscar, but
it was all put on
"Have you warned him? OF tried to
stop him?''
What good can I do, sir? Twice I
have begged him not to 60 out, and
said this night work was ruin; but he
was not going to heed me. l said
nothing about the play; it is hard to
tell how he might have taken it, from
me-"
"But think you ought to do SO,
Reuben, and tell him the history of his
uncle. That may stagger him."
"OAly last night, that ever was, L
had the greatest mind to it. But the
squire would never have it spoken of
to him; he used to say: Keep it from
him, Reuben, don't tell him that
Mr.. Charles has asked me, before now,
what his uncle died of, and I have
passed it off, and said short illness.
But what's the good of speaking, Mr..
Oscar? No warning ever turned a
gambler. think he has got bills OUT"
added Reuben. passing to a different
subject.
'.Bills out! Already7' repeated Mr..
Dalrymple.
There's cause to fear so, SIR" he
sighed. 'And all the ill has
arisen through those sharks COM
ing after him. They knew Moat-
Grange had fallen to him, and
they scented the prey as soon as
he set foot in London. and came hunt
ing him up, like they hunted up his
uncle two-and-twenty years ago.
These harpies, who have no means of
their own, and live by preying upon
young men, driving them to ruin and
despair, ought to have their necks
stretched on Tower Hill. Nobody was
ever born with better heart than Mr..
Charles, only he is easy, and good
natured. and gets led away"
''Tush" said Oscar. He did not be-
lieve in good hearts; or, at any rate,
had q profound contempt for them. He
believed in nothing but cool self-inter-
est. The servant had told all he knew,
and Oscar babe him goodnight. and
departed.
They met at breakfast. Charles was
looking i'll and anxious. Oscar saw it
plainly, now the clue had been given
him.