Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-13

like Jasper. But ons evening aiibsn
MaFiowe came 10 me ct Jasmine Ledge
d saying, 9aspet1Fas the rascal who gol
away with your money, Alworth; he con-
fessed it TO me, and is now beyond thl
seas, with my assistance
Gwendolins looked astounded.
Yes, my child, such was Gilbsrt'l
cold-blooded announcement, he went
on to say that Jasper had confessed tc
using my money in paying horse-racine
debts. Then Gilbert added: But don'i
know anything about your money.
only came to say that will henceforth
carry on the business Of the firm alone
and to assure you that the proud old name
Of Marlowe is still. publicly. untar-
nished.' I tried to strike him, but my
head suddenly left me, and swooned
away. Twas carried to bed, and remained
unconscious for one week with brain
fever. They pulled me through. after 3
fashion. When at last-broken down,
and with the sad realization that could
never again be, mentally and volitiOnally,
the man had been-when ut last was
slowly convalescing my physical health,
was visited by Lawyer Croak.
aHis manner toward me was changed to
harsh and peremptory one. He asked
me If was prepared to meet the mortgage
Of six hundred pounds, which he held on
Jasmine Lodge, and which would fall
due on the following day. felt that ]
should die If compelled to give up my
beautiful dower-girt cottage.
So told him yes; that six hundred
and fifty pounds of mine were still in Gill
bert Marlowe's hands. ] would obtain
the money on the following day, and lift
the incumbrance.
You are out in your reckoning he
sneered. Mr.. Marlowe has been looking
over the old firms accounts, and says
| there has been mistaken computation
that, in fact, instead of his owing you,
| you are slightly In his debt Look sharp,
Alworth, for if you don't have my money
for me in time shall certainly foreclose
and sell you out
Then he went away, leaving me stupe-
fed and all but distracted. Weak as
was, managed to get dressed, and at
once sought Gilbert Marlowe at the bank.
l will not recall the miserable interview
that ensued. It ended by him showing
me the books, and in some way making
out that Croak had spoken truly-in his
forcing me TO sign an agreement turning
over the entire rickety concern to him,
and mis- offer to engage me thenceforth
as his head clerk, at salary barely suf-
ficient to keep body and soul together,
but accompanied by the permission to
occupy his garrets there gratuitously,
with you and your nurse. Then began
the ill-paid servitude, which MarlOwe
has himself dissolved to-day.
| "On the following day, true to his
threat, Croak foreclosed. and had JAS
mine Lodge put under the hammer. With
| its two acres, it was well worth FIVE times
the face of his claim, but, by his devilish
chicanery, he managed to buy ii himself
for five hundred and eighty pounds. Since
then it has trebled In real value, and he
has made small fortune in letting it,
furnished, to seaside sojourners; this
Boncourt and his sister being the ninth
or tenth careless tenants that have occu-
| pied it.
Il brought you here with Mrs. Riggs
! as our housekeeper. You were eleven
years old when she died. Sincethen, my
child, have been your care, rather than
as it should have been-God help mel"
Gwendoline embraced him tenderly.
| But there is still more to be told,
said she. More of the family history"
"Ah, understand. Well, Gilbert at
4
| deserted wife. The little cousins, Noel
and Cuthbert, became inseparsble. They
| were Of about the same age, and strik-
ingly resembled each other.
| But Isabel Marlowe would never get
over her dislike for Gilbert. Even when
the news came Of her recreant husband 9
death year after his fight, she repulsed
Gilbert even more decidedly than before,
though he had recouped his fortune, and
would gladly have married her.
| Il think she would even have left High
combe in anger, to escape his importuni-
ties, but that, about this time, both chill
dren fell ill of scarlet fever. Mrs. Mar
! lowe, on the doctors advice, teok them
to Penzance, accompanied by nurse.
| They grew worse, and Gilbert hurried
after them, The next news was that
| Cuthbert had died, while Noel was reeev-
ering.
| This was the truth. There was sor-
rowful return, with but one live child,
and the other corpse.
| One would have thought that the loss
she had sustained would have granted her
at least brief respite from the pressure
| Of Gilbert's unwelcome suit. But ii was
not so. He continued to urge it so pas
sionately, SO persistently, that at last he
drove her away.
| "One day she disappeared from her
cottage. It was supposed that she had
| gone back to London, but she mas never
| since been seen. Gilbert, who was we'll
nigh maddened by her flight, lavishsd
time, money, and patience in prosecuting
| the search for her. but in vain.
Then Miss Winford appeared, with
/ recommendations. She was engaged to
look after Noel and the household, and
has been here ever since. That is the
whole story, my child.
! After long pause, Gwendoline asked:
How did Mr.. Marlowe manage to re-
instate the business here, father, after it
had become SO run DOWN.
His habits changed. for one thing. He
grew cautious, shrewd, abstemious and
far seeing. Then, in less than year af-
ter my misfortune, he borrowed large
sum from Mr.. Croak, which he at once
invested in the business to great advan-
i tage. Oddly enough, the loan he effected
corresponded precisely in amount with
what had been stolen from me-eighteen
i thousand pounds.
+Strangel Why. father, I should say it
wasl"
The old man laughed bitterly.
Gilbert Marlowe called it chance
coincidence, said he. Well. we'll; per-
haps il was.
Gwendoline knitted her pretty brows
in thought. Then, perceiving her faith
er's despondency returning. she began to
hustle about the place in some hight
housewifely duties. humming ; cheerful
II Z q 4 1 x