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

AeoP A. tnhn5 DeSh run mo again,
Tell me now; did Mr.. Marlowe say any
thing else?-
Only one thing more. Gwsnny.'
What was iti-
He said we might have Jasmine Lodge
back again, with all the care-fres happi-
ness We desire, n-if-"
go on, father. II what?"
Tiff you would only consent to mar
~ Mr.. Croak."
Gwen burst into clear, ringing peal Of
laughter.
-Oh, how comicall" she cried; and then,
perceiving an odd sort OF questioning in
her fathers scrutiny, she grew grave.
Come, we will forget about it, she con-
tinued. -Now, for the romance of the
forgery in detail.
But the weak old man had been turning
the Croak suggestion over In his mind
during his daughters absence.
Hold on, Gwennyl' said he, ponder
ingly. Don't let's fly of the handle.
Did you ever think how miserably, alb
jectly poor we are, my dear? And then
Croak, to be sure, is no longer young, and
he's bachelor, and they do say that old
bachelors, as rule, make doting hus-
bands. Besides"
Father, stopl"
She was standing beside him with fash
ing eyes and burning cheeks; though the
blush was wholly for him, not for herself.
Indeed, indeed 1 didn't mean It'll"
stammered the old man. Forgive me the
mercenary thought, Gwennyl I am SO
distressed, so broken down."
Poor papa! OF course, you were only
joking. There, there; think no more Of
il, and go on with your promised story"
After long pause Mr.. Alworth seemed
to collect himself for the required effort
OF narrative and condensation.
1T was year after your mothers
death, my dear" said he, slowly, "and
you were consequently but a twelve
month old, when concluded to retire
from the firm of Alworth, Marlowe &
Co., OF which was the senior partner.
was then living at Jasmine Lodge, with
no servants but my gardener and your
good nurse, Madge Riggs. Jasper Mar
lowe, the junior member, and Mr.. Gilbert
Marlowe's cousin, was a good-natured,
careless fellow, completely under his
relatives domination. Gilbert lived, as
now, In this house, with his little boy
Noel, and troops Of servants. The child's
mother had died shortly before Of neglect
and broken heart. Gilbert, before
marrying, had been engaged to Harriet
Loop, one Of the sweetest girls Of Hithe,
but suddenly left penniless by her
fathers death. Then Gilbert had sum-
marily Tilted her, to marry the richer
girl, who became the mother of his child
before being driven underground by Gil
bert's brutal treatment. Harriet Loop
disappeared. Broken hearted by her un-
worthy lovers treachery, she vanished
from her native place, and is, perhaps,
long since dead.
Poor Harriet Loopl" sighed Gwendo-
line.
You may well say that, my child. A
hard, hard used woman! Well, we had
all been in the matrimonial mood at
nearly the same time. Jasper married o
With their one child, Cuthbert, about the
same ago as the little Noel. they lived
in the pretty cottage now occupied by its
owner, Lawyer Croak. Such was the
family status all around at the time I
speak of. 1t was only disturbed once by
fierce quarrel between Jasper and Gill
bert, by reason Of the latter, by that time
q widower, trying to make love to his
cousins wife, and getting caught in the
attempt"
Gwendoline looked shocked and in
dignant.
lowe must have been in those days." said
she,
"To be sure, to be sure; but not q
patching to what he is now, I'm think
ing. He was only recklessly bad then;
now he is deliberately bad. But Gilbert
made apologies, the quarrel soon ended,
and he once more resumed his ascend
ency over Jasper. Well, had long been
apprehensive of Gilbert's mad private
speculations involving the firm, and had
before this announced my intention to
withdraw. Little by little had taken
out my original investment, and my share
of the shrunken profits.
AT last had my entire fortune, ex-
elusive of six hundred and fifty pounds
yet in the partnership, deposited with
Soundman d Goldberg, popular Lon
don banking firm. ] had always made my
deposits through the agency Of Mr..
Croak, whose business often called him
to London, and in whom I had the most
implicit trust. My business was about
wound up with the Marlowes, when one
day announced to Mr.. Croak my inten-
tion of drawing out my entire funds from
Soundman " Goldberg's hands, eighteen
thousand pounds, for the purpose Of in
vesting them in American railroad se-
curities, and requested him to accom-
pany me to London for the purpose Of
identifying me at the bank.
He said he could not 60 himself, but
would give me q letter to Mr.. James
Hartwell, q prominent London barrister,
who would identify me at the bank. He
would have the letter ready for me to
catch the ii o'clock train on the follow
ing day. When called the next day he
had already written the letter, but it had
been stolen out Of his desk. A forger
had got possession Of it, fastened to
London twelve hours in advance of me,
presented his forged draft, secured Mr..
Hartwell's Identification, and made off
with my 9ls,O 900. That was the gist Of it,
Gwenny. I was already beggared
-Beggaredl You could do nothing?"
Nothing Of any avail, my child. With
duplicate letter to Mr.. Hartwell, /
rushed to London, but the ruin had been
30 cleverly wrought that the barrister
could do but little forme. He could only
furnish description of the forRer, who
had doubtless been disguised when per-
sonating me, and that availed nothing.
The bank had paid the money, and it was
gone!"
But the bank was responsible, /" broke
in Gwendoline.
Yes; but bankrupt. Ithad suspended
on the morning Of my arrival in London,
and neither Soundman nor Col ldberg has
ever been worth guinea since. The
forger was just on time; was day too
lata1n sN5G4