Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-12-03
lsa a CAST I
B q FOR !
FORTUNE
? By CHRISTIAN REID.
81 CHRISTIAN RID

fairylike scene which the hotel and its
garden always present at night-tht
graceful encircling galleries lighted bril-
liantly with incandescent electric lights
aud the rich tropical foliage of the gar
den fully revealed in the white radiance.
Il have never been in place that
charmed me so much as this. said Hal
bert, after pause of some length. II
do not think il is the peculiar circum-
stances that make everything seem Sc
enchanting And, by the bye. Godfrey,
feel that ought to tell you something
about those circumstances 1t hardly
seems fair to keep you in ignorance.
Sybil insists that it makes no difference.
but | am not sure
''SibylT repeated Derwent. staring at
the other. He had never known Halbert
so familiar before. for Miss Lenox. though
relative of Mrs. Derwent. was not at
all related to the young man. who was
Derwent's cousin on his fathers side.
"What are You talking about" he asked.
What circumstances have occurred
which Sibyl thinks do not concern mer
Halbert smoked for moment silently
before he answered Then he turned and
faced his companion directly "She has
promised to marry me. he said. and,
although she assures me positively to the
contrary. fear the news will not be
pleasant to you
There was more than moments 81
lence now Derwent felt indeed rs if he
had been most Unexpectedly knocked
down This was an event on which he
had not reckoned IN calculating the pos
slbllity of atOnng for his fathers wrong
doing In all ms considerations he had
never considered the probability that
Sibyl might marry before she attained
her majority. and thus anticipate the
time of settlement: IN fact. there can be
little doubt thar the general opinion of
every one about them bud led him to
fancy that he might marry her himself
ii he chose to do SO The blow to his
vanity (Which really had been very little
concerned) was not however. the cause
of his silence He was overwhelmed by
the terrible necessity of telling Habert
how matters stood
But nothing was more natural than
that Halbert should have misunderstood
his silence, He said al length. IN u low
tone, "Geoff. ! am more sorry for this
than can say ! feared it would be so
but Sibyl was sure that ! was mistaken
She insisted that you never were in love
with her. but | knew you could not have
been associated with her SO closely and
fail to be-
''Sibyl is right. said Derwent. rousing |
himself with an effort II suppose it is |
because we have been associated so close
ly-aimost like brother and sister-that |
l never was in love with her. though |
know of no girl more altogether worthy
of mans love SO far as that is con.
cerned You have my heartiest congratu
lations. indeed. you have them in any
case But your news has been shock
to ME for an altogether different reason
! am IN terrible trouble about Sibyl's
fortune.
~'Geoffreyr
Yes; that is why am here When ]
locked into my fathers affairs after his
death found, to my horror. that he had
used Sibyl's money in an un]ustitiablel
manner OF course he intended TO re-
place tit happened. unfortunately, to
be in tempungly convenient form-but
death overlook him. as 1t has overtaken
many another man, before he could re-
pair what he had done You may not
have known that he was concerned IN
several unlucky speculations during the
last years Of his life.
II suspected IT." said Halbert In
fact. it was whispered once or twice that
ing seemed to come of it | forgot the
rumors Geof. my poor fellow. this
is awful How does his own fortune
standy
Very much impaired: so much that
when make good the loss of Sibyls for
tune my mother will be very straitcned
in means. It was To save her from this,
and also to save my fathers honor. that |
intended trying to replace what had been
lost during The time that remains Of
Sibyl's minority. decided that my best
chance to make money quickly was here.
so | came-with what result thus far
you know.
You have not been here very long.
said Halbert Zone failure signifies
nothing How have you been impressed
by the possible chances
Il have been very well impressed
There is no place in the world. am
sure. where it is possible for the invest
ment of a little capital to produce such
large results But time is needed to ac-
these results.
That is the case everywhere. Only
in dreams are fortunes realized in day
Well. my dear fellow. so far as am con
cerned-and | know can answer for
time is yours Neither she
nor ! viii demand what has been lost.
because we are well assured that you
viii repay it to the last farthing as soon
as you are able. Only take care that you
do not risk more than You can afford in
the pursuit Of 1t.
Il shall take care. said Derwent. ..for
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