The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-22

,eroe1ving an edo sort of questioning In
her fathers scrutiny, she grew grave.
Come, we will forget about it, she con-
;inued. Now, for the romance OF the
forgery in detail.
But tbe weak old man had been turning
he Croak suggestion over in his mind
.urine his daughters absence.
hoIu on, uwenny! SAID ne. ponder
neIy. uor.r fetss A. off the handle.
Did YOU ever think how miserably. abb
lectly poor We are, my dear? And then
Croak. to be sure, is no longer young, and
ae's bachelor, and they do say that old
bachelors, as a rule, make doting hus-
,ands. Besides"
Father, stop"
She was standing beside him with fash
eyes and burning cheeks: though the
olusn WIS wuuiIy Tor MIN, moi 1or hersei1.
Indeed. indeed I didn't mean it,"
Hammered the old man. Forgive me the
uercenary thought, Gwenny! am 30
distressed, so broken down."
Poor papa! Of course, you were only
Joking. There, there; think no more of
It, and 60 on with your promised story"
After long pause Mr.. Alworth seemed
o collect himself for the required effort
of narrative and condensation.
1T was o year after your mothers
leath, my dear" said he, slowly, and
you we're consequently but q twelve
month old, when I concluded to retire
from the firm of Alworth, Marlowe d
Co., Of which was the senior partner.
was then living at Jasmine Lodge, with
40 servants but my gardener and your
good nurse, Madge Riggs. Jasper Mar
owe, 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-
narily Tilted her, to marry the richer
yirl, who became the mother of his child
before being driven underground by Gill
berts brutal treatment. Harriet Loop
disappeared. Broken hearted by her uE-
worthy lovers treachery, she vanished
from her native place, and is, perhaps,
long since dead.
Poor Harriet Loop" sighed Gwendo-
line.
You may we'll say that, my child. A
nard, hard used woman! Well, We had
all been in the matrimonial mood at
yearly the same time. Jasper married
6ne, spirited young London work woman.
With their one child. Cuthbelt, about the
same age 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 !
speak of. It was only disturbed once by
fierce quarrel between Jasper and Gil.
bert, by reason of the latter, by that time
/ widower, trying to make love to his
cousins wife, and getting caught in the
attempt"
Gwendoline looked shocked and in
dignant.
sWhat an abominsble man Mr.. Mar.
lowe must have been in those days, said
she.
ITO be sure, to be sure; but not 8
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
,pprehensive 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 I had my entire fortune, e1-
elusive of six hundred and fifty pounds
get in the partnership, deposited with
Soundman & Goldberg, popular Lon
don banking firm. had always made my
deposits through the agency of MIR.
Croak, whose business often called him
to London, and in whom had the most
implicit trust. My business was about
wound up with the Marlowes, when one
day announced to Mr.. Croak my inten-
lion OF drawing out my entire funds from
Soundman d. Goldberg's hands, ,eightaeD
thousand pounds, for the purpose Of in
resting them in American railroad Sc
curities, and requested him to accom-
pany me to London for the purpose Oh
Identifying me at the bank.
He said he could not go himself, but
would give me letter to MIR. James
Hartwell, 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 7 called the next day he
been stolen out of his desk. A forgef
had got possession Of it, fastened to
London twelve hours in advance of me,
Hartwell's Identification, and made OF
With nv els, coo. That was the gist of it,
Gwenny. was already beggared."
'Eeggared! You could do Do:hing?
Nothing of any avail. my child. With
70 lott ~
rushed to London, but the ruin had been
20 cleverlv wrought that the panistel
could do but little for me. He could only
furnish description of the forger, who
had doubtless been disguised when per.
sonating me, and that availrd nothing.
The bank had paid the money, and it was
gone!'
But the bank was responsible, broke
IN Gwerdoline.
Yes: but bankrupt. 1t had suspended
On the morning of my arrival In London.
and neither Soundman nor Goldberg has
ever been worth guinea since. The
:orger was just on time; l was day too
!ate!"
Through Mr.. Croak's delay with the
letter of identification you asked for!"
Precisely"
The old man paused, b1rylng MS race
IN his hands.
But 60 on, do 60 on. father!" ex-
claimed Gwerdoline, now wrought up 10
\ high pitch of excitement. "Surely
;here's much more to be told
CHAPTER ".
Mr. ALwoRTH FINISHES HIS STORY.
when I returned home, crushed anc
broken, from London" continued Mr..
Alworth. feebly. -Croak and the Mar.