, 1891-05-27

hand. did you think l failed to remark
it just now, when, as your glance fell on
the little one there, a groan escaped
your lips? And you have shown by many
other signs that something is troubling
you"
"Oh, Tom" she cried suddenly, lean
ing forward and hiding her face on his
shoulders. you will not speak so kind
ly when you know the truth. Yet i
must tell you my-my husband. You
have been so kind and gentle that 1 can
not deceive you any longer, but try,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to be very an
CRY with me-"
There is no fear Of that" said Tom
encouragingly. Come, little woman,
let us have the murder out"
"Ah, you do not know what it is" she
went on in remorseful tones, ''else you
would not treat it so lightly. Oh, Tom,
Tom, l-I-have lost all my fortune"
How did you manage thaty' he asked
quietly.
You may well put such a question:"
she continued in a voice broken by fire.
quent sobs. You may well fail to I'M
derstand my folly and madness. Oh,
Tom, Tom, although l used to set you
at defiance in the matter of gambling,
yet your open remonstrance and silent
~disapproval in time began to vex my i'm
patient heart. And when | discovered
q secret gambling club, where l could
indulge my Unsuitable passion without
your knowledge, | at once began to fire.
quent it. The game was roulette-the
n of all others in which l had always
longed to join. gave myself up to its
fascination, and stalking wildly incurred
heavy losses day after day. Then, as
my fortune rapidly diminished, and time
went on, and thoughts of the little one
whom | was soon to bear were brought
home to me, a chord of motherly feeling
was touched within me, and l hated my
self for my wicked folly in having
robbed my child.
81 vowed l would win back all that /
had lost, and with that intention (for my
strange gamblers craving was somehow
dying away staked heavily at the tables.
But my endeavor was nothing else than
throwing good money after bad. l lost
-lost-lost-until my whole fortune was
gone. Do not'-very piteously-"do not
reproach me Tom. My W heart is re-
preaching me already, almost more than
l can bear"
my darling" he replied, II have no
thought of reproducing you. If l had
meant TO do that | should have done it
before this, for | have known all about it
a long while"
you ave known all about it a long
while" she cried, raising her fearful eyes
wonderingly to his. "Oh. Tom-how
did you find out?"
VERY easily, my pet" he answered,
kissing her forehead, seeing that the
founder and proprietor of the gambling
club where you lost your money is no
other than-myselfl"
She regarded him in speechless amaze
ment He went on to explain himself
further;
YES. 1t Is quite true. When / found
that advice and remonstrance were lost
on you, my dear, l had to look about for
another method of saving you from the
effects of your folly. And the starting
of that private gambling club was the
method which occurred to me. 1t took
some working put Of details and the en-
ployment of a good bit of capital TO get
the thing properly ahoat. But l enlisted
the services of a competent agent, whom
| paid well, and undertook to indemnify
in case the club were found out by the
police. 1t had not been discovered, nor
now ever will be-; for, its object having
been gained, the establishment is finally
closed. There, Ada, that is enough to
enable you to grasp the truth. But tell
me-are you soiry to learn that all the
money which you lost has passed back
into my handsf"
"Sorryr" she calculated, raising herself
in bed and w%reathing her arms round his
neck in a joyful, fond embrace. "Oh,
Tom, how kind and good and clever you
arel L can never love or thank you
enough"
Tom Partington gave the most con-
vincing proof that he could have given
of his belief in the sincerity of his wife's
repentance. He handed back to her the
whole Of her money without condition
or reservation, and he has never had
cause to regret it.-Boston Courier.