The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-15
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! restrain myself. l Will allow 1or you
misfortunes-I will not take exampl
from your senile fury. But hearken t.
| me, Mr.. Alworth." And his tcno AM
manner became cold, harsh md rasping
| IN comparison with which his fury wa
even preferable. Il would amend you
recollections on certain points. will no
| dwell upon your heartless reprehensiol
of the dead, sir. True, sir, / did advls
nv cousin tol flee, when I had becom
satisfied of his guilt, which, however
strange to say, the officers of the law hat
never suspected. 1 acknowledged it t
YOU. But if Jasper carried away you
money with him he did so secretly AM
without my knowledge. Let that pass
He is dead; you will acknowledge that
! SIR"
Yes, yes; no one questions the fact O.
his death" said Alworth, slightly bridlin!
up again. But what of it?"
You ask me what of it, sir9 But thinl
of it. Dead in a strange land; dead
thousands of miles from his native En-
gland and the hearts that had loved ant
trusted him!"
Yes yes; but as fugitive from jus
tice, and doubtless after having squan
dered all or a portion Of the hard earned
fortune he robbed me of, murmured Mr.
Alwo1th, impatiently. II don't see wher,
the sympathy or pity for him shouls
come in.
Mr.. Marlowe shrugged his shoulder,
aontemptuously.
There is no accounting for the vim.
6ictiveness of certain natures. said he
with hypocritical sigh; and then be went
L -, ha1
viI I, in amending your recollections g.
more than glance at your envious slul
upon me, sir. for having fortunately. soor
after your misfortune, been ensbled,
through Mr.. Croak, to reinstate the busi-
ness hsre. Why, I had as much right to
effect that loan Of Mr.. Croak, sir, as Mr.
Croak himself had to foreclose upon your
cottage-a perfect, absolute right-and
MS for nv saving that cottage for you-as
for my extending helping hand, as you
childishly call it-let us see how we stood
there"
Mr.. Alworth was about to interpose
something, when he was Silenced by a
domineering gesture. 49,
No, no; now let me talk. it's my turn
continued the banker. Let US see how
We stood at that critical juncture. The
business was tottering, as you have said.
you had lost faith in it, aid were aboutto
meanly apd ungenerously slink out OF
your share of the responsibilities in.
Cured. You had contemplated retire.
ment for O year. You had gradually
Withdrawn your entire investment from
the concern-eighteen thousand pounds
oil told-and deposited it with Soundman
& Goldberg, of London. Your idea was
to tide your chances-rerhaps invest In
foreign securities-and then settle down
to day-dreaming with your infant daugh-
ter at Jasmine Lodge. Aha, it was a
honeyed prospect; but the very day be-
fore you had fixed on going to London
after your money, in steps the forger, his
check is cashed, and up IN balloon 60
you and the bank together. Ay, ay;
for, partly in consequence, Soundman &
Golberg failed completely, and they've
been clerking it for bare livelihood, just
as you have, ever since. In one short
hour You were hurled from afhuence to
beggary!"
Mr.. Alworth groaned aloud.
And now, forsooth," Mr.. Marlowe
pitileSsly went on. you would snivel and
whine at my not having extended you a
helping hand. Zounds, sir! I did more
for YOU than 20 n deserved when made you
my head clerk here, and permitted you,
daughter and you to make your home in
the upper part Of this house. Sir, l con.
slider you an ingrate!"
"Oh, no, MIR. Marlowe, not an ingate!
dolefuliy murmured the old man, thor
oughly subdued, /,
sYes, sir, an ingrate-a dastardly in.
crate! Those are hard words, but use
them premeditatedly. You are an in
CRATE, sir; and therefore it is that have
discharged you"
And then Mr.. Marlowe began TO pace
the floor Indignantly.
But, even in this insulting injustice,
the for!orn old clerk seemed to perceive
some hope.
why, Mr.. Marlowe," said he, IL
thought you were discharging me, merely
because you wanted my place for Your
son. Noel"
That is one reason, sir, but not the
chief one," said Marlowe, coming to an
angry pause. There is yet another.
Doesn't your conscience suggest it?"
Mr.. Alworth locked bewildered, and
could only shake his head.
-Ha! then I will tell it to you. Sir. !
have, to my modification and astonish-
ment, recently detected in my son a
growing md dangerous fondness for your
daughters society! do you hear me? yes,
sir; for your daughter, Gwendoiinc, on
the part of my son, who has noblemen
for his intimates. sir. who will one dav be
one of the richest men IN Cornwall-per-
haps n member of Parliament, as we'll,
strand who is, moreover, already under
marriage engagement to Madame Adele
Ronceville, the sister OF Monsieur Bon.
court, the present tenant Of Jasmine
Lodge. Sir, this is N monstrous! the young
man must have been subjected to allure
ments by both you and your sly mink o5
a daughter, or he could never for o mo.
ment have so forgotten what he owes tc
his position, his associates. and his pros
poets"
The color rushed into the old clerk
cheeks. and his eyes flashed again; hut
he controlled himself, aad murmuring.
in choking tone, Il never heard of such
thing before; you cruelty wrong bott
Gwen3oline and me-" he feehly arose
and moved away.
As he reached tie door, tears streaming
down his withered cheeks, his mlser.,
found utterance in the despairing words
"Oh, what will become of US? what will
become Of us?" :.
Mr.. Mallowc, feeling somewhat tri'
umphant, had by this time regalned hls
self complacency.
I say, Alworth," he called out, in
sort of bantering kindliness, don't b,
too much in the dumps. Both you ant
YOUR daughter can still remain up yonde
in the attics for few days. Then, to
morrow being Sunday, you cah both I'M
bibe YOUR customary consolation dowr
yonder at the chapel that you attend 81
slavishly." ..
U;tb ~. toore et;ll m his cheeka. Mr.