The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-08-26

Ing, UnOuSu 1lOU So Clearly anu COulu
only conclude that they were in the COM
partment occupied by the racing set,
that these last had got out at the station
we had evidently passed while l slept,
and that their places were filled by the
two whose voices reached me with such
unnatural distinctness. And yet how
improbable that the men who were so
evidently going to the races had got out
before the junction. Horror! thought,
the blood rushing to my face at the bare
idea, cannot have slept past the juno
ton too! No, my watch showed that
had not been forty minutes in the train
Ipulled myself together and looked
around
The carriage in which I sat was old
and dirty, as l have said; opposite to
me, just where, with my eyes shut, I
could swear that man and girl sat
talking, the dingy brown cloth was
somewhat stained, and there was long,
jagged slit, apparently cut with knife,
out of which the stuffing of the cushion
hung miserably.
This slit would account for the dis
tinctness of the voices 1 heard. I az
gued with a sophistry l would have
scorned in another. No, it would not
account for it, urged common sense;
but it must, or my eyes were playing
me false.
Just as I decided this, half heartedly,
loud guffaw from the racing men as
sured me that they at least were still in
the other compartment.
Then where were my two companions?
Talking in whispers, pleading, disput-
ing, with four or five rough, noisy men,
side by side with them, their voices
coming to me through the horrible Jag
ged cut in the faded cloth opposite. Or
or where? Here with me, not to be
seen, though | ribbed my eyes and
looked out of the window, and forced
myself to look back at the spot where
the voices sounded, just above that hor-
rible slit in the cloth. For it was hor-
rible. confessed this to myself at last,
and drew my feet up on the seat of the
carriage and felt the cold dampness of
girls voice, hoarse and eager, as it
seemed to me, striving for calmness
against growing terror.
'Listen, Harry" she said. ''This
money is not mine. You do not under
stand so must tell you, though it is my
fathers secret. He has owed this sum
for ten years, and for ten years has
worked and saved and starved for it.
Little by little he has gathered it all,
and have watched him growing older
and paler and seen the stoop in his
shoulders and the dimness in his eyes
until, Harry, my heart has nearly broken
for pity. But week ago the last pound
was put in the bank and he was free"
"A week ago." the mans voice NUT
tered harshly; land why not have paid
it a week ago and have saved tempting
me?"
The last words were said so low that
| scarcely heard them, and the girl took
no notice of them, and hardly even an
swered his question.
sit was for my brothers sake, dear,
the brother you never knew, who is
dead, and who, but for his father, would
be disgraced as well. He was weak,
poor fellow, in body and mind. He was
a clerk, and betted and lost, Harry;n
and the poor little voice grew so pitiful
here that I could fancy I saw pleading
eyes raised to the others face, ''and he
took money, two hundred pounds, from
his master and''-
"Two hundred pounds!" The shout
with which these words We're uttered
made me tremble. "Never mind the
story, Kate; tell it to me another time;
it's common enough, God knows! Where
is the money!
mo, Harry-no," she painted; "you
shall not have it. My father Oh,
Harry, let me tell you, My father went
he swore that if he would forgive the
boy he himself would pay the money
back, and at last it was agreed. Frank
went to Australia and died there year
after, and my father worked on, faith.
full to his promise.
"Half way through the time he took
one hundred pounds to Franks master.
My father thought he was surprised to
see the money, A friend said he could
not claim it, now my brother was dead.
Anyway, he told my father he would
forgive him the other half, but father
would not hear of that. He said for his
dead boys honor he would pay all, and
this morning, Harry he told me to go
and get the money from the bank, and
tomorrow he will pay it over himself
and be free and happy again. Now,
Harry, you understand"
The mans tone was changed when he
spoke again.
"Of course, dear, 1 understand" ;" he
said more gently and / could hear him
draw her toward himi ''and now you
must listen to me. You know you are
mine, Kate; you have promised to mar
ry me, and you ought to trust me a
little"
Il do, Harry" she whispered, "only
you promised to give up betting"
''You talk like woman, Kate, and a
woman with no experience. l tell you
most men bet; it all depends how you do
it. Now here l am doing nothing rash.
| am behind the scenes. l have the
trainers word for it, and John of Gaunt
is as sure to win as the bookmakers
think he is safe to lose, and that is say
ing a good deal, With a paltry fee
bounds in my pocket am safe to make
fifty pounds, and with one hundred
pounds-think, Kate, we could marry
tomorrow"
Il would rather wait than marry so,
dear" the gentle voice answered.
But, by George, Kate, | would not"