The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-02-03

- Bracl<en, the
Va M,mSSxvRkNS detective, had
@S S4ayMnH/@ been overdue
4ksesssT several days.
When things
were normal he dropped In once
week. but in the course of our long IN
timacy T heard his light knock and
saw his gentle, melancholy face In the
doorway many and many an odd and
unexpected time Ten days haa nov
gone by without visit, and was be-
ginning to wonder what could have
happened, when he appeared one even
ing aud dropped into chair with a
sigh.
where have you been this age"
asked. as soon as he was seated
''In the great DESERT" said he, look
ing gravely into the fire.
Nonsense" said I. 'Wake up!
There hasn't been time for you to get
SO far as to Gibraltar since I saw you
last
II meant the great desert of London.
The Sahara is the great desert OF SAND;
London the great desert of man."
MY dear Bracken." said I, brislly,
edo drop that philosophic tone and
come down to earth and facts. What
have you been doing? Running a muir
derer to earth in Westminster. or stop
ping an clipping couple at Queens
town.
Neither said he, shaking himself
up. II have for the past week or moro
been on private job-a city case:
IA private city case is nearly always
interesting What would you. like to
whet your whistle with?"
''I'll have brandy and soda." SAID
Bracken, with another sigh.
got the brandy and soda. pushed
the cigar-box toward him and settled
myself back in my chair. Once Brncten
has been wound it is best to let him
alone. He does not mind a question to
elucitlate what he is say ing. but he
does resent anything like goad.
Last Friday week." said he, after n
long pause, II was sent for by Mr.. Ed
-.--;erd MerriclS. Junior partner of Mer-
rick =. Co., and son of Alexander Mer-
rick. the senior and only other partner.
1.-THE business house O: Merricl< &
Co. is IN Mincing lane. But I was in
vited to call at the private house of
young Mr.. Mcrricl< in Thompson's road,
Twickenharn. Young Mr.. Merrick is
about thirty five, and married. His ia
ther is between sixty and seventy, a
widower. and has mansion on Clap
ham common, where his unmarried
sister, few years his junior, keeps
house for him.
"'For some time back said young
Mr.. Merrick when I saw him. we have
been very uneasy about my father.
Wher / say we l mean the family.
which consists of my aunt, my wife
and myself.
".Up to about three years ago I
anew all my fathers business. He and
were on the most intimate terms pos
sible. He reposcd unlimited confidence
in me, and l had no secrets from him.
He was the soundeSt and most steady.
going business man in London, and the
very last you would suspect of going
into hazardous speculations. The bust.
ness was then in fourishing condi-
ton. Never had it been better; never
even so.good.
My father and 1 are now aud have
ever been the only partners. Until
lately we always kept plenty of money
in land. together with large reserve
NV father owned as his private for
tune about a hundred Thousand pounds
Invested in first-class securities He
was as cautious of where he put his
own money as the most careful trustee
with the money of another.
".At the date speak of, about three
years ago. a serious financial PAM.
seized the city. A period of overtrad
ing and wild speculation had ended In
disaster. Men had been rushing blind
lv into ventures which could not rec
ommend themselves to any sane hu
MAJ being, and now at last the newt
able crash was at hand. Houses o
great responsibility and standing CAM
down like bubble companies, and ever
sober going trades were filed with ap
prehension and CONSERVATION. Merricl
& Co. was absolutely unharmed-unaf
fected. We had not risked q penny il
any dubious venture, and we had no
lost = penny indirectly through others
Up to that dreadful crisis
knew. everything about my father
private Affairs = where every shil
ling was invested. In the mid