The evening times., 1895-11-06
Helped by The Sinner.


University College. Oxford. was as popu-
lar a man as any in the whole varsity.
He was a good fellow, a good athlete. a
good sportsman Had he taken the trouble
TO read he would also have been a good
scholar.
The dons did more than call him idle.
they threatened him with pains and pen
alties. they communicated his delinquen-
cies to the young mans father. The lat
ter was an ausiere man and bishop-the
Bishop of Silchesler-So well known as q
pillar of the Church Association.
You ought 10 have more sense and more
consideration" said the bishop. You
know that have large family, and that
my expenses are heavy. l am investing
capital in your education because L think
q good education is the best investment
/ can make Tor you. II is not only foolish,
II is positively dishonest OF you, 40 aste
your time as you are now doing. When
you leave Oxford you viii have TO look
out for yourself; ard then you VIII find
what q difference u good degree makes to
you"
II don't believe that 1t makes such an aw-
full difference" answered Tom. ''rvehear
you say yourself, father, that you didn't read
much when you were at the varsity. And
yet, though you only took third. they We
made you a bishop. You see," Tom hast
ened to add, for he saw a frown gathering
on the Episcopal brow, they knew what a
good man you were. without applying the
paltry test or little Latin and Greek
True" assented the bishop, II was a
fool, and wasted my time most culpably. But
because | was a fool and have been fortu-
nate to escape the consequence OF my folly
there is no reason why you should be a fool
and expect to escape the consequences OF
yours Besides" said his iordship, with a
profound look. times have changed since
was young. Tom"
II dare say they have, father"
At Oxford the bishop had gone the pace
with the best OF them. He often told. with
a seif-satisfied air, how cleverly he had
broken the intelligence OF his debts TO his
father, and how blue the old gentleman
looked when he heard. If Tom had made
such a communica ton to the bishop now he
would have been kicked straight out of the
house.
Tom. however did not make such com
munication. The debts existed. hut the
time for revealing them was not yet ripe.
Tom hoped that il never would be-,
He bad "a great coup in his minds eye by
which he expected to gain a large enough
sum of money to discharge his liabilities.
If you looked at the betting quotations you
would see that it was, in fact, 80 tu L.
This was the price booked at Tattersalls'
about Mr.. Millingtons The Sinner. Mr..
Mliington was a new name on the turf.
1t covered the, personality of our friend
Tom.
The Sinner had been accepted for the
Lincolnshire handicap. How Tom had be-
come her owner demands a word OF ex-
PLANTATION.
A month or SO previously. when Toms
luck star was for a short time in the as
scendant, he had engaged in great duel
at poker with young viscuunt Villadome,
of the house. yilIadu.,e had acquired two
or three very tolerable horses. The best
of these horses was The Sinner-a bay colt
of respectable though not first-rate pedl-
gree. He had been entered for the Lin
colnshire handicap of that year before
Villadome bought him.
The great poker duel between Tom Bickers
and Villadome took place at the end of Janu-
airy. eight weeks before the Lincoln meet
ing. The viscounts rooms In Peckwater
We're the scene OF the encounter.
Tom had never enjoyed such luck. Time
after time Villadonc wers do before him.
The stakes grew hotter as the game pro-
ceeded, bat Toms luck never deserted him.
At ten minutes to IL he rose the winner
of $4,000. Vi!ladoine took his drubbing
well. He wrote Tom out a check for his
winnings without turning hair Tom re-
ceiyed the pink slip Of paper and was about
10 pocket it, when an idea suddenly occurred
to him.
II say. viliadone. cried the beardless
sportsman, planking down the check in
the center of the table, there's just time
for another deal. I'll play you for The
Sinner against this check
The cards were dealt. The hands were
shown. Luck had declared once more for
Tom.
The $4,000 soon went. There were many
rapacious creditors to be appeased with
payments on account. and there were many
current expenses to be met, which could only
be satisfied with cash. But then he had
The Sinner. and ii was to The Sinner that
he had looked for his means of salvation.
Tom did not know exactly where to turn
for money. But ut last it occurred to him
that he might go over to Newmarket and
interview Latterday, the trainer Latter
day was man of wealth. and possibly he
could be induced to advance him some mon
ey on the security of The Sinner
''Hunh' said the trainer. II don't usually
lend money How much do you want?"
Twenty-Five hundred dollars" answered
Tom.
ITS Just this way, Mr.. Eicfers, The
Sinner may be worth good bit Of money!
and he mayn't be worth much There's he
stuff in him for flyer I believe. But he
Sums a. AiHit SuN tIlu DIS lie mas never
been run in public. devil alone knows how
bell acquit himself at Lincoln next week
However. I'll make you this offer-IrU give
you $500 for half share in the colt"
You mean you1l buy half The Sinner
for S2.5oo?" said Tom.
Precisely" answered Levi Latterday
Levi Latterday opened his bureau. sat
down thereto and spent the next five min
utes in tlra wing up n short form of agree
uent, which he handed to Tom to sign.
Tom read it through, duly signed it and
received I4atterday's check.
A letter which he had from his mother
a day or two afterwards made him feel
thankful that he had obtained
the money from Latterlay instead of being
compelled to apply to his father for it.
This was the passage which impressed him:
II am writing to you, dear Tom. to ask
you TO be as careful as you possibly can
Just now about your expenses at Oxford
Your father has Just met with some fear
fully heavy losses. owing to the failure of
an Australian bank, in which the greater
part of his private fortune was invested.
And. although he has not told me so, have
reason 10 believe that he is actually short
of money to meet his more pressing liabili-
ties"
by Jover' said he to- himself, after
some reflection. ~ know what I'll do.
IN keep back $500 of Latterday's s., 800