The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-12-21
And the Rigor Of the Game
Copyright. 1897, b. the Author.l
BY ROBERT BARR.

OF coming in late, but he had now no
doubt Of the fact. He himself went to
bed early and slept soundly, as "a man
with Il good conscience is entitled to do.
But the boys mother must have known
tho hours ne kept, yet she had said moth
ing. This made the matter all tho
blacker. Tho father felt that mother
and son were leagued against him. He
had been too lcniont. Now he would go
to the root of things. The young man
would speedily change his ways or take
the consequences. There would be no
half measures.
Poor old Mrs. Saunders saw the mo-
ment her husband came in that there
was Il storm brewing, II Il wild fear
arose in her heart that her boy was the
cause. Tho first words of the old man
settled tho question.
"What time did Richard come in last
night"
"I-I don't know" she hesitated.
"Shunling," her husband always called
it. She had been Il buffer between ia
Their and son since DICK wos n child.
"Why don't you know? Who let him
in?"
She sighed. The secret 'ad long
NSiSHNt ulJOll ll'l' tllt III lClI u w u
come at somo hapless moment.
she has a key" she said at last.
The old MAJ glarod in sp~cochless
amazemcnt, In his angricst mood he
had never suspected anything SO bad as
this.
"a leyl How long has he had n key?'
"About six months. He did not want
to disturb us"
"Ho is very thoughtful. Whore does
he spend his nights?"
81 don't know. He tells mo ho be-
longs to q club, where he takes some
kind Of exercise"
Odd he tell you he exercised with
cards? Did he say it was n gambling
olub?"
81 don't believe it is. I am sure Dick
doesn't gamble. Dick is n good boy, ia
ther."
"a precious lot you know about it
evidently. Do you think his employer,
Banker Hammond, has any idea his
clerk belongs to Il gambling club"
81 am sure l don't know. Is there
anything wrong? Has any one been
speaking to you about Dick?"
eyes, and not to his credit"
ooh, dearl' cried the mother in an
guish. "Was it Mr.. Hammond"
81 have never spoken TO Hammond
in my life" said the old man, relent-
ing Il little when he saw how troubled
his wife was. "No; | propose to stop
this club business before it gets to tho
bankers ears hat one of his clerks is a
nightly attendant there. You will see
Robert when he comes home this oven
= ing. Tell him l wish to have a word or
two with him tonight. He is TO wait
for me here. / will be in shortly aftcr
he has his supper"
"You will not be harsh with him,
father. Remember, he is Il young man
now, so please, please advise and do not
threaten. Angry words can do no
good"
81 will do my duty" said the old
man uncompromisingly.
Gentle Mrs. Saunders sighed, for sho
well knew the phrase about duty. 1t
was a sure prelude to domestic trouble.
When the old gentleman undertook to
do his duty, he nailed his flag to the
mast.
"See that he waits for me tonight"
was tho parting shot as tho old mar
closed the door behind him.
Mrs. Saunders had had her share of
trouble in the world, as every woman
must who lives with u cantankerous
man. When she could save her son a
harsh word, or even q blow, she was
content to take either uncomplainingly.
The old mans severity had put him out
Of touch with his son. Dick sullcnly re-
sented his boyhood of continual fear.
During recent years, when fear had
gradually diminished and finally disap-
peared, he Was somewhat troubled to
III that the natural affection which q
son should have for his father had van
tshed with it. He had, on several occu-
ions, made half hearted attempts at a
ettcr understanding, but these at.
iIpts had unfortunately fallen on in
perfume moments, when the old man
q not particularly gracious toward
world in general, and latterly there
I been silenco between the two. The
ng man avoided his father as much
possible. He would not have re-
med at home had it not been for his
thcr. Her steady, unwavering affec-
IN for him, her belief in him, and the
!membrance Of how she had stood IN
Or him, especially when he was in the
'lOhB, uuu DOuliu ueT TO him WITH
'ondsk oft as silk and strong as steel.
10 often felt it would be a pleasure to
go wrong, merely to refute his fathers
ideas regarding the way II child should
. brought up. Yet Dick had a sort of
admiration for the old man, whose
any good qualities were somewhat
ersbadowed by his brutal temper.
When Richard came home that even
ig, no had his supper alone, as was
sual with him. Mrs. Saunders drew her
air near the table, and while the meal
.ent on she talked of many things, but
goided the subject uppermost in her
mind which she nnstnoned until the
st moment Perhaps AFTER ali sne
>uld not need to ask him to stay. He
'ht remain Of his own accord. She
ched him narrowly as she talked
7aw with alarm that there was anx-
n his face. Some care was worry
III, and she yearned to have him
o his trouble to her. And yet she
and talked Of other things. She
that nc made but q poor pretense
nR, and that he allowed her to
bile he made few replies, and
ntmindedly. At last he pushed
1air with q laugh that sound
iother," he said, "what is
ga row on, or is 1t merely
o horizon? Has the lord