The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-13

Tom Robe. as he bowed In response
thought that never before had his health
been drunk by such queer supper party.
The owner Of the big voice was Mr.. Dallas,
q neavily-feshed man, with pendulous
cheeks and a SOLDERING tongue-a coarse.
uneducated man, who looked back on sixty
years of animal life with lip-smacking self
satisfaction; a vulgar, purse proud man,
full Of greed and low cunning and cruelty.
BY his side was Mr.. Sharpe who was tall,
thin. ferret-eyed, nimble-tongued and quick
wtted.
AS for Tom Robe. he had a pleasant face,
pair of broad shoulders and an ingenious
manner, and was altogether a wholesome
looking young fellow. He had lately been
called to the Utter bar. Strange to say, he
had a sneaking liking for the gross and un-
derbred person at the top of the table, and
Mr. Dallas. on his part, thought there was
no one in the world like his nephew. Tom
Robe. Had Tom been older ard seen more
Of the world he had judged more truly and
thought less charitably, but he did not
know that. alone of all the world he re-
ceived kindly words and indulgent treat
ment from Mr.. Dallas.
What do you think of the lad, Sharper"
asked Mr.. Dallas. Does me credit?'
He has cost you a lot of money!" was
Sharpe's noncommittal answer.
Mr.. Dallas purpled. for his heart was tied
round with his purse-strngs, and he did not
like to be reminded of expenditure.
What's that to your" he clustered. ITS
my money. 1 can do with it what l like,
and in time Tom will get all that is left OF
it. l can pay my debts; aye, and can buy
anything want, and that's more than some
people can do, Sharpe" He swallowed
glass Of rich old port at a gulp.
Sharpe drank more slowly than his en-
ployer-he was Mr.. Dallas's clerk and man
of all work-and he kept sip, slipping, allow
ing no drop of wine to pass his palate with
out paying its full toll of flavor. He turned
his keen eyes on Mr.. Dallas ard again ma
liciously touched the raw spot.
1.-The last check" he said was for"
Hold your tongue" shouted Mr.. Dallas.
ard the globes of the chandelier rang to his
loud tones. Look here, Sharpe, 1 said
just now 1 could buy anything 1 wanted.
Tell Tom about that swell of a guards
man who couldn't. Iisten>to the story, Tom;
it's good joke-how 1 kept that overbear-
ing proud officer under my thumb and
screwed and screwed and screwed and
screwed him. Didn't 1, Sharper"
you did,
He used to come staggering over to me
with his aristocratic airs and graces and
swear at me for flinty hearted old miser.
But 1 took all that out of him. Didn't L,
Sharper"
You did"
Tell US about it, Sharpe the way you do
when we are alone. Look here, Tom, this
is the first time the story has been told to
third party. Fire away Sharpe"
IL &c Ir
Sharpe, settling down as to familiar task;
there was an officer Of the guards"
''Of the guards" chuckled Mr.. Dallas.
who bore one of the highest and most
honorable names to be found in 'Debrett.
Highest and most honorable Names re-
peated Mr. Dallas. All through the narra-
tive he murmured the phrases which struck
his fancy as if he were making responses
at church. and whenever Sharpe omitted
any words to which he had been accustomed
Mr. Dallas interrupted and insisted on the
sentence being recast so that they might be
brought in.
This officer wanted money" continued
Sharpe. "They all do. and they always do,
and generally they want it badly. He came
to Mr.. Dallas and get the money-on Sc
curity; but the security was bad and there
was no end of a rumpus. the pert young
sprig cutting up very rough, as II he were
the injured person. Mr. Dallas put in an
execution in some rooms the puppy rented
in the Albany and sold him up, every stick.
After a little the officer remembered that
there had been some letters in writing
desk"
Gold mounted, gold fittings, arms and
initials engraved" commented Mr.. Dallas.
And he wanted the letters back but he
did not get them
There was pause, and for the life of him
Tom could not help expressing the opinion
which Sharpe asked for by both eye and
manner.
But the letters could not be retained?"
"Of course not, but they were You see,
the officer of the guards, this curled darl-
ing. this pet of the West End. could not
make a noise, because the letters COM
promised a lady of title
1t was plain to Tom that both the money
lender and his Clerk viewed this piece of
sharp practice with great admiration.
In fact the letters were written by the
lady of title, and would have ruined her had
they been made public. So Mr.. Dallas very
naturally put a high price upon them. a
very high price, for a great ladys reputa-
tion was at stake. OF course the officer
hadn't any
"Of the guards" protested Mr.. Iallas.
''You are always forgetting of the
guards"
We'll, well; the officer of the guards
hadn't any money, and was unable to bor-
row any money. and couldn't work for any
money-and what was he TO do? We put
ON the screw tight, but it was precious little
we got out of him. He sold his commission
in the guards-and he went down, and
down, and down until in the long run what
do you think this noble youth became?
Guess-a clerk to Mr.. Dallas. All, there
was a fall for you; a relocated, bear-skin-
ned officer of the guards became money
lenders clerk. And he dared not complain
or run away, for we had the letters and a
woman's reputation in our hands. end we
made him work hard. We gave him all the
dirtiest work to do, the collecting of the
smallest rents of the smallest houses in the
worst localities; we made him the man in
possession; we sent him to dun the most in
suiting of cur creditors. There wasn't much
wax on his mustache or scent on his hard
kerchief in those days He ought to have
cleared out; but no. in his high and mighty
fashion he declared that he would stand
between a woman and disgrace The idiot!
20 ruin himself for a woman"