The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-11-10

Ivy glasses for. two,
lIIF decanter, q brler
Ulb pipe, n tobacco-box
and matches. Such |
was his custom, and |
pvery night after dinner oiu
John Tregony. who had served him'
hoy and man, as a Tregony has ever
SERVED n Denzil, used to light the IL
brary candles and lead Sir Jasper 10
his seat beside the fire. placing 'ne
table handy Mt his side. Then ne
would draw a large armchair to the
other side of the fireplace, as though
In expectation of n visitor, ana, CLOS
ING the door, would leave Sir Jasper
to his thoughts.
There Sir Jasper Danzil sat alone
brooding over the past till the CLOCK
on the mantel shelf struck ten. linen
no filled a goblet and rose with
glass untitled toward the empty CHAIR.
"Many happy returns of the day. my
dear boyr' he said, with stately DOW
to the chair. "Gentlemen,w he con-
timed. with a sweep of his glass that
appealed to the long rows OF PORTRAITS
of dead-and-gone Denzils that lined
the oak-paneled walls-"gentlemen all.
give YOU q toast. Here's to the
health of my dear son, the heir OF MI.
Royalw
The other glass remained unemptied
md the brier pipe untouched. sir
Jasper was no smoker, and the pipe
belonged to his only son. now lost 70
him.
Fifteen years ago they had par'eo
In anger and Sir Jasper had never
seen or beard of his boy beyond thai
ne had died in California of starvation
and fever. He had refused to believe
this report, and every night John Ire
rony. his butler, would lay the glass
and the pipe and place the chair 10
Master Harry, who never came.
"He will come tomorrow" Sucl
bad been the burden Of Jasper Den
xirs life for fifteen long years, to tn
grief of the faithful John Tregony an
the chagrin of Rufus Denzil, Sir Jas
per's nephew and his next heir.
Rufus could not bear any referenc
to Harry Denzifs fate, for his min
was uneasy concerning a certain n
mort which he had caused to be
serted in a California paper. and ce
tain certificates which he had 0btaine
under false pretenses from trus'il
Justice of the State OF California.
Tonight he felt restless and uneas
es he yiciously cannoned the balls
the billiard table.
what II he should not be dead AIT
huY he murmured. Great SEQ
how it blowsw he added, as vioie
gust of wind shrieked with rat
of rain across the skylight.
He was glad when Tregony enter
with a cold syphon, for the
were no visitors in the house, and {
loneliness of the billiard room
pressed him. :.
From the sea sounded the dc
voice of the wet westerly gale, m
rled with the distant crash OF
great waves as they fell with thu
dering boom on the black rocky ledi
of Mount Royal Bay.
.Tt's a bad night, john" remari
Rufus to the old retainer. S
"Ay. ay. sir! it's black night.
therell be some fat wrecks along
coast by the morning. said John i
Cony. shaking his head. less In
row than in anticipation; for u
came of an old Cornish stock.
found it hard to regard wreck OIL
,tf
"You wouldn't mind II there wa
wreck-eh, John?' queried Rufus {
I'll.
"Not a-zactly tha-a-t, sir" rep
John slowly. but IL there is a wr'
well-there It is, and it's no use
spisin' what q blessed Providence
send in the way of salvage. Us
nut the ship ashore, anyway"
Then John Tregony left the re
whilst Rufus Denzil seated him
to ponder over his affairs.
He was head over heels In debt,
his creditors were becoming clal
Gus. An income Of $500 per AM
even when eked out by first-'
hand at whist and an unerring CT
billiards., ne nau IOuHu iusumSAoi
satisfy tastes that were hardly
INDUCED in by those whose rent
represented FIVE figures.
he turned uncasily in his seat
thought of the old man In the lilo
who was so long a-dying.
III.
He called to mind how Sir }
rad sent him. the next heir, TO
fornia. in search of the prodiga
and how the old baronet had
without murmur the tremendo'
of costs of his two years OF r
extravaganza in the States.
He had located Harry Denz
rether with his wife, the pen
,lauchter of the Methodist pars
Mt. Royal, and the innocent ca'
the rupture between father an'