Evening star., 1901-12-14
CHAPTER NII-COntinued
Racksfairs RumOrS.

the kind OF man that one sees IN the
Fleet, or any other debtors prison; man
fallen into rags all over, with face that
betokened strong drink and as much of it
as he could take. At first sight took him
for man who had drunk away his for
tune
Again, Pinder how am concerned about
your man of tatters?
Lord Elrington's valet is an old friend
of mine. He can do what he pleases in my
house So he brought the man, but left
him outside in the bar. 'Pinder, he said,
here is a poor devil who says he is
cousin of mine. 1 don't know on which
side or how near You see, he is in rags;
he is almost penniless. Yet he was for
merIy a reputable citizen and draper of
Ludgate Hill. In the days of his prosperity
he would not acknowledge cousin who
wore livery. Things are changed. Now,
Pinder he is glad to remember the cOnnec-
tion. Give him drink and a plate of
victuals, and 1 will pay Those were his
words, my lord.
Il must have another pint, Pinder. Your
- story is too long winded for a single pint
Immediately, my lord When this poor
man had refreshed himself with plate of
cold beef and a tankard of strong ale-he
ate little meat, but asked for a second tan
kard Of ale-I asked him how he, a reputa-
Bile citizen, fell into such straits. All he
said with sigh. should not have been
bankrupt but for a lady of quality Now,
my lord we come to the important point.
4 lady of quality, he said.''
who was the lady Of quality?" Lord
Stratherrick expected to hear of one of
those scandals which are whispered about
with an air of great secrecy and concern
nobody.
He went on, She was a widow; the
widow of an honorable
Lord Stratherrick lifted his head He be-
came suddenly interested. Who is the
lady?" he repeated.
Il am coming to that" the man replied.
with irritating slowness. Widow of an
honorable" he said. And then he told me
the story. The lady owed him money
hundreds of pounds; her credit was over
due by six months; he could not get his bill
paid; there were many other bills, but all
small He wrote to the lady; he told her of
his situation; he pointed out that he must
fail unless he could recover those debts of
which hers was the chief. He went to see
her and found that she had no intention Of
paying him. He therefore resolved upon
obtaining writ. Meantime-your Iordship
must have heard of such things-the lady
sent him word that she had transferred her
liabilities TO man in Newgate, a man con-
ried''
Il have heard of such things. I believe
Ihey are not uncommon. The name of the
lady, Pinder?'
The blow finished him. He became bank
rupt and has been starving ever since To
look at him one would think that he lives
upon strong ale, punch and purl. For his
hands do so shake and his lips do so trem-
bic and his voice is so thick
ray; FINDER why do you occupy my
about bankrupt shopman?'
1T is not on his account my lord /
would not think of wasting your lordship's
tlme on such creature. 1t is on account
of the lady's name"
"Ah, the lady's name-her name-but l
care no longer about these scandals"
My lord, the lady is the widow of your
lCrdShlps brother, the late Hon. Mr. Rom
aid Weyland, controller of the Hanaper."
Lord Stratherrick received the inteIli-
gence in silence. His face assumed stony
The widow of nv brother" he said
after pause
We'll. Pinder?'
Well, my lord, that is surely enough"
OH His lordship sat drumming the
table with his knuckles a while in silence.
The man is hanged suppose"
i believe so, my lord
In that case no harm can happen to
Mrs. Weyland."
With submission. my lord-the scandal"
"Pinder. you were in nv household for
fifteen years. There were a good MANY
scandals of various kinds in my family
Our history Is full Of scandals. Are we
any the wOrse?
Pinder looked around the room. 1t GER
tainiy was not, as has been said, a lodg-
Ing ht for an earl. LAS your lordship
pleases." he said.
have outlived too many. But. Pinder, if
you can lay your hand upon this man.
Il can at any time.
And If you choose to bring him here.
not to let him know that the lady is nv
sister-in-law, can, perhaps, make it worth
your while
Il can bring him whenever you please,
my lord"
Very good. And. Pinder, hold your
torgue about the matter. 1t must be be-
tween you and me-
Pinder brought him second mint of wine
and retired softly. He knew perfectly well
what was in his former masters mind
He would try, II possible, to make of this
discovery a weapon for the extortion of
money from the lady. And he resolved
upon getting the lions share of that money
Tor himself. a ragged wretch, out at ell
bows, penniless and always thirsty could
with little care. be managed to the advan-
tage either Of lord or valet. Naturally his
OWE interests were concerned with the lat
ter Lord Stratherrick sat all the after
noon over that second pint. He had no
knowledge that al any time Isabel had
been straitened for money; he had no sus-
picion. The story took him wholly by sur
prise, that she, of all women in the world
should have been forced to shift her liza
biities by an act which the most elastic
code OF honor cannot approve was almost
He might have gone to her, he might
nave told her in whispers what he had
discovered He must first see this bibulous
bankrupt. He presently resolved upon one
step. He took pen and paper and wrote a
case which he called For CounsePs Opin-
Ion" II was as follows:
"A A. young WIDOW, hndS herself In
DEBT In order to get rid of her debts with
ouE paying them she contracts a marriage
with Z: o. felon lying In the condemned
eeus or Newgate and about to be hanged
He therefore becomes liable for her debts
The lady subsequently becomes wealthy
She Is free from the power of the law: is
she not. however, morally liable for the full
amount? Ought she not to paw those
debts?"
He sailed forth and repaired to his at
torney, his man of business when he had
business to transact
81 want this case" he said, submitted
to counsel. / want 1t submitted to the
counsel whose name Is on the back"
The attorney read the ease" why.
my lord" he said, there needs no opinion
of counsel in this case. The law is quite
plain and simple. The husband takes over
the debts. The creditors cannot touch the
lady
VERY good But about the moral obli-
Ration?'
"My lord, the law does not recognize