Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-01-08
THIEF AND HERO

turned round toward the table 10 wateL
the game and was so surprised at the
sight % one of the players that al
most exclaimed.
ut was Il young man OF some twenty.
two or twenty-three years of age
whom l knew by sight. was very
much Interested in him, for his father
had fought courageously at Magenta
and had been killed Oh the Geld Of hat
lie, leaving his widow and son by no
means well provided for. The young
man came very rarely to the club and !
had never seen him touch card be
fore. was stupehed, therefore. to sec
him holding the bank, aud good bank
it was. too. for there were plenty Of
notes and gold coins heaped up In
front of him.
%'How much? called out one of the
players
"'Ohr laughed wealthy farmer
M. de Mertens is in luck's way. He
can safely keep his bank open
81 noticed that the young mans face
was deadly pale and there was an ex
cited look In his eyes.
".Open bank he said. And II seemed
as though the very words changed the
luck
"Ten times running Mertens lost, and
In a quarter of an hour his bank was
cleared. Another man took his place
4 al .isa,. an Of cn n
that |, too, was fascinated and Joined
in. There was no room TO sit down nj
the table. so | continued standing. hold
ing my hat in my hand and throwing
my winnings into II. ! had run OF
luck and went on playing Ia the most
excited way until was startled by
some one calling out. You are being
robbed. captainr
Il started and instlnetively seized o
hand which had knocked against mint
through my sudden movement. II was
NJ. de Mertens' hand. and he held the
f4o note which he had just taken out
of my hat. The wretched mans face
was conyulsed with emotion. Our eyes
met. His were dilated with terror. and
there was look in them that seemed
to hold me spellbound.
Nj de Mertens Is my partner SAID
haughtiiy 10 the man who had warned
me. and am surprised that you should
dare 10 bring such an accusation
against gentleman whose reputation
is so well known
The individual who had called out
had never been to the club before aud
did not know NJ de Mertens ut all. We
had all been standing round the tabl,
close to each other. and on seeing
another player put his hand into my
hat il was very natural that the man
should have thought 1t his duty Il
warn me. On hearing my explanation
he apologized most bumbly to NJ. de
MeFtens. and several OF the acuuaint
ances of the latter gathered around and
expressed their regret that such an in
suit should have been offered him.
I'VE then continued our play. and NJ
de Merteus soon after left the club
Three days passed. and | heard moth
Ing more OF the young man. In shield
ing him as ! bad done, my first thought
had been of his father. and had deter
mined to save from disgrace the name
of the brave soldier of Magenta. OF
course could quite understand that
the young man should now shrink from
seeing me again, but still 1t struck me
as rather strange that in some way
either direct or Indirect, he did not at
tempt to express his thanks.
"One evening however just as | was
going out to pay some visits. my order
ly Informed me that lady wished to
see me. ! went into the drawing room
and there ! found a woman OF about
forty-flvc years of age She was very
dignified looking. and there was an
open, honest expression about her face
which fascinated me.
- am Nine. de Mertens, she said
simply. My son told me everything
about the affair at the club. and have
come TO thank you with all my heart
for having preserved for ussintact the
honor of our name
Madame began: but she inter
rupted me in her emotion and nervous
ness.
My son had got entangled in vari
Gus ways. and In desperation had taken
to play, II appears he had lost every
penny he possessed that night. You
know the rest. alast'
81 felt very much embarrassed. for
the poor mothers grief was terrible to
witness.
He is young. madame. You must
not take 1t to heart So | stammered.
1T was just a moments weakness. /
will see your son. and
No. captain she said. shaking her
head sadly. he is no longer here. " .
He has enlisted and is already on his
way with the regiment
We had all been listening attentiyeiy
TO Captain Joubert's story. and when
lie stopped speaking there was silence
for few minutes.
''And what happened to NJ de Mer.
tens. captaln:'
''IIe is dead Six months ago |
received a letter from EeIung-a nitiful