The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-06-14
THE STORY OF SHYLOCK II.
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collided with chap who was staring
miserably down at the river. And
when he turned round l saw to my
ama2ement that it was the very man
who was troubling my thoughts.
Looking at the river?" | said, try
ing to speak in friendly tone.
YES" he answered, drearily; ut
flows very smoothly, doesn't it?"
why, yes. suppose it does. But,
look here, Shy-Heywood, what's the
use of being such a miserable soft as
you are? Look at me; I've far more
troubles than you, and yet you don't
catch me moping."
"If you've more troubles than |
have" he cried, passlonately, "then
may heaven help you!" and he turned
away to the river again, and his head
dropped miserably on his chest.
while there's life there's hope"
said, trying to cheer him up, "and
however bad your luck is, it's better
than despair. That would be miser-
able game. 1t would simply be ad
mitting you were beaten"
And am almost beaten" he
groaned. -Four years have l fought
and done the best that could be done,
and now the end is closing in and the
odds are all against me, and in three
days from now on-Oh!" He shivered
from head to foot as he spoke, and
clutched me by the arm. Look here,
.Slade, l think you're a kind-hearted
fellow. Come and spend this evening
at my lodgings. Come and talk to me
or | shall go mad. The suspense is
killing me-"
1t was now or never with him. "You
mean you are killing yourself"
said, sternly; ''as for the end coming
in three days from now, that's impos-
sible while you hold on to your situa-
ton"
He stared in such a pitiful, aston
ished way that it almost unnerved me.
What do you mean?" he said,
quietly.
81 mean that If you will give up this
gambling you've the best part of your
life, and happy life, before you. And
if you'll promise me to give up gam
bling I'll help you any way you like,
except with money, and that / don't
possess"
This time I'd touched him up, and
no mistake. His face was as white as
chalk and his eyes fairly blazed. And
yet the poor beggar was so weak after
his years of semi-starvation that he
had to hold on to the bridge, he
trembled so much. But | stood firm
and waited for his reply. And when
it came believe | felt more shaky
than he did himself.
I'm sorry to have troubled you" he
said, quietly enough. "You misunder
stood me, but l ought to get used to
that after four years. Goodnight"
But how have | misunderstood
you?" | cried. "You live on a third
of your salary, you meet and are
friendly with a professional gambler,
you talk of the odds being all against
you, and of ruin coming I'm three days.
The Derby is run three days from
now"
Goodnight" he said again. you
are mistaken, but no matter, will
ask for no more sympathy. Good
night"
He turned and hurried away, and |
spent the rest of that evening alter
nately patting myself on the back for
my firmness and then wondering
whether we were all wrong in our
opinion of Shylock H.
The next day he did not turn up at
business, nor for many days after.
When a week had gone by l became
anxious, and looked up his address in
our book at the Office.
went round that evening, and a
miserable little place 1t was, away up
four flights of stairs, at the top Of a
dreary old house in one of the poorest
suburbs of the city.
tapped at the door gently, whilst
all manner of sympathy and pity tore
through my heart. Gambler or no
gambler, he was down on his luck and
should be tenderly treated. And as
reached out to seize the handle the
door suddenly opened from the inside,
and Jones, the betting man, stood be.
| fore me.
felt savage, and told him so before
entering the room. But he only
shrugged his shoulders as though in
different to anything might say
about himself. And believe the silly
ass had been crying. His eyes were
all red and swollen.
Haywood was sitting up in bed,
propped with pillows. The doctop was
by his side, and a motherly-looking
old woman, the landlady, stood staring
at the fire. And her eyes were red
and swollen, too.
But II I dwell on things like this
you'll never know the end of this
story, SO I'd better go straight on and
get it done.
Poor old Shylock smiled family when
he saw me. IT'S good Of you to come" ("
he said, latter our last meeting"
@How about the suspense-the three
days?" / ssked.