Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-11-16
A GAME OF BLUFF

with streaks OF gray In his hair, was
dining at the Savoy with another old
school fellow, smyth.
AS dinner proceeded, a loud voice be-
gan to dominate, and against their will,
the two men found themselves listening
to boastful anecdotes, told in coarse
voice, by some one at the next table.
1.-THE Cad, as ! i've" said Edwards.
For heavens sake, then" replied
Smyth, tell him to stand on the form,
and hold his tongue"
1t was he, beyond n doubt-rounder,
redder, balder, but the same boastful
creature
soldering is all very well, major" he
said to his companion but there's moth
ing in II. No money, and that's the only
| thing that counts Money makes the
world go round some fool said 1t was
| love. Now, what did you get out OF South
Africa, major-some letters after your
name and a medal or two to stick on
your coat Now, what did L. get out OF
South Africa? About three quarters OF
million. there or thereabouts; me and
my partner''-(pretty bad this, even for
| the Lower Middle IL)-"got In at the
bottom and out at the top like an old
fashioned sweep boy-hal hal-and now
we're on velvet"
Berrey rather mixed his metaphors, as
| well as, TO all appearances his liquors
but his general appearance Of prosperity
seemed to bear him out
Just then he turned his head and seem
ed to receive a shock. He found himself
under Edwards's quiet eye, and he now.
as he had years ago. visibly quailed.
How dye do. Berrey," said Edwards.
Remember me? At W together; mere
is Smyth too. You'll recollect him"
"Bless my soul, OF COURSE" he gushed.
II remember you Smyth. in the Eleven
captain, I think. But somehow / don't
recollect what your special line was Ed
wards?"
HE was a project" observed smyth,
and sometimes took evening prepara-
ton"
His jaw dropped a little at this. but.
nevertheless. he shook hands with ef-
fusion.
"But you've got my name wrong" he
said Il changed it from Berrey to Rim
: berton some time ago" He did not say
; why and no one was so indiscreet as to
) ask After giving them n somewhat per-
functory and very general invitation to
my house in Park lane he said good
night, TO every ones relief
Edwards, pleading work, soon took his
Z departure also.
4 ''Rinberton, Rinberton," he unused, ''the
e name is very uncommon. Can II possibly
3 be the same7 Can he be the father Of
: Edith's Jack. and can he have been that
! scoundrel Sherefs partner? What small
world II is"
As he entered his house a tall. fair girl
{ came forward to meet him. She was his
i niece, the only child OF Selby, Edwards s
brother, who unlucky In almost every
q thing else in life, had had one supreme
;, success-the winning Of Edith's mother
, The brothers had been rivals. friendly
! rivals. but Selby won. II was a happy
y but very short union. When Edith. the
y younger came into the world, poor Edith
: the elder left II; and Selby followed her
In less than a year. leaving the innocent
cause OF all this woe TO her uncles care
- Has Jack Rinberton been neglectne
= you, dear?" Edwards asked. We haven
= seen him here much lately"
: The hand on his shoulder trembled q
= little. and a cloud settled on the fair face
turned up to his
:, HE is staying with his father In Parl
y lane. uncle" she replied.
- Have you nothing more TO tell me
a dear?" he asked. IF you are in trouble
- let me go shares"
Jack Rinberton and she loved one an.
other. His father, however, wouldn'
, hear II. He had ambitious views for MI
a only son. not uneonnected with thu
n daughter of an impecunious peer. i
n Jack married against his wishes, wei
, and good: but not one farthing should h
g ever receive from him. nor should h,
!, or his wife ever darken his doors-and 81
= on. and so on.
m The man was willing to sacrifice all 70
the girl, but she had insisted In freeing
him OF his vows rather than that h
should be hindered in his prospects
The reaction. however. had now come
~ and her fortitude had given way.
: "Oh. Uncle John!"-the storm hal
passed. and she wrung his heart with he
entreaty-"you who win SO many case
- for other people. who are so clever an
. successful, can't you help us? Is Their
- no way of persuading old Mr.. Rinberto
= to give his consent 10 our marriage?"
- We'll" her sorely pressed uncle re
~ piled. I'VE will see, but II I'm to under
take your case, Miss, must have a re
tanning fee"
She paid It and went to bed. while Ed
wards sat up thinking and smoking owe
= the fire. Evidently, his old school fellow
- Cad Berrey, and Jacks father. were on
4 and the same man-but. by a still strang
er accident. he felt sure that Berrey O
rather Rinberton, as well as his lat
partner (though he could not remembe
Berrey's name In the papers) was con
cerned in case in when he was deepl
interested.
~ Shortly before his brother selby'
y death, the public had been suffering fror
Mt OF wild speculation. II had culmin
ated in the Universal Exploration an
| Mining trust. 1t ran the usual course
and ended In the usual way. Poor Selby
always credulous, had embarked almos
every shilling in this sorry scheme TIL
/ case was n particularly sad one, and Isl
dore Sheref was the chief OF the concern
When at last II was hoped that evldenc
was forthcoming to lay Sheref by tn
/ heels, the scoundrel died
So the case crumbled away In all re
spects but one. There was one glaringl
and demonstrably false prospectus, clear
ly not issued by Sheref, but. II was al
most certain by his partner. Proof OF tn
latter's completely however, depende
solely on the evidence of one kirkland
who had disappeared.
Edwards sat pondering. He at last de
cided on his course OF action. Next morn
ing he followed a gorgeous hunky OF tn
hnancier's Park lane house into the Il
brary. Il think. Rinberton," he sal
after the usual greetings, that you an
your partner Sheref were connected wit
the Universal Exploration and Mimi
trust?"
'Sheref was" he replied, mot me; an
Sheref's dead. What are you drivin
/ at?"
He was full of outward buster so ia
but Edwards's experience OF hostile wit
nesses made him look for and find a sligl
quivering in the eyes.
by that swindle," Edwards continue
my niece and ward has lost every penn
Of her slender fortune, invested in Il
concern by her father, my brother, Selb
BY Sherefs death we were foiled in OF
attempt to obtain justice against him an