Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13

pounds! And he's got to have it, Got to
have it! Can't let him blow out his
brains-even if they're no good. Pawn
something, there's the family silver! 1
wonder if. under the will, could pawn
that? Fraser, Fraser! Goes to the
door, How many silver spoons have We?
Tie up all the family silver in sheet
and take 1t to-no. the deuce. I've got a
have that six hundred. What an ass I
am! I'll ask Uncle Marjoribanks to let
me have thou'-he'll do it in minute
that is: It'll take Tom FIVE minutes to
run over and five minutes for Nunkey to
sign the check. and five minutes for Tom
to get back-unless he meets Matilda Ann
by the way. Here goes (writes):
Dear Old Nunkey: Can you let me
have check for thou by bearer? Look
ing forward to seeing you all at dinner
this evening.
Your affectionate nephew,
"ALGIE"
There. Fraser, Tell Tom to run across
to Uncle Marjoribanks with this note and
hurry back. If he stops to talk to Ma
tilda Ann I'll take his scalp.
There. that's settled-that'll be six hun
dred for Harry and four for me. and it'll
give me time to turn round. Wonderful
thing. youth and health! I don't feel a
bit hipped-not bit like pauper! A
pauper? Great heavens! But Lucy!
Lucy? Lucy won't want to be pauper
with mansion and park. I won't tell
her. II keep 1t a secret and write books
or plays-they tell me plays are the most
profitable things in the world. You write
a play in a few hours and it brings in a
nom-de-plume-one with a jolly good al
liberation. Severance Seers, or something
like that-and Lucy'l1 never know. What
a Lara it'll be. Take her to the theater
jokes-mine! Or the tears trickling down
her pretty cheeks at my pathos. Still. l
think l ought to let her know that I'm
poor? Perhaps it would be behaving like
a cad to snatch her from the lap of lux
ury to share the vicissitudes, no matter
now brilliant, of a dramatic author. I'll
write to her just for the sake OF getting
her answer: l know what 1t will be:
Nothing will change me. Rich or poor 1
am yours. Lucy. Dear old girl (writes):
My Darling Lucy: 1 have just had
an awful shock. Mrs. Mcpherson writes
to say that old Fudge has left fo- Aus
tralia and taken my little ALI with him.
l love you and shall never love any one
but you in all my life, but. of course, you
won't want to marry beggar (even with
mansion and a park. and so, dear, you
are free, unless 1t is your choice to wait
until l shall have recovered by hard
yours until death. only 1 thought it right
to let you know. and even II you give me
"ALGERNoN."
won't-my little Lucy-(folds letter and
addresses envelope, rising). Fraser!
(rings belD Fraser! (goes to door, He'll
notice my agitation "opens door cautious
ly and stands behind it and holds his
hand with letter so that his face can not
be seen-speaks through the crack of the
door, Fraser, send this note at once to
Miss Lucy-at once! Do you hear? And
ask ii there is any answer-be sure to ask
if there is any answer. Tell the man to
give it to Miss Lucy herself-do you UNI
derstand? All right-oh, telegram-very
well-now hurry-(comes down, opens
telegram):
Have you sent the money? Harry
Have sent the money? Good gracious.
He'll get my telegram and he'll draw on
Fudge and Mcpherson. Why doesn't
Uncle Stubbles send the check? A knock
at the door (goes to the door. All, here
it is! Comes d. wn with letter.. All right.
Harry, my boy. I'll indorse the check and
rush it over to Fudge and Mcpherson and
we'll be all hunkydory Che has opened
the letter-looks inside the envelope-un-
folds it,. What-whats this? No check
letter from auntie and long letter
from uncle.
"Algernon: I am, l may say fatally
wounded-(Good heavens. Has he shot
himself? )-treacherous shot, morta'ly
injured by a member of my family. The
gun that fired the shot is no other than
the letter I have just received from you
no Martini-Henry could have done its
work better. This morning while on
accommodating expedition in the village l
ran across Mrs. Mcpherson. AS she was
flying signals of distress. / halted on my
march to question her. and I drew from
her the information that her husbands
partner, Fudge. had. absconded with your
funds. The blow was SO severe that l
was obliged to abandon my position and
retire upon the nearest public house,
which happened to be the Alwyn Arms.
Here l fortified and intrenched myself.
and it was not until the afternoon that 1
felt sufficiently strengthened to continue
the advance on Marengo House. You can
imagine my horror on opening your dis
patch to discover the treachery of one
upon whose loyalty / would have staked
the campaign. Had it not been for the
reconnaissance this morning ! should
have been under the impression that still
amply endowed with the fortune your
father bequeathed to you, and which you
have so recklessly squandered-(sQuan
dered? recklesslyD you required mo-
mentary loan of a Thousand pounds. and
with the motto of my house, 'noblesse
oblige' ever before my eyes. should nave
instantly comp ied-I an old soldier, would
have marched unsuspectingly into the am
destruction! Heaven is aware That l
am ready to fall for my king, my country
and friend. but I have no right to sac
riHce nv troops. my wife. my son and all
those who are dependent upon me for
spy who steals treacherOusly into my
tent and bayonets me i'm my sleep! Had
Won freely confessed your condition and
requested the humble loan of few
mounds. ] should. perhaps. with the I'M
nulsiye generosity that has unfortunately
ALWAYS been a characteristic habit OF the
Marioribanks, have advanced all the
loose change ! might have had about my
nerson at the time. But. now. sir. II De
comes a business necessity, as well as a
moral duty to deny your request. ana 70
DENY il with the emphatic expression OF
nv stern disapproval Of the course you
have thought fit to pursue! Were you
other than a relative ] should not hesi-
tate out of regard for the welfare OF the
community. to hand you over ~
the tender mercies of the law
you have so wantonly outraged 10
obtain money under false pretenses
e an ofense punishable by law,
on1 of that otfeuse. I blush, sir to say.
- n nephew CT mine. have been guilty
I inclose a few lines from your heart
o''N :.MARENGO MARJOR1BANKS.
Late Major Her Majesty's Dragon
IN. B-I need not say that it will be
out of the question for me or any MEM
her of my family to accept your invita-
ton to dinner this evening"