The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-29
CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER l.
Herbert Phillimore fifth Viscount LAX
ington, had reached his twenty sixth birth
day and the end of his tether There had
been no holder plunger on the race course.
The cleverest young one that has ever
been out." muttered soma. "How on
earth does he get his informant 2" muir
INJURED others. The bookmaksf3 said moth
ing, but continued doggel's 10 lay him
shorter ODDS than ever. II, bubble sooh
burst, as it has burst mary time be-
fore. The Viscount was no more astute
than his fellows. nor blessed With any ex-
traordinary sources of information. 1t
was simply luck
1t did not occur to him TO retire when
the smash came, to turn over a new leaf,
and attempt TO live upon what was left
of his income; but he quite recognized
that something must be done, and that the
sinews of war must be raised from other
resources than his own in future. He
fell back, as might have been expected.
upon the usual expedient of unmarried
and impecunious nobility-tiie marrying of
money. A popular. good-looking fellow of
six-and-twenty, who can place a coronet
on his brides brow, has not long to seek
for such opportunity.
darlington was fortunate. He carried
of the great matrimonial prize of the
season from a host of competitors. A
quiet. lady-like girl. vino. without being
a beauty. was still quite sufficiently good
looking; but whose greatest charm. prob
ably, in the eyes of the world was the :
she was the only child of Anthony Lyme
Wregis, the great finsncier. To define
what Mr.. Lyme Wregis was, was pretty
nearly as difficult as to say what he was
not He seemed TO have finger in pretty
nearly every big speculation that was
afioat. His enemies declared that he was
O "salter of diamond fields" promoter of
bogus" silver mines. phantom railways,
and every description Of bubble specula-
ton that fied the pockets of those that
started them at the expense of the unfor-
tunate dupes that took shares in them.
However, whatever he touched turned to
gold. He had given park to the people,
built unto himself a palace at Fulham
and was reputed to be worth more than
q million of money. The Viscounts mar
riage was to take place the week after
Ascot. and the noble bridegroom, in con-
reckless as himself, was at present stay
that lie dotted around the village Of
Bracknell, and which had ben taken by
the quartette for the races.
1t is the evening of the Cup day,
and the party are lounging at the open
windows Of the drawing room. and Ian
guidly discussing the results of the fierce
combat they have waged with the knights
Of the pencil the last three days.
"How did you come through to-day.
Lakington?" asked Sir Gerald Fitzpat-
rick.
"Only so So" replied the viscount; 81
had a pretty good win over Brown Ouch
ess in the New Stakes. but / knocked it
all down afterwards, and a bit more be-
sides. I am fourteen hundred and fifty
out, and shall have to bet in earnest to-
morrow if am ever to get home"
II say" suddenly exclaimed Carbuckle
a rising barrister, have any OF you taken
shares in the Great Tontine'? What does
your father-in-law, that is to be. think OF
1t, Lexington? Does the scheme com.
mend itself to the great fnancier?"
well" replied the Viscount, laugh
ing, las il so happens / did mention the
subject to him. Now, as you know, be
Is no racing man-never troubles his head
about it, in short; but. with a view, /
presume, to suit my limited apprehension
he puts his opinion of that scheme into
turf vernacular. He described it as back.
ing a yearIing entered for the Derby to be
run when he was twenty years old, and
remarked further that he looked to turn
ing his money over a good many times
and making a good deal OF 1t, between
this and then"
well, / don't know, 1 rather like the
idea myself. 1t comments itself to my
mind as putting away something for ones
old age" observed Fitzpatrick
- very broken reed to trust to, Ger
aid. and I most sincerely hope that you'll
have a good deal more than that to fail
back upon in the days to como"
But what on earth is it," exclaimed
Fortescue. Pray explain to me what is
the meaning of the Great Tontine'"
The Great Tontine.' my dear For
tescue." replied the barrister, sis a scheme
for the beneiting of society, as orig
mated in the fertile brain of Mr.. Sails
bury, the great operate impresario. HI
has discovered that London has no opera
house worthy of the greatest metropolis
10 the world. He proposes to at once
remedy this state of things by erecting
one completely furnished with all the
newest mechanical inventions of the age
The estimated trife of one hundred ant
sixty thousand pounds will be raised BY
the Great Tontine.' and that is simply
the issuing of sixteen hundred shares o.
one hundred pounds apiece. For ever
hundred pounds share you take you mus
nominate a life, not less than sixty years
old, that is, you must give the name o.
some person who has attained that age
any one you like: hut he or she represent
ing the hundred DC lnds share must hav'
attained the sixtieth birthday"
And you may take as many shares a.
you please? asked Fortescue.
Quite so.'' continued Carbuckle; "ant
name one life for the whole lot, or Civ
a different name FOR each share. Now
you see. it is considered, that as all thes'
lives start at sixty years Of age, In twenty
years there will be very few, If any o
them, left"
And the holder Of the last life take.
the pool" cried Gerald Fitzpatrick. Il
would be rather exciting to find ones sci
one Of the last half-dozen left in"
Don't interrupt, Gerald exclaimed
the barrister pettishly; Il want to max
Fortescue thoroughly understand MIR. Sal
isbury's great conception. The sixteeI
hundred shares being all taken up, ant
the names attached to them being all care
fully registered, the Great Tontine be