Court Netherleigh. Mrs. Henry Wood

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СКАЧАТЬ portion of his rents; but unfortunately some of the acquaintances he made introduced him to that most dangerous vice, gambling; and they did not rest until they had imbued him with a love of it. It is of no use to pursue the course of his downfall. He had been gradually getting lower and lower since then in regard to finances, and deeper into embarrassments: and in this, the third season, Robert Dalrymple had hardly a guinea he could call his own; and Moat Grange was mortgaged. He was open-hearted, generous as of old. Ah, if he could only have been as free from care!

      Dodging in and out among the vehicles that crowded Regent Street, Robert got over at last, and tore after his cousin. "Oscar, Oscar! is it you?" he called out. "When did you get here?"

      "Ah, Robert, how are you? I was on my way to South Audley Street to find you."

      "Come for a long stay?" demanded Robert, as he linked his arm within Oscar's.

      "I came today and I return tomorrow," replied Oscar.

      "You don't mean that, man. Visit London in the height of the season, and stay only a day! Such a calamity was never heard of."

      "I cannot afford London in the season; my purse is not long enough."

      "You shall stay with me. But what did you come for?"

      "A small matter of business brought me," replied Oscar, "and I have to go down tomorrow—thank you all the same."

      He did not say what the business was; he did not choose to say. Mrs. Dalrymple, still living at the Grange, had been tormented by doubts, touching her son, for some time past. Recently she had heard rumours that rendered her doubly uneasy, and she had begged of Oscar to come up and find out whether there was any, or how much, ground for them. If things were as bad as Mrs. Dalrymple feared, Oscar concluded that from Robert he should hear nothing. He meant to put a question or two to him, to make his observations silently, and, if necessary, to question Reuben. They were of totally opposite natures, these two young men; Oscar was all cool calculation, and the senior by half-a-dozen years; Robert all thoughtless impulse.

      Oscar put the question to Robert in the course of the afternoon; but Robert simply waived the subject, laughing in Oscar's face the while. And from the observations Oscar made in South Audley Street, nothing could be gathered; the rooms were quiet.

      They dined there in the evening, Reuben waiting on them. Robert urged various outdoor attractions on Oscar afterwards, but he urged them in vain: Oscar preferred to remain at home. So they sipped their wine, and talked. At eleven o'clock Oscar rose to leave.

      "It is time for sober people to be in bed, Robert. I hope I have not kept you up."

      Robert Dalrymple fairly exploded with laughter. Kept him up at only eleven o'clock! "My evening is not begun yet," said he.

      "No!" returned Oscar, looking surprised, whether he felt so or not. "What do you mean?"

      "I am engaged for the evening to Colonel Haughton."

      "It sounds a curious time to us quiet country people to begin an evening. What are you going to do at Colonel Haughton's?"

      "Can't tell till I get there."

      "Can I accompany you?"

      Robert's face turned grave. "No," said he, "it is a liberty I may not take. Colonel Haughton is a peculiar-tempered man."

      "Good-night."

      "Good-night, Oscar. Come to breakfast with me at ten."

      Oscar Dalrymple departed. But he did not proceed to the hotel where he had engaged a bed. On the contrary, he took up his station in a shady nook, whence he could see the door he had just come out of; and there he waited patiently. Presently he saw Robert Dalrymple emerge from it, and betake himself away.

      A little while yet waited Oscar, and then he retraced his steps to the house, and rang the bell. Reuben answered it. A faithful servant, getting in years now. Robert was the third of the family he had served.

      "Reuben, I may have left my note-case in the dining-room," said Oscar. "Can I look for it?"

      The note-case was looked for without success: and Oscar discovered that it was safe in his pocket. Perhaps he knew that all the while.

      "I am sorry to have troubled you for nothing, Reuben. Did I call you out of your bed?"

      "No, no," answered the man, shaking his head. "There's rarely much bed for me before daylight, Mr. Oscar."

      "How's that?"

      "I suppose young men must be young men, sir. I should not mind that; but Mr. Robert is getting into just the habits of his uncle."

      Oscar looked up quickly, "His uncle—Claude Dalrymple?" he asked in a low tone.

      "Ay, he is, sir: and my heart is almost mad at times with fear. If my dear late master was alive, I should just go down to the Grange and tell him everything."

      An idea floated into the mind of Oscar as he listened. Mrs. Dalrymple had not mentioned whence she had heard the rumours of Robert's doings: he now thought it might have been from no other than Reuben. This enabled him to speak out.

      "Reuben," he said, "I came up today at Mrs. Dalrymple's request. She is terribly uneasy about her son. Tell me all, for I have to report it at the Grange. If what we fear be true, something must be done to save him."

      "It is all true, sir, and I wrote to warn my mistress," cried Reuben. "Should things ever come to a crisis with him, as they did with his uncle, I knew Mrs. Dalrymple would blame me bitterly for not having spoken. And I should blame myself."

      Oscar Dalrymple gazed at Reuben, for the man's words had struck ominously on his ear. "Do you fancy—do you fear—things may come to a crisis with him, as they did with his uncle?" he breathed in a low tone.

      "Not in the same way, sir; not as to himself," returned the man, in agitation. "Mr. Oscar, how could you think it?"

      "Nay, Reuben, I think it! Your words alone led to the thought."

      "I meant as to his money, sir. He has fallen into a bad, gambling set, just as Mr. Claude fell. One of them is the very same man: Colonel Haughton. He ruined Mr. Claude, and he is ruining Mr. Robert. He was Captain Haughton then; he is colonel now; but he has sold out of the army long ago. He lives by gambling. I have told Mr. Robert so; but he does not believe me."

      "That's where he is gone tonight."

      "Where he goes every night, Mr. Oscar. Haughton and those men have lured him into their toils, and he can't escape them. He has not the moral courage; and he has the mania for play upon him. He comes home towards morning, flushed and haggard; sometimes in drink—yes, sir, drinking and gaming mostly go together. He appeared laughing and careless before you, but it was all put on."

      "Have you warned him—or tried to stop him?"

      "Yes, sir, once or twice; but it does no good. I don't like to say too much: he might not take it from me. Those harpies won't let him rest; they come hunting after him, just as they hunted his uncle a score, or more, years ago. Nobody ever had a better heart than Mr. Robert; but he is pliable, and gets led away."

      Oscar СКАЧАТЬ