The Argosy — page 142: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

128 A Crisis in his Ltfe. ‘‘ What's Todhetley’s object in going there?” he asked. ‘* Amusement, I think, sir,” hazarded Bill. “Does he gamble there for amusement too? ” Where on earth had old Brandon got hold of all this P “How much has Todhetley lost already ?” he continued. “ He is in debt, I know. Not for the first time from the same cause.” Bill stared. He knew nothing of that old episode in London with the Clement-Pells. I felt my face flush. “Tod does not care for playing really, sir. But the cards are there, and he sees others play and gets drawn-in to join.” “Well, what amount has he lost this time, Johnny ?” “IT don't know, sir.” ‘¢ But you know that he is in debt ?”” ‘‘T—-yes, sir. Perhaps he 1s a little.” ‘ Look here, boys,” said old Brandon. ‘ Believing that matters were not running in a satisfactory groove with some of you, I came down to Oxford yesterday to look about me a bit—for I don’t intend that Johnny Ludlow shall lapse into bad ways, if I can keep him out of them. Todhetley may have made up his mind to go to the deuce, but he shall not take Johnny with him. I hear no good report of Todhetley; he neglects his studies for the sake of a witch, and is in debt over his head and shoulders.” ‘Who could have told you that, sir?”’ ‘“Never you mind, Johnny Ludlow; I daresay you know it’s pretty true. Now look here—as I said just now. I mean to see what I can do towards saving Todhetley, for the sake of my good old friend, the Squire, and for his dead mother’s sake ; and I appeal to you both to aid me. You can answer my questions if you will; and you are not children, that you should make an evasive pretence of ignorance. If I find matters are too hard for me to cope with, I shall send for the Squire and Sir John Whitney ; their influence may effect what mine cannot. If I can deal with the affair successfully, and save Todhetley from himself, I'll do so, and say nothing about it anywhere. You understand me?” ‘¢ Yes, sir.” ‘Very well. To begin with, what amount of debt has Todhetley got into?” It seemed to be a choice of evils: but the least of them was to speak: Bill hénestly said he would tell in a minute if he knew. I knew little more than he ; only that Tod had been saying the night before he wished he could raise a hundred pounds. ‘‘A hundred pounds!” repeated old Brandon, nodding his head a dozen times like a Chinese mandarin. ‘Pretty well, that, for a first term at Oxford. Well, we'll leave that for the present,.and go to other questions. What snare and delusion is drawing him on to make COMIC OOOKS (C(O) in —_)