The Argosy — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

The Story of Charles Strange. 259 Was Lennard’s mind wandering? He was no more likely to take gold than I was. I sat still, gazing at him. ‘Ves, it was I who took it, sir. Will you hear the tale?” A deep breath, and the drawing of my chair closer to his bedside, was my only answer. ‘Vou are a young man, Mr. Strange. I have taken an interest in you since you first came, a lad, into the office, and were under my authority—Charles, do this ; Charles, do the other. Not that I have shown any especial interest, for outwardly I am cold and undemon- strative ; but I saw what you were and liked you in my heart. You are a young man yet, I say; but, liking you, hoping for your welfare, I pray Heaven that it may never be your fate, in after life, to be trammelled with misfortunes as I have been. For me they seem to have had no end, and the worst of them in later years has been that brought upon me by an undutiful and spendthrift son.” In a moment there flashed into my mind my later trouble in Tom Heriot : I seemed to be comparing the one with the other. ‘ Have you been trammelled with an undutiful son?” I said aloud. «‘T have been, and am,” replied Lennard. ‘‘ It has been my later cross. ‘The first was that of losing my property and position in life, for, as you know, Mr. Strange, I was born and reared a gentleman. The last cross has been Leonard—that is his name, Leonard Len- nard—and it has been worse than the first, for it has kept us dowz and in a perpetual ferment for years. It has kept us poor amongst the poor: my salary, as you know, is a handsome one, but it has chiefly to be wasted upon him.” ‘‘ What age is he?” ‘“‘ Six-and-twenty yesterday.” ‘Then you are not forced to supply his extravagance, to find money for his faults and follies. You are not obliged to let him keep you down.” ‘“‘ By law, no,” sighed poor Lennard. ‘But these ill-doing sons sometimes entwine themselves around your very heartstrings; far rather would you suffer and suffer than not ward off the ill from them. He has tried his hand at many occupations, but remains at none ; the result is always trouble: and yet his education and intellect, his good looks and perfect, pleasant manners would fit him for almost any responsible position in life. But he is reckless. Get into what scrape he would, whether of debt, or worse, here he was sure of a refuge and a welcome: I received him, his mother and sisters loved him. One of them is bed-ridden,” he added in an altered tone. oi “T went first by mistake into the next room. I probably saw her.” “Yes, that’s Maria. It is a weakness that has settled in her legs; some chronic affection, I suppose; and there she has lain for ten months. With medical attendance and sea air, she might be restored, they tell me, but I can provide neither. Leonard’s claims have been too heavy.” COnniclo@Oolkks (2) (SO)