Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 259 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

———— eoN8e clothing, and household effects. ee ee “Now, colonel, put your aay upon it and we Joave the result in your hands Colonel Brandt trembled, and wavered. He remembered his pledge to Maud, and he well knew his weakuess, But he felt that a game or two would do little arm. He would risk fifty dollars of his own money for be had several hundred in his ket that belonged to bim, and there he would stop. Surely luck could not turn against the four and he must win, he thought. Then he needed some money and did not wish to ask Maud or Irving for it, as it might arouse their suspicions that he was gambling again, “Well, Pll try and redeem the credit of our arty,” he said in a voice that had a quiver in it, when he knew how wrong he was doing, ‘Then the money was Piece upon the table, the game was played and the colonel won. Cheered by his success he doubled the amount and again won. Thus fell fortune upon him until he was a Jarge winner, and, intoxicated by his good for- tune, he bet ail that he had won upon the turn of a card, and Jost. He was staggered by this, and now, thor- bly in the whirlpool, he risked the money mata him for the yacht, and that too was swept aA od by bis losses, and thirsting to re- trieve them, he borrowed from one friend, and then another, and another, until each one had given him all he had with him, and anxiously begged him to desist. But no, once launched into the intoxication of gambling Colonel Brandt was no man to give up while fortune was against him, and his notes were promptly cashed by the proprietc rof the gambling-saloon, who knew him well, and it was just as promptly lost, until at last he was forced from the Palace of Chance, having lost his money, and with debts staring bim in the Sted to an amount of many thousands of dol- ars Half dazed, and full of remorse, he wended his way homeward, his horse going along at a slow walk. It was nearly dawn when he called up the gts groom and threw him the bridle-rein of his horse. ‘“‘Ts Miss Maud up yet?” he asked in a fright- ened kind of way. “No, massa, Missy Maud done gone out to stay all night wid a sick lady what sent for her,” answered the negro. “Thank God!” ejaculated the conscience- haunted man, as he hastily entered the house and sought his room, where he threw himself upon his bed and tossed about in an agony of spirit, for sleep would not visit his eyes. CHAPTER XXVII. A DOUBLE SIN. Ir was late when Colonel Brandt arose the followin soap and he was glad to learn that his daughter bad returned, but had given orders that she was not to be c: led, as she had been up all night nursing her sick friend, Breakfasting in haste the colonel hastened down town, a “hopeful expression on his face. The fact was he bad hit upon a plan to the gambling debts contracted the night before, What that plan was will soon be developed to the reader. It certainly was not a creditable one to him, but desperate cases needed desperate remedies he well knew, and, the rick man he was sup- posed to be, he was well aware that there was no reason why he should not pay back that morning the money boirowed from his friends the night before, while in the evening he had to pay the sums due the proprietors of the Palace of Chance. His steps led him toa part of the city that ‘was by no means fashionable; but he littla cared for alec a , urgent as was the need he had for go- there. t last he turned into a store that had the ap- arance of being an old curiosity-shop, for ad was almost everything to be seen in it that one could wish to buy in the way of dry- . Samuels in?” he asked of a clerk. “That is Mr. Samuels, sir,’ and the clerk ‘pointed to aman who had just entered the door. He was a short, shrewd-faced man, with the ees of < one who could hold his own well in a entleman said po- litel ‘You desire to see me, [ believe, sir.” _ “Yes, I am Colonel Brandt.” ‘Ah, the father of Master Irving Brandt, ‘with whom I have dealin “Yes, and he requeste that I should call and see you upon the matter, for he expected you would have valued the goods by this time.” I have, sir, for the work was completed yes- terday an iene task it was. the distinguished-looking who Seeing asked for him, he turned an y there was everything there, from a bracelet to a ‘Sp Shawl wad French wines; the cargo rmaust havecome from a score of ves- “‘ And probably did, sir, for as my son doubt- ¥ % : \ ‘ Ree AS _ "id ae 8 ‘ less told you, it comprised rised the booty that the | pirate known as the Ghoul of the Sea was send- ing to this city to be sold, as well as the goods that had been smuggled in by various vessels.” ‘*The Government turned the booty over to him, I believe, as he was entitled to it as a prize?” ** Yes, and not only gave my son back his yacht, but also bought her from him at a round hy, paying the money to him for her only ast evening. ‘** But what value, Mr. Samuels, do you place on the goods my son gave you?” “Here is the list, sir, which he gave me, and ce valuation is marked opposite to each arti- cle Colonel Brandt took the list and glanced over it, while his eyes sparkled with pleasure. “Tt amounts to a good round sum, Mr. Samuels,” “e Yes, sir. ” **And you purchase at these valuations?” **T am willing to do so.’ “Then we may as well close the bargain now.” “Lam willing, Colonel Brandt, for T can find immediate sale for some of the ‘things, if you are satisfied with the prices I offer.” **T am, sir, for my son could hardly expect to realize more.” ‘You will receipt for your son, sir, and I suppose you have an order from him, for al- though I know that itis all right, still business is business, sir!” “ Certainly Mr. Samuels, you ara right, and —why could I have come off and left that order at home? **T must have done s0, sir, and I will return and get it, for my son bas gone to the planta-— tion and will not return for a couple of weeks.” Colonel Brandt was greatly in hopes that Mr, Samuels would waive the little piece of pap os which he said he had left at home; but Samuels was thoroughly a business ‘man, and would not depart from his rules, so the planter hastened homeward. Arriving in the library, however, he seemed in no hurry whatever. His face was deadly pale, and locking the door he paced to and fro, his lips set, his hands clasped behind his back, At last he glanced at his watch, started, and took a seat at his desk. Sat ice he took up a quill pen and laid it down ag SBut at length he wrote a few lines, and then tore them up. gain he wrote a few lines, and these shared the same fate. A third time he wrote, and then seizing what he had written folded up the paper and left the room. “Is your mistress up yet, Ellizatte?” he asked, as he met the maid in the ball. “Yes, massa, missy am up, and gone again to see poor Missy Defoe, for they sent for her again, sah, and she told me to tell you she'd likely stay all night, sah, if Missy Defoe didn’t die! but are you sic , massa?” ** No!” said the colonel, bluntly, and he left the house and wended his way again to the store of Mr. Samuels. “Here is the order, Mr. Samuels,” he said, producing the lines be ‘had written, h: man glanced at them and said simply: **Colonel Brandt, please write a receipt on the back of this order for seventeen thousand, four bundred and nine dollars, for that is just the sum due your son.’ The colonel wrote as directed, received the money and departed from the store, ending his way to the hotel where his three lanter friends were stopping, he met them, aid his debts to them, ana reckless at. his suc- cess, invited them to drive with him and af- ferwane to go to the Palace of Chance with ‘The invitation was promptly accepted, one of the trio remarking: ‘““You are a lucky fellow, Brandt, to be able to lose what you did last night, and have Pienty, of ammunition to go and seek revenge to- night, ut he little dreamed how desperate were the houghts at that moment of the man to whom e spoke, and whom he envied. CHAPTER XXVIII. A SIN TO HIDE A SIN. IN a reckless kind of way, Colonel Brandt en- | joyed his dinner, with his three friends, only he drank much more than was his wont, for he was not a man to imbibe deep ply. ter dinner, and while the lights were bein lighted in the stores, the four friends stroll along the streets, their steps directed toward the Palace of Chances, It was an early hour in that fashionable re- sort of sin, for its s frequenters were not wont to drop in until a later hour. But the party sat down toa game of cards among themselves, in which the stakes ran high. om _ the very outset the colonel was a ner, and his three friends had lost heavily by bes ae the salon was opened to the general public, 2 eee SS eae ee SS ; a + F é - a ee ee ee ’ a ae 4 ‘ i ee. Aa ' ~~ wv * “. 7 - * 7 .~ iv% , id > . ** : ~ sae rs ion ft ee : oa Flushed with his success, the colonel up to the keeper and took up his notes o previous night, remarking pleasantly: **] suppose if I go, broke to-night, I can bor- row from the ban ‘“*T will be glad to lend you any amount, col- onel,” said the keeper, thinking, with others, that the F ecapaat was an immensely rich che . Then the game was begun with a large stake laid down by the colonel. But already bad his luck changed, for the keeper raked it in. Another stake of a similar amount followed another, anda third was not far behind. Thus the game went on, the colonel losin steadily, until again be was swept clean of money, and bad again to borrow. And borrow he did, until long after midnight he left the salon, white-faced, stern, and a des- perate Man. Outwardly he was perfectly calm, but in- wardly be seemed on fire, so did his heart and brain burn. He had lost the four thousand dollars received for the yacht, and the fourteen thousand and — ry odd dollars, which Samuels had paid him for ae the booty. ¢ And more, he had borrowed from the gam- rv bler’s bank four thousand dollars. ‘Twenty-five thousand dollars in debt, sad not a dollar to pay it with! a ‘The four thousand must be paid er neo esi | and I dare not tell Irving, who may return ab any time, that I have squandered twenty-one 3 thousand ‘dollars of his money. | *. ~ - 2 > " 7 the ‘* He, too, exacted a pledge from me not to “s gamble, and the secret would come out. * Tam rnined—yes, utterly ruined, and— Hal — I dare not think of that, for I am atraid to die, and [ am afraid to face my children, **T will go home and think,” He reached home, to find that Maud was tn away, and had come late that afternoon foran — rest, and had taken Ellizette back with ie as". Passing his daughter's room, he saw thelamp _ ie: burning brightly within, and he stepped in wr door to put it out, when bis eyes fell u ae Maud’s jewel-box lying open on the table fore him. He started as though he had seen an adder — 4 before him, and gazed at them with dilated | eyes In that box he knew was a treasure. os There were jewels Maud’s mother and two | grandmothers bad worn, and many a costly trinket which had been presented to the. maiden herself, a Then there was jewelry there which Soule is Raveile had left her, and better still, he behel ae as he gazed, a small bag of gold, with a roll or two of bank-notes, 4 a, " With an eager cry he sprung forwar seized the jewels and money, and fled from the room, muttering to himself: rian ‘“‘T have a fortune here, yes, a fortune here.” Strange to say, after hiding away bis ill- bot ’ ten treasure, Colonel Brandt sunk to sleep. Maud returned home ear ly the = lowing morning, after closing the eyes of h wing - friend, and utterly worn out, she and Elizette sunk down to rest. It was nearly noon when Maud awoke, and Ellizette was still slumbering upon hercot. — Then her eyes fell upon the open casket, and.) ’, she iar a cry that awoke the quadroon’ in frigh Soh, lady! Missy Maud, what is the waist ter?” cried Ellizette. ‘* Ellizette, 1 have been robbed.” tm ** Robbed, missy?” a “Yo, TI came ack, after leaving the room last night, and threw my jewelry in box, which I negligently left on the table. peed ‘* See! there is nothing here whatever. — ie “— allare gone!” and Manud’s voice io x ered. .’ Then she said: ae ** Quick, Ellizette, bid my father come here Le The colonel soon’ arrived, pale and excited, for the quadroon bad told him all. tT ne ae mesined astounded at the tidings, and then My sai , ‘‘Maud, my child, this is fearful; but do not speak of this y robbery, for I am confident ‘it is none of the servants. “Leave the matter with _ and I will tell’ the officers of the law and the “4! will go secre ly | to work to ferret out the thief.” . “ You know best, father, so do as you desire; but it is fearful to feel that they are lost, for ‘ prized many of them so highly, as souvenir r that had belonged to my dear old grandmo thers, and poor mamma, 3 ‘““Tt is terrible, Maud; but I feel confident that you will get them again, and I will go down at once to the chief officer of the city guard and place the matter before him,” and Colonel Brandt soon after left the house, | Going to a down-town hotel he ordered a room, ahd said that he expected some visite who were to be at ence shown up, . Bas It was a common thing in those days for cit Bs residents to take a room in a hotel, for a ga me of cards with friends, or a wive- e-party : ae nothing was thought of the colonel’s doing so. er 3 . , MIGDOOKS » * CTV WT? PSI E aoe i rT oD co (C L| | La Om Perms