Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 289 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

te) ‘as the presence of the young man did not tend 6 Flush Fred’s Full Hand. to send me a line. You can see, now, how much good I am getting out of my nepbew.” ‘‘T suppose,” suggested Fred, ‘‘ that he has ag! used to plenty of company and a gay ife. ‘Plenty of seta no doubt,” responded the old gentleman. ‘* His life may have been a gay one; but you would hardly call it attrac- tive. He was living ina garret when I found him, and was picking up a precarious living by tting the better of people at cards and bii- iards, I declare, Henning, I am talking to you asif you were my oldest friend and bound to listen to all my troubles; but | have taken a strong liking to you, and believe you to be worthy of confidence.” *“IT bope you will never have cause to go back on tbat belief, sir.” **T am sure that I never will. Now, I am oing to tell you the whole story, if you care to isten to it.” c I will gladly listen, if it pleases you to tell t ‘*My father, who was considered a wealthy man in bis day, left bis property, undivided, to his only children, my brother David and my- self. David and I had never agreed, and as the elder brother, he delighted in tyrannizing over me. After my father’s death we got on worse than ever, and finally we agreed to divide the property and separate. “David took what he wanted, all the person- al pro ey leaving me what I considered much the better share, the land and the ser- vants, “He was of a roving end adventurous dis- position, and it was seldom I heard from bim, and then he was usually in some foreign Jand, In the course of time I heard nothing more from him, and could find out nothing about him. “‘ After many years I received a letter from Paris, informing me that David, at some period in the past, had purchased and loaded a vessel, in which he had sailed for some port in the West Indies, and bre ship had been lost with all on board. He had left a son in Paris, ‘but no property that could be found. ‘‘I hastened to Paris, found the young man, and brought bim home, glad to have some per- son with me who was of my own blood, and who would be dear to me and the heir of my estate. ‘* But I must confess to you, Henning, that I -am,if anything, more lonely than before. I «don’t understand Paul, I can’t make him out at all. He is not in the least like me, as you know. At the same time he does not seem to me to be a bit like his father. David was high-tempered, - overbearing, and in every way different from me; but he was daring, chivalrous, free-hearted, and had the instincts of a gantieman. But Ido not seem to find anything of him in Paul.” “But you have no doubt that he is your brother’s son,” remarked Fred. **Oh, no. They manage those things careful- ly in France. I saw the registry of birth, and of baptism, and Paul’s identity was sufficiently proved to me.” ‘*Heis your only relation, [ think you have told me?” **My only living kio. I never married, you see, There was a girl who was very dear to me; but she was not for me. She married a man named Helmsley, up in Tennessee, and I— that is, I never cared to marry.” Fred Henning could bave told the old gentle- man of a matron of bis acquaintance, named Helmsley, who lived in Tennessee. She had doubtless been a beauty in her day, and it was ~ possible that she was the lost love of Leon elarosse, But, was it worth while? The old gentleman was settled, and had brought his nephew home to be his heir. It would do him vo good to learn that bis old sweetheart was a widow with two grown chil- dren. It would be better for bim to remember her as she used to be, No, it was not worth while, and Flush Fred t his knowledge to himself, but naturally not forget what he had heard. CHAPTER VIL, A THREAD IN THE LOOM OF FATE. THE day after Fiush Fred’s arrivai at Gravelly Bayou Paul Delarosse came home, tly t his uncle’s surprise, and not much to his delight to make the place a bit more cheerful. He bad gone away ina bad humor, and he had returned in a bad humor. He moped, and sutked, and made himself gen- erally disagreeable. Leon Delarosse decided that he would give a party, to try to amuse the young man, but quite as much, probably, for tbe oe of tting his neighbors about him and enjoying heir society. So invitations were sent around by mounted negro boys, and General Brayham and bis wife came up to assist their old friend in his arrange- ments and in receiving his guests, A party at Gravelly Bayou was a very differ- ent affair from a party in a city, or in a thickly settled neighborhood, a i ———— — — — al _ Many of the guests would come long distances, and could not be expected to return to their homes at the close of the festivities. Consequently they would pass the night at the house, and with some of them the visit might last several days. The preparations for the party did not tend to improve the disposition of Paul Delarosse. Indeed, nothing seemed to please that morose young man, It was evident, from the moment of his arriv- al, that the presence of Fred Henning was ex- tremely disagreeable to him. He did not scruple to make manifest bis antip- athy to that young man, and spoke openly against him to bis uncle. ‘*Why do you bave that fellow in the house, uncle Leon?’ he suddenly demanded. ** Because he is my friend,” brusquely replied the old gentleman. : **Do you expect him to be here when your guests come?” ‘*Tf he will stay, and I hope he will.” “There may be somebody present who knows him to be a common river gambler.” ‘*Tbere will surely be one who knows what you were when I found you in Paris,” Paul glowered at his uncle, and said nothing more, He condescended to play billiards with Fred Henning, as that was the only amusement he cared for, and Fred was the only person in the house who could really ey game. His uncle and General Bayham, Paul said, could poke the balls about, but knew no more about billiards than the sticks they were hand ling knew. When he was playing with Fred Henning he won quite frequently, chiefly by his adroitness in adding to his string buttons that did not belong to him, Fred took no notice of these eccentricities, for he was unwilling, for he sake of his host, to quarrel with the young man. But the case was different when Paul bad finally persuaded the guest to play for a stake. Then, when Fred was getting the better of the game, he slyly increased his score by adding several points which he had not earned, Fred quietly shoved them back, ‘* What are you doing to my string?’ angrily demanded the other. “Putting back the points that don’t are: to you. That sort of thing was notso bad when we were merely playing for pastime; but I can’t aliow it when there is money on the game,” ‘*Do you dare to say that I cheat? ‘You know that you do,” ‘*You are a liar!” ree Henning quietly replaced bis cue in the rack, ‘Tf it were not for the respect [ have for your uncle,” Fred mildly remarked, ‘‘I would x your ears, young man.” Paul’s face turned red, and his vicious disposi- tion showed itself in his distorted features. His right hand sought his pistol. pocket. “Quit that!” sharply ordered Fred, ‘‘ Don’t make a foel of yourself. You bave not lived long enough among Americans, I suppose, to know that some of them are quick on the trigger and sure when they shoot. Il could send you to kingdom come before you could pull a pistol, and I warn you not to attempt to play any such games with me when I am leoking at you, ‘You are playing a game of your own,” sulkily answered Paul. ‘‘ You are trying to get the upper hand of my uncle, and are staying ere to see how far you can swindle him.” ‘*Have it so, if you want to. Your insults don’t worry me. I consider the source, as the Hoosier said when the polecat paid its respects to him.” Thereafter Fred Henning had as little to do witb Paul as possible, and the young man grew sulkier and more morose than ever. The party came off, and was a great success, The or pares of Gravelly Bayou was lavish but well ordered. Mr. Delaresse and General Bayham and his wife made the guests feel at home, and left nothing unattended to that could contribute to their comfort and entertainment, The house was filled but not crowded, and Leon Delarosse could not fail to be bighly satisfied as he ogee the respect and affection in which he was held by his neighbors near and far. As for Paul, be was not brilliant by nature, and ke made no effort to shine before his uncle’s guests. Being known as the beir of the Gravelly Bayou estate, be was naturally courted by the wives and daughters of the neighboring plan- ters, and the young men were not backward in making his acquaintance, But he was inclined to be a little too familiar with the young ladies, and quite too supercilious toward the young gentlemen. ‘*That fellow bas no more breeding than a billy-goat,” remarked Will Crenshaw. ‘‘I am afraid that the time wil’ come before long when I will have to give bis nose a twist.” | Paul found several there who were able to talk French with bim; but he did not shine in French any better than in English. Hesneered As Zeke at their Creole pronunciation, and laughed at their mistakes, He had, however, one redeeming quality—he was a capital dancer, and this accomplishment caused the girls to tolerate him, though it did not render him any more popular with the young men. — Fred Henning, on the contrary, was a favor- ite from the first. Always willing and eager to please, he ‘spread himself” on this occasion, probably from a desire to gratify Leon Delarosse, for whom he had a genuine liking, Whatever his birth and breeding might have been, he gave no person any reason to suppose that he had not been brought up among the best and always mingled with the best. He made bimself entertaining to all, and old and young joined in pronouncing him a very bright and agreeable young fellow. Fred’s pope rariby. served to increase the sulki- ness of Paul Delarosse, who might have exerted himself to a little better purpose if he had not perceived the impossibility of outshining his uncle’s friend, Among those who were attracted to Fred was Mrs. Brenner, the elderly widow of a wealthy planter, who struck up quite a lively friendship with him, and be was giad that he was able to entertain the motherly old lady. She told him of her lovely but lonely planta- tion near the Vidal, where she lived with her two little grandchildren, all that were left to her since the death of her only daughter. * But we will not be lonely much longer,” she said. ‘ The little girls need to be taugit, and J need company, and our needs will be soon sup- plied now. A young lady who is very amiable as well as very intelligent has consented to come and make ber home with us, and we are anxiously expecting her. | understand that you are from Tennessee. Mr. Renae, and my young friend is from Tennessee. t is just posse that you may know ber. Her name is ate Helmsley.” Fred Henning was sure that he did know her. The name was that of one who was dearer to . him than all else besides, but whom he regarded as quite beyond bis reach. ‘IT think I have beard of her,” he answered, concealing a palpable blush. Mrs. Brenner’s answers to a few inquiries sat- isfied him that the expected young lady was the same Kate Helmsley whose image was impressed upon his heart. | ‘*Her mother is dead,” continued the old lady, ‘and ber brother is married, and they bave had reverses; but I believe that she is coming for her pleasure, rather than for profit, as she is a dear friend of mine and a distant relative.” Fred was too considerate to claim acquain- tance with Kate Helmsley. It might be em- barrassing to ber in the future, if Mrs. Brenner should inquire concerning bim, and trutbful Kate should be compelled to confess that the young man who called bimself ber friend was a riya pony eh. ‘‘ When is the young lady coming?” he asked. Mrs. Brenner could not answer definitely. She expected her soon, but no certain time had been set, and Kate would probably write before she left Tennessee, Fred Henning resolved that he would leave Gravelly Bayou. Kate Helmsley might come into that part of the country unexpectedly, and he would not for the world be in any way an embarrassment to her. It was just possible that he might meet her on the river, and at least have the privilege of looking at her during a part of her journey. At all events, he would go, The next day something cecurred that con- firmed him in his resolution, and bastened its execution, CHAPTER VIII. FLUSH FRED AND HIS FIST. GRAVELLY Bayou of course had an over- seer, and bis name was Ez-kial Tibbles, com- monly known S@noro a siwaye acdressed and spoken of by the proprietor of the planta- tion oy 3 Tibbles. He was a Yankee of the Yankees, thorough- ly Downeastern yet in his speech, manner and habits, although he had been for nearly ten ears a resident of Louisiana, and his pric was so ingrained that be was not shia ever to change it in any essential particular. Mr. Tibbles completely enjoyed the confi- dence of Leon Delarosse, who had left him the entire Management of the plantation in his own absence, and he well deserved that confidence, as he was an hunest and reliable man, steady as clockwork, careful and thor- ough, who slighted nothing, and knew bow to make the most of everything and the best of everything. Although he was a Yankee, he did not treat the servants harshly or expect too much from them, but was well liked by all, from the worn- out gray-heads of the pickaninnies, and at the same time was respected by all the planters, factors and others, with whom the require- ments of his position brought him in contact. bbles was well paid, and bad but ieee OMING ‘ we 4 rt =. }) ls IJO'IO ‘S) 1€O) Ly - a tt esse eel ~ hd a * ;