Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

toPnrK" Father Joseph signified by a movement of
a 1 thai In' knew fill that.
" Yesterday I was all day
in London," said Peler. "This
morning I went to the railway-station
:md be of use to them if I could. After lie was iu the ca
WRECKED AM) SAVED.
to see Mr. Bivwiird oil',
there were other peple with them. - he took a curd out of his
pocket, wrote a few words on it, gave it to me as I stood by
the window, and said, 'See to it, will you?' I nm
a:id the train went off'. Well, there is the card; " and
put into Father Joseph's hand a card wi.h these won.li
on it, written under Mr. Breward's name:
"I received ninety-seven pounds this morning, and gave it
to Fred to place in tho bank for me."
Father Joseph read the words, and said,
" Fred was at Miss Lance's last night.
" Go on."
He was rather odd
and agitated, f-ang out of tune, and did not take his cousin's
there. Sharp words are the best weapons. I said,
' You
give up that money, or I'll expose you.' I held him by his
collar. I said, ' No nonsense. You know you are not fit to
I got out of him that he had paid the ninety-seven pounds to
a man to whom he had made a boast of having the money, and
who liad obtained power over him."
" And you have long known that he was untrustworthy as
to money matters ?" said Father Joseph.
"For tw >
years, at least, I have known that he spent,
gambled, and made bets on the turf, beyond his means, and
that he had gone to money-lendeis, and that he had been ac-
commodated by their giving him the sums required, on his
placing in their hands security for repayment; the sums to bo
paid exceeding very largely what he had received to be paid
when he received his money iu a year's time. Fred's char-
acter is guessed at, aud he will never be received into the firm.
He will have his seven thousand pounds, and so be gotrid of. I
know that. I have been hard at work wi h him all day. He
i not have three thousand pounds of l.is own it he were to
,-.11 directly and pay up hi.s liabilities. How much IIB
i.iuk in another year, if ho can't bo helped out of his
troubles, nobody knows."
"And who is li in all this? I
': Home . -ne who ta i
'
Jani"s (! ml'iier," n-iH v I te".
And then there waa silence betweei
for Father .T seph was 1 shoeU",|. [ ,, i
"
IVier," lie waul, -'haveyo.i any idfu '-
to do?"
" I know what I want to do what it would b 1
to do.
"Tell me."
"This is it. The whole story has been revealed t;
Fred lias not concealed anything. I know all. His e
throughout, his tempter, the suggester o < vil, niul l!i
who has stolen his mojey from i
him, and greatly enrieln
laughter with as much good temper as usual. As I walked
back with tho card in my hand it all came before me very
vividly. I had known that Drake had I frequently got imself
into money difficulties. It was then ten o'clock, and the bank
could only be just opened. I went straight to Mr. Breward's
house and asked for Fred. He was gone out. I went ,to Mr.
Bennet's office. He had not been there. I went to the bank
and saw Mr. Mayuard. He had not been there. I retur ed
to Mr. Brcward's. I found Fred iu the dining-room, and ho
was drinking wine helping himself to what had been left on
the sideboard. I made no observation en that. But it was
very unlike Fred to drink in the morning. He has no bad
propensity of that kin I as far as I know, and I think I know
him well. I said, '
I want to have that niue'y-seven pounds
banked, Fred. Come and do it. I am going to balance books
to-diy. ' He turned white and hasti y (..rank another glass of
w no. 'What do you know about it?' he said. 'Don't I
know all about it? Does it not come into my business to
'
know? I promised Mr. Breward I never said anymore.
Fred staggered towards me. I thought he was trying to strike
me. I took him by the shou'de s and self by iniquitous gains,
ond sinner who pretends to lend the money, but lie is J
Gardener's tool. He lends Ji tie more than his nam<
Gardener may
flung him into a great
chair. I know how to manage Fred; you must believe me
not get talked about. James (ranli'iier i
it worth this poor wretch's while, of course but when i
;
affairs come to be settled the money will il.v into James (