CHAPTER VI.

'Still from the fount of Joy's delicious springs

Some bitter o'er the flowers its bubbling venom flings.'-BYRON,

'WALTER, old man, I want yer,' said Ralph, at a week's end, the rise still continuing, and his heart bursting with gratitude. 'We'll go up, a lot of us, in my drag-" Blaze and Riband," Beaumond-morrow-bring your fellows-dine-stroll in park -home, cool evening-say th' word. I'll telegraph dinner.'

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Slapping Ralph on both his shoulders Walter exclaimed, 'Capital idea, by Jove!' and was off in a moment to look up his fellows. And a jolly time they had of it, but Ralph couldn't think, nor fix his ideas upon any object unconnected with his present'Occupation,' mused he, 'why, what is it? I'm a Gambler ! I must be !' (a cold shiver ran through him), with an uncertain stake. Is that right? Is anything right-or wrong? No? Confound it, there must be! Hang it all, I never felt so queer! I see a single vision floating away somewhere. I try to grasp: if I could, would it satisfy? Shouldn't I crave for more? I am absorbed by this-Passion I call it. I wonder how many do succeed. I'll inquire, but not of these fellows. How they'd laugh! Why, if I take up a common newspaper even, nothing interests, except, of course, the price of coals, if my stocks are "rails;" and peace and war signs, if foreign stocks. I never felt so queer before. I'

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Hullo, Ralph in the clouds? shouted Walter; there's Topsy tripping, and Florry half asleep. Wake up, man, wake up!' Come, Topsy lass, Florry!' cried Ralph. Being appealed to, both mares were soon in good form, and the pace becoming good, Beaumond was at length reached. Walter had invited several clients' and an 'insider.' Ralph asked Slasher, Stanley, and Somers to be his guests. All the party were gamesters, and nearly all of Walter's choosing. Ralph knew no satellites-had no 'clients,' and the few Vortex men he did know had not favourably impressed his untutored mind.

Dinner over, they strolled in the park, smoked, and vociferated 'shop' profusely. Not a man of the party talked about anything useful or of general interest-noble was out of the question. It was all far beyond Ralph, and he began to wonder whether he should be ever able to rattle on as did those fellows.

'I feel beastly stupid, and can't get a word in,' said he to Walter, who was quiet too, having a little 'thing' in mines to

introduce to Ralph at a convenient opportunity. Ralph continued -he had just dined: With all nature smiling around, yet finding no sympathy in my bosom; the joyous, happy lark soaring above and carolling forth its most enchanting melody, bringing back boyhood's happy days to memory-' Walter would have

called this 'drivelling,' had he not been too engrossed to hear it. He caught the last few words, however-'e'en ere the lurid glare of Speculation had prey'd upon my soul, blighting it with a contagion I find it impossible to obliterate, and now I feel deaf to every sound save one. I have no regret but—that I had not turned "bull" before !

'Ha, ha! good, Ralph; sensible, Ralph; right you are, and no mistake-ha, ha! Did you hear that, Slasher? Somers, come and listen. Here, Wingram-Stanley, here-ha, ha, ha!'

Not knowing what he had said, Ralph wisely joined in the laugh at once. Travels were descanted upon, but this growing slow, they proposed to return.

All were 'bulls' in that little select company. Harry Somers was a chronic bull,' and with singular infatuation—the characteristic of all genuine 'bulls'—returned to the charge again and again, and never would give in; the consequence was that he was almost always losing money. He was now a large 'bull' of 'Beloved' silver-mining shares and Backaway' bonds. So well did these 'look' that Somers bought more and more-speculatively the higher they rose. He was now in his element, and appeared a model of a young Hercules as he sat outside that four-in-hand.

Powerfully built, he could be very passionate and impulsive when roused. His white hat (without the black band-Harry saw no sense in them) was thrown back, and his sunburnt features contrasted strongly with a broad white scar on his forehead, the remnant of a sword-cut he had received in a duel in Bungaland. Ralph sat by his side, and was fast getting into better form. Somers played the cornet to perfection. The clear, ringing notes he produced with such thrilling effect echoing amongst the woods, and then back from the far-distant hills, with Undone's noble river rippling at their feet in the clear moonlight, caused the maddest among that merry party to pause and listen. It mattered not what air he played, the same magic touch awakened in the bosoms of the gayest there reflections. All seemed startled when, after lisping Freddy Stanley, who sat next him, had quietly asked, 'Will you give uth the "Latht Rothe of Thummer"? its first few notes seemed to arouse sentiments which had long lain dormant in the hearts of all. They heard

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him to the end; he then handed the instrument to Stanley, who took it from him with a childlike reverence. All were now so still that the measured tread of each of the sixteen hoofs could be distinctly heard by a practised ear as they lightly touched the surface of the level road. The insider' broke the constrained stillness by informing his neighbour, a new protégé of Walter's, that Dearies have bust!' There was a movement in their midst; the spell being thus rudely broken, it was not long before they were all in full swing. Nothing was talked of but bulling' and 'bearing' Stocks, Rails, Mines, &c. Now it was Great Southerns, then Little Westerns, again Northcity A's, Derricks, Grums, Tritons, Fopvilles, Westports, Alleys; again Trucks, Backaways, Liquorice, Elypts; and lastly Beloveds, Zincs Regulars, &c. &c. They were all full of it. There was a bottlewashing company of Walter's, a boot-cleaning company which he had fathered, a house-letting company which he patronised, besides several others of which he was either Director or Promoter. Everything was to be done by Companies. There was 'The Wife-finding Company;' one-called 'The Doctor-savingapparatus Company,' by which small people were to be brought cheaply into the world-was 'Walter's own;' 'The Baby-rearing Company' came next; then 'The Child-instructing;' after that 'The Thought-communicating,' which was to save time and trouble to children and tutors. Then there was 'The Self-advancing Company,' of which character all the others partook, more or less-most more; The General Employment-finding Company,' and 'The Do-everything-for-' (should have been and) Everybodyat-the-smallest-cost Company;' to be followed by others, until, in due course, came The General Winding-up Company,' guaranteeing to absorb all the others, and take you out of the world, if you felt so disposed, as quickly-more so if you liked-and as decently and cheaply as another had brought you in. All seemed at home and happy. Markets must go on rising. Late heavy losses would be soon retrieved, and a handsome profit left. Ralph was a whip. The team paced merrily along. They caught the spirit, as though they shared the glee, of the party. Crack went the whip; they burst into a canter. The load was like a feather behind them. Another crack, and up a hill they rattled at a hand gallop, but were soon well in hand and steadied into a magnificent trot. With the bright moon still shining overhead, and such a racy, rattling lot, Ralph now asks himself, 'What thing in the world more delightful than a Gambler's life?' The insider' looked knowing, and, commanding attention, recounted such wondrous tales of fortunes made. 'And lotht!

sighed Freddy in his corner. None, however, heeded him. Town was at length reached, each pledging the other over a parting glass not to close accounts before mutual agreement. 'Ha! nous verrons,' I overheard the 'insider' say aside. What could he have meant? In the best of humours, and with no dismal forebodings now, Ralph got the 'latest prices' at his club. 'Hullo! what's this?' I heard him exclaim aloud. He read, 'Failure of a large dealer is announced, with a very heavy account open "for the fall," and a sharp rise in certain Stocks, Ralph's among them, on his closing his account-three per cent since he left. 'What a stroke of luck!' thinks he.

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'Fail on, ye dealers, fail away!' cried Ralph; 'let me get out with a good profit, and I'll say good-bye t' ye for ever—ha, ha !'

He was too excited to sleep. He dozed a little; gold was tumbling about in bagsful. Ralph sat sceptred in the Vortex. Fifty jobbers stood around begging for time to meet their heavy 'differences.' Ralph gave them time, and they were merry over it, and they all sang, 'For he's a jolly good fellow.' And as he was stooping to pick up some of the gold, it all seemed to melt away, and he heard a jobber laugh, 'Ha, ha!' and then they all vanished—not a single coin could be seen. He ran after one jobber who had a bag of Ralph's gold on his back, but he got away down into a vault, the doors of which opened and shut by magic; he kicked at him as he descended, but the door slammed and caught his foot. The pain was terrible; not a jobber was now to be seen. He screamed and awoke with fright, to find himself only half undressed, his foot fixed in a large furniture boot-jack, his boot half off, and himself in an uneasy position across the arm of his easy-chair, into which he had fallen while trying to draw off his boot. The candle had burnt out; the moon was still shining brightly; he struck a light-'twas three o'clock. He took up the newspaper again to satisfy himself, for he thought it might be all a dream. Yes, there it was; he pinched the paper, tore a corner off to convince himself it was real. 'Failure of a large jobber! Three per cent rise!' stared him in the face. Drinking a tumbler of cold water, he undressed by the moon's light, then drank another, and was soon in bed and fast asleep.

His morning's Age confirmed the news. There could then be no doubt about it. 'Depressing effect in "business" circles brought "business" to a standstill,' &c. &c. But that view did not weigh with this young Speculator. He became seized with a sudden desire to sell, and cut it all-his heavy losses were more than fully covered. Hurrah!' cried he; 'pluck has it, after all! I'll go to-to-to-Her!

Full of this wise resolve he hastened to his broker's office. It was full. 'Strange,' thought he so early too!'

An ominous air of excitement prevailed; he wished all goodmorning; not a response was heard. Hum-funny,' he muttered, looking from one to the other, but they took no notice whatever of him. He began to whistle a tune. Suddenly he felt a sharp tap on his shoulder, and Walter beckoned him in silence to follow him. With mysterious air he led him through a dark passage into a little room, Ralph slashing the walls with his cane as he went along. He closed the door, and confided to him in the briefest terms the cause of this sudden change.

Great failure in the Vortex,' said Walter, eyeing Ralph keenly.

'I know I know. What's that to me? I'm going to close my "things" at once-am here for that purpose.

Where's-'

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'It's everything to you,' interposed his brother quietly. your stocks are open with that dealer-besides other clients, and his affairs are in a wretched state.' Ralph shuddered.

CHAPTER VII.

'I came not to hear this: I am struck with sorrow.'-SHAKESPEARE. 'It is everything to you. All your stocks are open with that dealer.'

Ralph heard-he attempted to rally; he even cried aloud again, I'll suffer.' But presently the little room swims round and round, the portrait of a beauteous child as he saw it hanging on the walls at Old Trememdon-a child now grown to womanhood-flashes across his excited imagination, and then seeming suddenly lost to him for ever, his heart beats against its fleshy walls, as though endeavouring to escape its too narrow confinement, or be at rest for ever.

Maxwell keeps on talking; Ralph heeds not, the atmosphere of that little room stifles him; he rushes past, out into the open air of heaven, to seek whom?-to do what?

With bursting brow he paces those hot city courts, and crowded lanes and thoroughfares, aimless, purposeless, and sick

at heart.

Regardless of passers-by, reckless of what may become of him, he wanders he knows not whither.