THE THREE TESTS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 39, 22 May 1917, Page 7

THE THREE TESTS.

A SHORT STORY.

The Marquis of L. and a friend. Captain X., had spent the af’ernom playing at their club, at the request of young 8., who had a passion for gambling. On this occasion, however, B. was not in luck, and the marquis won about fifteen pounds from him, a big sum of money for young 8., who was by no means rich, and, indeed, had considerable difficul y in making both ends meet, Ms nc u a tion being rather irregular. He •■•■ as consequently rather depress fi ,;u spirits, thinking doubtless ot th privations which he would have to impose upon himself. The marquis, on the contrary, had an immense fortune, and had played simply for the sake of amusement ; the fifteen pounds was nothing to him, and would be lost among his treasures like a drop of water in a river. On quilting the playing-table, the captain said to him :

"Don’t you see how unhappy the young man is ? You are rich, and have no need of the money. You would be doing the fellow a good turn were you to restore it to him. Why, then, don’t you do so, and make him happy ?”

"No, my friend, no. It is quite true that I have no need for the fifteen pounds, and that I do not intend to save It, hut I should like very much to teach the young fool a lesson. I have dozens of times dissuaded him from bis gambling habits and I have tried repeatedly to get him to promise to curb a passion which is quite out of place in one of his limited means. Giving him back his money would do no good at present ; but if once I saw him reforming andi giving up playing for money, why, I should be most willing to give him back his money.”

“I daresay you are right, after all. ■But what can you do with the money ?” “Well, seeing that I have no fixed object in view, I may as well help some unfortunate wretches with it. There are plenty of persons in this pity, to any one of whom the sum would be a fortune.”

“Oh, you are going to spend it on public charity, are you ?” “Not at all, my good fellow ; I did not say so. One n<wer knows when money which is given fro public charities is rightly applied. I have a much better idea. I am going to make an experiment ; and, mark my words, we are in a very good- neighbourhood for adventures.”

As a matter of fact, they had ?n the course of their walk reached the open square near the Houses of Parliament, which, especially at night, is frequented by many miserable individuals, who cbme chiefly from the south side of the river-some to look for a “job,” others to loiter about idle, others, again, to rest on the benches which are there before beginning their peregrinations—peregrinar tions which have to go on without intermission day and night because of the walkers having no roof to cover their heads. •

“Let us,” said the marquis, “just throw one of these notes away, and then wait and see some one made happy before our eyes.” So saying, he dropped a five-pound note on the ground at the foot of a lamp, quite close to one of the benches.

It being evening, there were not so very many passers-by I but at last the two companions had the satisfaction of seeing two men in rags and tatters approach. Retiring, therefore, into the shade, they watched what would happen. On coming to the seat the two men stopped, and the marquis was able to hear them complaining bitterly of their lot.

"Ah !” said one of them, “if some one would only give me a pound or two to start with, ■ I should very soon work up a business ! Without a penny it is impossible to make a beginning. The whole secret of success is the getting a fair start. If I had a few pounds, catch me going to a public-house and spending it there. No ; I should take better lodgings, entrust ■ the money to my landlady, so that no one would suspect that I had it, and then I should start a small shop. If any of my old acquaintances came to me then, wanting to borrow a 'hob,' I should simply spurn him and call him a cur and a beggar ; and—l should get rich like other tradespeople.”

“Whilst you are waiting for the money to turn up, you may as well have a short sleep,” said his friend. “And, see, ■ here is a shady seat where no policeman will find you, and where you will iu all probability be left in peace.” ‘ And he rose up in order to let his friend sleep, and as he went away he said :

“Aa for me, I go to look for a fob, that I may, If possible, get some-> thing for supper.” Left to himself, the other continued to mutter his complaints and develop schemes of succeeding in life. “Well,” said’the marquis softly to his friend, "so far things have gone all right ; if this goes on, our little game will end very satisfactorily. The man was restless, and could not sleep. Suddenly, as he tossed about and looked mechanically on either side of him, he espied the paper lying not two paces from him. “Hullo ! What's this ?” he said ; and getting up with a bound, he seized the bank-note, turned it over in his hands, tried it with all his senses, and having assured himself of its genuineness, leapt in the air with a loud hurrah. Then, without further hesitation, he went off like a flash o light, and called out, “George ! George !” as if he wished Jus friend to share his joy.

“Let us follow him,” whimpered the

marquis ; "we shall soon see our adventure complete.”

They had not gone far, however, before they saw the man hasten into the first public-house he came across.

They followed and saw him drink and pay, not only for himself, but for some other men of the same class who were there. At last, with some five or six of these at his heels, he went out, not homewards, hut to. a second public-house, where a similar scene was enacted.

“I have still some money,” they heard him say to his comrades, “and as long as it lasts we may as well enjoy ourselves.”

The marquis turned to go away, and his friend, seeing the sad and pensive look upon his face, said :

"So much for good resolutions ! Just see how well they can be kept ! Here is the man who decried wealth, and only desired to be put to the proof in order to show how well he would use his means. Come, marquis, I hope you will dispose of the remainder of your winnings in a better way. The result of your first experiment ought to satisfy you.” “No, indeed,” answered the marquis, “I shall try again, and see if a second note does not produce a' better result. Let us go back again to our former station and repeat our experiment.” So saying, they again went towards Westminster, and on reaching the same seat and lamp the marquis again deposited a five-pound note, and standing close by, impatiently awaited the course of events,

Again he had not long to wait. Within a few minutes of their taking up their station they saw a welldressed man approach with a firm step—so firm, indeed, that as he passed the seat it caused the note to flutter, ajfS as it lay glittering in the lamplight the walker could not fail to see it. Stopping for a moment, he looked at it, apparently hesitating whether to examine it closer. The friends had' hitherto been unable to see his face, but now, as he stood there in the full blaze of the lamp, what was their astonishment to' find that it was none other than their friend 8., the youth from whom the marquis had that afternoon won the money at the club ! “Now,” thought the marquis, “he ought to be happy at finding his own again. Surely, after the lesson he has learnt to-day, he will take it home quietly and gamble no more.” Meanwhile B. had picked up the note, and having seen what it was arid realised his good fortune, proceeded on his walk, but not in-the same direction in which he was going when he came up. Seeing him retrace his steps, the two friends exclaimed at once, "Where can he be going ?” and so saying, followed him.

B. walked at a quick pace towards Pall Mall, observing which the marquis said : “It looks as if he was going back to the club !”

Indeed, it was so. The two friends entered close at his heels to watch him, and great was their disgust and sorrow when they saw him make straight for one of the tables, and recommence playing.

“Come, come,” said the marquis, “is there no honesty in the world ? Are all worthy hopes to he blasted thus ?”

“Well, I hope you are now cured of your false ideas of human nature.” “No, not yet,” the marquis replied!; “arid I want you just to come back once more to the same spot. What I have already learnt to-night is undoubtedly hard to bear, but the lesson is well worth the money.” And so saying they set off again. Arrived at the now well-known lamp, they for a third time deposited at the foot thereof a five-pound note, and retired into their retreat, while the marquis remarked : “Come and watch with me what new surprise this piece of paper will bring us.” It was now getting late. The hands of Big Ben were approaching the hour of midnight. If passers-by were before few in number, now they were rare. Probably they would have to wait some time, but the marquis was determined to stick to his post, though it should take all night to see his experiment through. Providence, however, was favourably disposed, and saved him any trouble in that respect. Hardly, had the two friends again retired aside, when they heard some one approaching, the tone of whose voice betokened the deepest degree of despair. As it came nearer, they caught snatches of the wail. “Ah, my poor children, my poor wife ! I, too, have had nothing to eat. For me, however, it does not matter much ; but my heart is torn when I think of iriy dear ones without a scrap of bread. To-morrow, too, they will be without a roof to cover them, cast on the streets, simply because I have not wherewith to pay for the rent of our little room. And the youngest is ill—and I cannot find work”—

Thus did the poor man in the most piteous accents bemoan his lot, at times his voice being even choked with sobs. The marquis, if somewhat hardened by his first two experiences, was now deeply affected, and would willingly have himself picked up the note in order to put it into the hands of this poor unfortunate. He waited, however, to see whether, as in the first instance, the public-house would in this case relieve the wretchedness of the situation, or what At this moment the man had arrived at the seat. His doleful monologue was still continued, but his sobs left no doubt as to the genuineness of his distress. All of a sudden he stopped, and sank wearily into the seat.

"No,” he said, “I cannot. I have not the courage to go back home without a morsel of food. I .would sooner die here I”

As he spoke his eyes fell naturally on the paper. A hope lilled his breast. He gazed af it as if ■doubting bis vision. Then bending forward, ho picked it up. Yes, there was no doubt about it ; and having assured himself of its genuineness, he opened his eyes wide with astoniehment, and tears of joy to o k the place of his sobs. "Five pounds !” he said to himself. "Five pounds.’’ And he stopped mute and unable to Bay another word. Then he slowly recommenced his walk, muttering these words to himself. By-and-by, however (he said more loudly :

"Five pounds ! Why, here is bread for my poor little ones and my dear wife ; enough to pay the landlord and all my other creditors. Then I shall get work.’’ And, as he spoke, his tears of joy were renewed, and he again lapsed into silence.

The marquis and his friend, thu captain, still followed, anxious to see what he would do. The public-bo»»cs were not yet shut. To one of these his steps seemed to be directed ; but no, he passed it without turning his head towards it ; and 'then a second. Crossing Westminster Bridge quickly, and proceeding along the main ro».a, he came to a stop in front of an alley, as if undecided, while the friends heard him say :

"Yes, my dear little ones, I am coming”

But suddenly he turned his back on the alley, and began to walk rapidly in quite another direction. The two friends hurried after, and. came up with him just as he was about to enter the door of a large building, to which a lamp bearing the sign “Police Station” was affixed. In order to prevent his evident intention, the marquis at once went up, and tapping him on the shoulder, said : "Where are you going, my friend ?”

“Oh, good sir,” said the man, who seemed to be still considerably affected, “I have done nothing wrong. I am only going to the station’’ “What for ?”

“To deposit this note, which I have found, in the superintendent’s hands.” “And why don’t you keep it, if yw have found it ?” asked the marquis. “You surely have a wife, or children” —

“Yes, yes,” answered the man, “and they are in great misery.” “Well, then, why don’t you keep it, my good fellow ?” r “Because,” said the man, simply—“because it is not mine, and to take it would be wicked.” The marquis hesitated no longer, but said :

“Never mind. I give it to you. The note really was mine ; I can give you the number of it, if you like, and further proof, too. Go back to your family with it, and make them happy.” The man still hesitated.

“No, sir, no ; I cannot. It is too much. I have not worked for it, and have no right to take it from you. Here, do take it back, since it is yours.” **

Seeing' the honest pride of the man, and not wishing to hurt his feelings, the marquis therefore said : “Well, . well, don’t put y.ouretlf about. I shall he only too happy to lend it to you.”

And having received the heartfelt thanks of the poor man, the two friends walked away, not, however, before seeing him enter the very alley before which the great struggle between his conscience and his misery had taken place. Of a truth there was joy in that poor home that night. THE END. h