“LET'S have a game at whist," said one of the party. I saw that Herbert looked slightly annoyed at the suggestion, although he said nothing.
“I’m ready," said Larkworth, as he looked at Garton, who had risen, and was evidently seeking something in one of the drawers of the sideboard.
“What do you say, Grahame?" said the first speaker. “What shall it be? Loo, whist, or speculation?"
“I don't know much about cards," was Herbert's hesitating rejoinder.
“But we'll soon teach you," was Jack Garton's ready response. Another flippant speech-another moment of hesitation, and Herbert was seated round the table, receiving the cards which were being dealt out by Larkworth's dexterous hand.
Did no recollection of his mother's expressed wish that he should never indulge in this game enter the mind of the young man as he thus yielded to temptation? Perhaps it did; but if so, there were no visible marks of its presence. Nevertheless I thought he was not so gay as usual.
“Let’s play for nuts," said Joe Newton, as he passed the pack over to Larkworth.
“Nonsense Joe!" said Jack Garton. “If we are going to Play for anything, let it be for money.
“Who cares for nuts? I don't for one, so here's sixpence towards it! Now then, follow the leader! that's what I say!" Larkworth's sixpence was placed on the table in a moment, and Dacre, the first speaker, with a laugh, placed another by its side.
"You're a long time getting yours, Grahame," said Newton gaily. "Shall I lend you one?" This was enough! Herbert, though earnestly wishing that the money had not been proposed, now drew forth his purse, and taking a sixpence from amongst the loose silver in one of its compartments laid it by the side of the others.
“Now that's something like, I say," remarked Larkworth, as he held up the money in his hand, land examined something that had attracted his attention upon one of the coins. “Now we shall find what play is!" But I do not care to enter more fully into the details of that sadly eventful evening.
Hot, thirsty, and excited, wine circulated freely amongst the party, which did not disperse at a very early hour. When before retiring to rest Herbert took the key to wind me up, I felt that his hand was unsteady, and saw that his eyes had a strange look I had never seen in them before!
Unfortunately this was not the last occasion on which I noticed poor fallen Herbert in a similar condition. Many were the after meetings planned amongst Larkworth and his associates, to all of which Herbert was invited. And Herbert-prayerless Herbert-went. Led on by one temptation after another, gradually he acquired a fondness for the society of these godless young men, and in spite of all that he knew to the contrary, he found himself taking delight in these unholy meetings.
In a short time he became a skilful player at cards; and it was pleasant to him to feel that he could take the lead in the evening's amusement, and win money from those who had first taught him to play.
Ah! It is easy to pass into habits such as these. Down-down! No rough stones to impede the descent. All smooth, subtle, but nevertheless declining ground: "Going down to the gates of death!" How different the upward course! Rocks, hills, difficulties! but none the less surely up-up-up! Yes, indeed! Up to that bright world above where joy reigns, where the Lamb is the glorious light and center of those heavenly courts, and from the heights of which He now speaks to His climbing pilgrims, saying:-
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.... Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall, go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."
Letters from home reached Herbert about this time telling of more family troubles. Mr. Grahame had not been successful in his desire to get regular employment; and the daily subsistence was not a very certain one. Mrs. Grahame's health, too, was failing; but as the November fogs were now nearly over, they hoped she would soon be better.
"The children are well," Kate wrote. "Maude has become much attached to Ruthie, the land-lady's sick little daughter," while Sydney sent word that Herbert was to bring him one of the famous Coventry book-markers for a Christmas present. As to Carrie, "she is such a little chatterbox," Kate continued, "that it is no use to attempt to send her message, for I have no room for it! We are all looking out for you in a month's time," the letter said in conclusion, "so that we can have another of those happy days we spent some little time ago."
Herbert's salary was now due, and very pleased he was to receive it. We might have fancied that small though it certainly was, a desire to send some trifling portion to the home circle would have been the first impulse of his naturally generous spirit.
But no! Other thoughts were in his mind at that time. He had recently contracted several little debts. It was not likely that Herbert could be a constant guest at these evening festivities without having to share in the indulgences consequent upon such gatherings. There were times when he knew that the rest of the company looked to him to pay for the bottle of wine which had been purchased, and the cigars which had been used. Well may he look at the small sum in his possession, and decide that "mother would not expect anything, he was sure."
Quite true, Herbert! She would not expect anything; but what would have been the feelings of surprise and delight produced in the mother's heart at the unexpected reception of some little article of comfort, which her husband's earnings had not, latterly, been able to procure?
We little think how greatly we rob ourselves at times. Here, a little self-indulgence tolerated; there, a little more allowed. Choice fruits, fragrant perfumes, unnecessary adornments, when the price paid for them might have been spent upon some poor humble neighbor, and the blessing of a grateful heart might have rested upon our future pathway.
“Grahame," said Mr. Sheppard, as he placed in his hand the salary due to him, "a friend of mine told me this morning that you are seldom at your lodgings before twelve o'clock! If such has really been the case, don't let it occur again." Mr. Sheppard thought he had thus done his duty. Would that I could have spoken! Would that I could have pleaded with him to ascertain for himself the cause of these late returns, but it was not in my power to do so.
How I would have liked to say to unhappy Herbert before it was too late for him to retrace his steps, "Stop Stop! Stop! Stop! Misery and remorse will be the end of it all."
Sorrowful, painful and bitter lessons were yet to be learned by the unhappy youth. The dark days of December had arrived. Now almost nightly the friends met; sometimes in Larkworth's apartment, sometimes in Herbert's. Occasionally the meeting was held in one of the side-rooms of an adjacent hotel. Whether or not Herbert drank too freely to be able to play with his former skill, one thing was certain, that upon several occasions about this time he lost considerably. From shillings it was easy to play for crowns, and from crowns it was not a great transition to a "golden stake."
“I’ll beat you yet," said Herbert eagerly, upon one of these occasions. “You shall not crow over me in that fashion, I can assure you!" And the infatuated youth proposed a still higher stake.
“Steady, Grahame!" cried Joe Newton, as he noticed the unusually eager expression of his friend's countenance. “You lost last time, and may be you will this. I wouldn't make it too high."
“I shall win this time, you'll see," was the prompt reply. But Herbert did not win. To his bed chamber that night he retired without a penny of his salary, besides a sum of two sovereigns to be paid to his successful opponent on the morrow. What was he to do? Long into the night he thought of the matter. The consciousness of his position for a time seemed to sober him. To send home for money was useless. But in that moment of perplexity Satan was at hand to suggest a resource!
Oh! If Herbert had but cried out, in the conscious sense of his own inability to meet such a temptation, "Lord, help me!"-he would doubtless have been heard, and spared an after life of sorrow and remorse. Sad to say, however, that before Herbert's eyes closed in slumber that night he had resolved to become a thief! True, he did not use that terrible word in his own calculations, and even settled thoughts of repaying, at the earliest opportunity, the sum he meant to take from his master's desk, were amongst those with which he allowed himself to be led into the contemplated crime.
Opportunities for carrying out his purpose would, doubtless, present themselves during the
following day. He was frequently sent to Mr. Sheppard's desk, and frequently also entrusted with money for the cash-box which always stood in one corner. Very easy would it be for him to abstract the amount which he required. That Mr. Sheppard had the fullest confidence in his integrity, he knew by Mr. Sheppard allowing him to have access to his cash-box.
As Herbert planned so he performed, yet not without more than one severe struggle with himself. The fraud was not at first detected, for Mr. Sheppard was not quite so methodical in his private expenditure as in his business arrangements. Not very often did he know the exact amount in the part of his cash-box marked “private." Herbert, who knew of this fact, stole from that quarter.
This one crime led on to others. There were times when he was successful in gaining money from his companions; but recently other games had been introduced, and more skilful, more adept gamblers occasionally formed members of the party.