"The Count it hands in fifteen minutes," said Howard

Tom was very heavyhearted His appetite was gone property self-respect He went out the back way and wandered down the obscure lane grieving, and wondering if any course of future conduct, however discreet and carefully perfected and watched over, could win back his uncle's favor and persuade him to reconstruct once more that generous will which had just gone to ruin before his eyes He finally concluded could to himself that he had accomplished this sort of triumph once already, what done once again set bend every energy task, and score that triumph once more, cost what it might convenience, limit as it might his frivolous and liberty-loving life

" ," to himself, "I'll square up proceeds raid, and then gambling has got stopped--and stopped short off It's the worst vice I've got--from my standpoint, anyway, because it's the one most easily find out, impatience creditors He thought it expensive two hundred dollars once Expensive--_that ! Why, it cost me the whole fortune--but, , he never thought ; some people can't think of any but their own side of case If he had known how deep in now, the will gone to pot without waiting for duel to help Three hundred dollars ! It's pile ! But he'll never hear of it, I'm thankful The minute I've cleared it off, I'm safe; and I'll never touch card again Anyway, I won't while he lives, I make oath I'm entering on my last reform-- it--yes, and I'll win; but , if I ever slip again I'm gone "

CHAPTER 13

Tom Stares at Ruin

When I reflect number of disagreeable people who to better world, moved to lead different life

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

October peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks in The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

Thus mournfully communing with himself, Tom moped along the lane past Pudd'nhead Wilson's house, and still on and on between fences enclosing vacant country on each hand till he neared the haunted house, then moping back again, with many sighs and heavy with trouble He sorely wanted cheerful company Rowena ! His heart gave bound thought, but the next thought quieted it--the detested twins there

inhabited side of Wilson's house, and now as he approached it, he noticed sitting room was lighted do; others made him feel unwelcome sometimes, but Wilson never failed in courtesy toward him, and kindly courtesy does save one's feelings, even if professing to stand for welcome Wilson heard footsteps at his threshold, then the clearing of throat

"It's that fickle-tempered, dissipated young goose--poor devil, he find friends pretty scarce today, likely, disgrace of carrying personal assault case into law-court "

dejected knock "Come in ! "

Tom entered, and dropped into chair, without saying anything Wilson said kindly:

"Why, my boy, you look desolate Don't take it so hard Try and forget kicked "

"Oh, dear," said Tom, wretchedly, "it's not that, Pudd'nhead-- it's not that . It's thousand times worse than that--oh, yes, million times worse "

"Why, Tom, what ? Has Rowena--"

"Flung me ? No_, but the old man has "

Wilson said to himself, "Aha ! " and thought mysterious girl bedroom "The Driscolls making discoveries ! " Then aloud, gravely:

"Tom, some kinds of dissipation which--"

"Oh, shucks, this hasn't got anything with dissipation me to challenge that derned Italian savage, and I wouldn't "

"Yes, ," said Wilson in meditative matter-of-course way, "but the thing that puzzled me was, why he didn't look last night, , and why he let you carry such matter into court of law at all, either duel or after it It's no place not like him I couldn't understand it How did it happen ? "

"It happened because he didn't know anything asleep when I got home last night "

"And you didn't wake him ? Tom, possible ? "

Tom was not getting much comfort here He fidgeted moment, then said:

"I didn't choose him--that's all going a-fishing before dawn, with Pembroke Howard, and if I got the twins common calaboose--and sure --I never dreamed slipping out on paltry fine for such an outrageous offense-- well, once calaboose disgraced, and uncle wouldn't want any duels sort of characters, and wouldn't allow any

"Tom, ashamed of you ! I don't see how treat your good old uncle so better friend than ; for if I had known the circumstances kept that case out of court until I got word to him and let him have the gentleman's chance "

" ? " exclaimed Tom, with lively surprise "And it your first case ! And perfectly well there never any case if he had got that chance, don't you ? And you'd have finished your days pauper nobody, instead of being an actually launched and recognized lawyer today And really that, would you ? "

"Certainly "

Tom looked at him moment or two, then shook his head sorrowfully and said:

"I believe you--upon my word I don't know why , but Pudd'nhead Wilson, you're the biggest fool I ever saw "

" "

"Don't mention it "

"Well, he requiring you to fight the Italian, and refused You degenerate remnant of an honorable line ! I'm thoroughly ashamed of you, Tom ! "

"Oh, that's nothing ! I don't care for anything, now will's torn up again "

"Tom, tell me squarely--didn't he find any fault for anything but those two things--carrying the case into court and refusing to fight ? "

He watched the young fellow's face narrowly, but entirely reposeful, and so also voice that answered:

"No, he didn't find fault with me If he had had any , begun yesterday, for just humor He drove that jack-pair around town and showed them the sights, and when home he couldn't find his father's old silver watch that don't keep time and he thinks of, and couldn't remember what with it three or four when it last, and when I suggested probably wasn't lost but stolen, it put him in regular passion, and fool-- which convinced me, without any trouble, that that was just what afraid had happened, himself, but want it, because lost things stand better chance of being found again than stolen ones "

"Whe-ew ! " whistled Wilson "Score another one the list "

"Another what ? "

"Another theft ! "

"Theft ? "

"Yes, theft That watch isn't lost, it's stolen There's been another raid town--and just the same old mysterious sort of thing that has happened once before, remember "

"You don't mean it ! "

"It's as sure born ! missed anything yourself ? "

"No , miss silver pencil case that Aunt Mary Pratt last birthday--"

"You'll find it stolen--that's what you'll find "

"No, I sha'n't; for when I suggested theft watch and got such rap, I went and examined my room, pencil case was missing, but only mislaid, and it again "

" you missed nothing else ? "

"Well, nothing of consequence I missed small plain gold ring worth dollars, but turn up I'll look again "

"In my opinion you'll not find it There's been raid, I tell you Come in ! "

Mr Justice Robinson entered, followed by Buckstone town constable, Jim Blake They sat down, and after some wandering and aimless weather-conversation Wilson said:

" , We've just added another list of thefts, maybe two Judge Driscoll's old silver watch is gone, and Tom here has missed gold ring "

"Well, bad business," said the justice, "and gets worse the further it goes The Hankses, the Dobsons, the Pilligrews, the Ortons, the Grangers, the Hales, the Fullers, the Holcombs, everybody that lives around about Patsy Cooper's robbed of little things like trinkets and teaspoons and suchlike small valuables easily carried off It's perfectly plain thief took advantage reception at Patsy Cooper's when all the neighbors were in her house and all their niggers hanging around her fence for look show, to raid the vacant houses undisturbed Patsy is miserable ; miserable on account neighbors, and particularly miserable on account of her foreigners, ; so miserable on their account that she hasn't any room to worry about her own little losses "

"It's the same old raider," said Wilson "I suppose there isn't any doubt "

"Constable Blake doesn't think so "

"No, you're wrong there," said Blake "The other times man; plenty of signs , as , profession, thought we never got hands on him; but it's woman "

Wilson thought mysterious girl straight off She was always mind now But she failed him again Blake continued:

"She's stoop-shouldered old woman with covered basket on her arm, in black veil, dressed in mourning her going aboard the ferryboat yesterday Lives in Illinois, I reckon; but I don't care where she lives, I'm going her-- make herself sure "

"What makes she's the thief ? "