Call in again soon, and
endeavour to bring Carson; but pray be discreet--be very careful to whom
you mention the matter."
"Never fear," said Mr. Morton, as he closed the door behind him, and
sauntered lazily out of the house.
Mr. Morton speculated in stocks and town-lots in the same spirit that he
had formerly betted at the racecourse and cockpit in his dear Palmetto
State. It was a pleasant sort of excitement to him, and without excitement
of some kind, he would have found it impossible to exist. To have
frequented gaming hells and race courses in the North would have greatly
impaired his social position; and as he set a high value upon that he was
compelled to forego his favourite pursuits, and associate himself with a
set of men who conducted a system of gambling operations upon 'Change, of a
less questionable but equally exciting character.
Mr. Stevens sat musing at his desk for some time after the departure of his
visitor; then, taking up one of the letters that had so strongly excited
him, he read and re-read it; then crushing it in his hand, arose, stamped
his feet, and exclaimed, "I'll have it! if I--" here he stopped short, and,
looking round, caught a view of his face in the glass; he sank back into
the chair behind him, horrified at the lividness of his countenance.
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