The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-20 00:00:00

[AIL RIGHTS RESERTED.)
AMBITION'S LADDER.
By the Author of " Atherstone Grange," je A Life for
a Love," 4-c.

CHAPTER XV.—(Continued.)

Alick's confidence was not thrown:away, for after
all the girl had been moved more by an instinctive
repugnance to the act of treachery,than abhorrence of
the traitor. Him she had loved, and must love still,
whatever he might do; and as she stood before him,
panting and irresolute, Alick saw his advantage and
pressed it, urging her, in low, persuasive tones, to
let matters take their course.
"After all he said, "I am not quite so much to
blame as you think, perhaps. I could not have
saved the gang by holding my tongue. I was col-
lared myself, and only released on condition that I
should give what help I could to the police, so as to
save bloodshed. What could I do? I was in their
power, and Pounceby told me that under any cir-
eumst,:ances they were going to attempt a capture.
Had I refused, I should have had to fare the same
as the rest, and what then would have become of
you? You would have been left without a friend,
Carrie, and I could not bear the thought. Would
you not hare done as much for my sake, darling?
lam sure you would. If not, if you care nothing
for me, go. It won't take long to bring the others
upon me. I have no way of escape; do as you
will."
But though he stood aside, and left the path clear
for her, Carrie did not stir.
"What shall Ido ?" she sobbed. "What shall I
do?"
And dropping on her knees with a distrustful sob,
• shs covered her face with her hands and rocked to
and fro, as though in bodily pain.
Alick looked quietly on for a while, thinking it
better to leave her to herself than to attempt any
furth.r argument.
Presently the girl looked up.
"I must warn my father,' she said resolutely.
"Don't be afraid, I'll not say a word about you ;
• but if he knows they are coming so soon there may
• yet be time for him to escape.'
"Impossible," cried Alick. "There would not be
the smallest chance; every way out is guarded, and
the police are in the cellars already.",
"But I'll tell you what I can do, Carrie," he con-
tinued, staying her with an imploring gesture, as
she made a movement towards the trap again.
" Pouneeby owes me a good turn, and as his main
object is to break up the shop, I daresay I can per-
suade him to let the old man slip off."
This he said knowing perfectly well that the in-
spector would sooner connive at the escape of the
whole gang than suffer their chief to go free, but it
sufficed to make Carrie waver once more, and pause
irresolutely.
"If I was sure," she said.
" You can't save him, at all events," Alick went
on; "and even if you could, where would be the
use? He's bound to be caught sooner or later, and
though he is your father, Carrie, is that a reason
why he should bind you down to a life of misery and
crime, when a better, happier existence may r
yours - love, happiness, ay, and it maybe, fortune F."
"Fortune I'
"Yes. Do you fancy that it has been pure, nn-
elfish kindness which made me undertake the charge
of that youngster that lies there ?" an i he nodded
his head towards the sleeping boy. "No, Carrie;
but that I know enough concerning him to make it
worth my while—a secret that, when the time comes
for me to reveal it, will make him a rich man, and
be sure I shan't part with the knowledge before
making a good bargain for it."
"You don't mean any harm to him, Alick?"
" Harm ! On the contrary, I mean to make his
fortune as well as my own. I shall have to wait,
though, and in the meantime we shall have to de-
pend upon our own exertions —or mine, rather, for
don't want you to work —and then---'
He stopped abruptly, a loud cry from below,
followed by yells of rage and execration, telling
that the moment he had been expecting was at
hand.
How would it end—in the capture of the coiners
or their temporary defeat of the force sent against
them?• ln the latter case Alick knew he was
-doomed; while, even should the former happen, a,
cold shiver crept over him as he recalled Joe Brad-
ley's sinister threat respecting the powder.
Carrie crept closer to him, her cheeks pale with
-terror, her limbs trembling so she could hardly
stand.
"Quick suddenly exclaimed Alick. "In hero.'
And seizing her in his arms, he carried rather than
led her into the inner room, the door of which he
hastily closed and bolted.
Only just in time, for the next moment Joe Brad-
ley darted up the steps, and rushing at the door,
threw himself against it with such force as to make
the timber creak again, and the rusty fastenings
almost yield to thethock.
Not quite, however, and the sound of hurrying
footsteps below warned the old man that he must
desist if he would carry out the scheme of vengeance
he had proposed as a last resource.
"Stop !' hoarsely shouted Alick, who, through a
wide chink in the door could see the other's move-
ments, and guessed only too well whither he was
going, with the lantern ho held. ,‘Don't be a mad-
man, Joe. I'll square it for you."
"Square it for yourself, if you can," yelled Joe,
turning and shaking his fist in impotent fury to-
wards the quarter from which Alick spoke. "I told
you what rd do, and I'm going to do it,'so pray if
you have a mind that way, for your time is very
short."

" Father ! father !" screamed the frightened girl,
beating frantically at the door, which she would
have thing open but that Alick, prevented her.
"Would you kill me, your child `i"
' His only reply was a savage oath, as he once more
disappeared down the steps to carry out his dia-
bolical purpose.
, Too late, however.
' As he reached the lower storey he was encountered
by a couple of policemen, who seized him, and after
a brief but sharp struggle, succeeded in slipping
handcuffs over his wrists, and the remainder of the
-coiners being already secured, all opposition was at
an end.

CHAPTER XVI.
BEGINNING A NEW LIFE.
True patriots all, for it be understood,
We left our country for our country's good,
DURING the turmoil and confusion that ensued the
two who had made voluntary prisoners of them-
selves stood, hand in hand, waiting the result in
sickening breathless anxiety, dreading every
moment lest the desperate leader of the gang of
coiners, taken red-handed and rendered doubly
reckless by his knowledge of the fate that awaited
him, should elude his captors for a sufficient time
to enable him to fulfil his awful threat. - -
_ _ _

The oomparative silence that followed, however,
and the sound of Inspector Pounceby's cheerful
voice as he gave directions for the disposal of the
prisoners, told Alick that the danger was past, and
drawing a deep breath of relief, he left the girl's
•side and cautiously crept towards the door, which
he slightly opened and peered out.
There was very little light, the one lantern
with its couple of inches of tallow candle hardly
sufficing to illuminate the gloom of the large, dingy
barn-like structure, and Alick could barely discern
the group of prisoners and their guardians with-
out.

Dark as it was, however, one of the captives, his
eyes sharpened by hate and rage, observed the
movement at the further end of the room, and
bursting through the cordon of police officers rushed
towards Alick, his manacled hands uplifted with
deadly purpose.
It was Joe Bradley, and, hampered as he was, it
might have gone hard with the young man had not
his would-be assailant been resecured before he could
reach him.

"Curse you 1" shouted the ruffian, as they dragged
him back. "You shall pay dearly for this night's
work if it is twenty years before I return to claim
my due. I shall live to be revenged on you, and I
will, you treacherous cur ! "
"Father :" pleaded Carrie, who had followed the
youth out, and now approached Joe Bradley with
trembling steps. "Don't say such things. It was
not his fault; lam sure of that. Alick would

"You, too ." exclaimed Joe, turning towards her
with so fierce a look that she involuntarily shrunk
back and crept behind her lover for protection.
"It's lucky for the pair of you that I ain't got the
use of my hands. Oh! if I only had, just for five
minutes—l wouldn't ask no more. Be off, out of my
eight, I tell you! You're no daughter of mine.
Go to your fine, honest sweetheart, and see how long
-he'll be true to you."
"There, quite enough of that," expostulated
Inspector Pounceby, interposing between Joe and
the objects of his impotent wrath. "It's no manner
of use your splitting your lungs with shouting.
Hard words don't break any bones, you know, and
you may as well take things quiet when you can't
help yourself."
r And to put a stop to any similar demonstration
of feeling on the part of the enraged prisoner, Mr.
Pounceby gave directions for his removal, and Joe
Bradley and his companions were speedily con-
veyed from the scene of their frustrated labours,
under strong escort, lest a rescue should be at-
-tempted by the lawless mob who inhabited the
vicinity.
The precaution, however, turnel out to be
unnecessary, everything having been conducted
with such perfect secresy that it was not till the
following day that the police raid upton Jnotoea
little
premises became known—a
aided by the fact that the
,attacking one had made
its way thither by water, electing a retreat by the
same means and so avoiding a collision wi h such
sworn foes to law an
d order as inhabited the foul
dens of Bankside.
Only one man had any suspicion of what was
likely to take place—the landlord of the "Jolly
Bargeman." But Timothy Mince, albeit with no
more abstract regard for the law than had his Cus-
tomers, was a prudent man, and too cautious to
allow himself to be associated openly in any con-
flict with the authorities, and so preserved a dis:TEet
silence.