The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-06 00:00:00

VE

=GHTS RESERVED.
STRIVE AND THRI

CHAPTER XXW.

FALSE AND TRUE FRIENDS.
'ls Eda Walworth rose to go with the kind lady, the
tld gentleman, who had been reading a morning
P'Per, and never seeming to look towards, or t4ke
IMY notice of, the colloquists, also arose and advanted
tawards them.
" Madam," he said, " will youplease to tell me wliiere
Your boarding-house is?"
The lady started, and her face indicated the forth-
'ePning of a very angry reply, but her expression sud-
"ehlY changed, and she said, in the most bland of
"Oh, certainly, sir; it is in Street. May I
nePe for the pleasure of counting you among my
boarders ?" •
! I don't know. I thought you said it was
%ear here. That is a mile off."
" A mile is not far in the city, youknow, sir. I
ne happy to see you. Good morning! Come, my
dears
"Madam! I'm afraid—l'm—l'm afraid that
"Oh, you're afraid that I'm too far off, you would
Say. Perhaps it would be rather too long a walk.
Never mind—l will not urge you, sir. Good
Morning!,
The stately woman walked off with her new friends,
having the old gentleman gazing after her, and looking
'et a little puzzled. But when he had encased his
BPectaeles, folded his newspaper, and put them
laway, he walked slowly after the trio who seemed to
'lave so decidely awakened his interest.
They were not going very fast, and he had no
ulfficulty in keeping them in view; but as they were
tei_aring a main thoroughfare, where they would pro-
ably take a conveyance, he could not expect to do so
long.
Before long, he observed them, as he had antic'.
_Dated, enter a conveyance, which was driving 'off.
There 'was no time to lose, and the old gentleman
rUshed after it, and with muchdifficulty succeeded in
BtoPping it and getting in.
Ms s Walworth moved closer to her seeming pro-
tectress.
But the old man made no attempt to speak to lier.
;11? soon as he had recovered his vcice, he changed
seat to one directly opposite the F.-:eut woman, and
then leaning forward, said in a voice which was dis-
!Maly heard by Eda, but which did not seem intelded
10 reach the other passengers—
" Now,,. madam ! Will you leave this lady to! go
bee own way, or shall I expose you before all ttese
Peopie?,,
When Eda heard these words, and saw the resolute
look which gave them force, the dreadful truth dawned
rlength upon her mind; and recoiling with horror
:°lll her pretended benefactress, she fairly sprang to
; vacant seat on the opposite side of the conveyance,
bragging her brother after her, and looking tremblirigly
sPeechlessly back upon the
.discomfited woman
",,e had nearly entrapped her.
ihe latter, seeing that further persistence would
17 useless, violently jerked the strap overhead, and
0.
the vehicle in great wrath, no longer disguising
beer true character, but shaking her clenched fist at
f r Pursuer, whom she denounced as a meddling old
001.
t Without further noticing her, the exulting old man
In'ned to Eda and said—
? "You have had a narrow escape, young lady, and
Sorry I cannot do something more for you than to
j44,,rn you of danger. lam a poor man, as you may
ige. I have no home to offer you, nor, indeed, any
'Other assistance, which I am very much afraid that
Yeti require."
estrEanda, with much confusion, assured the benevolent
ger that he had rendered her the greatest of
e
L.rvices, for which she could not sufficiently thank
'uro.
tinsdho shook hands cordially with him as they parted,
assured him that she believed she should not
Ivl'nt; yet her heart failed her as she alighted and,
T 1 her little brother, made her way back to the
illt'eriner's only to learn that business was light, and
13 was plenty, and that Miss Burch could not
13137 give her employment.
ou,etPlexed, but not in despair, Eda at once sought
t 4 a cheap boarding-house, wheie she might have a
he e and quiet home for a few days, while awaiting
ePPortunity of earning an honest living. Miss
110.rFn's knowledge of the city enabled her to ashist
eit; M selecting such a place, which she did ungra-
gfnn•slY enough, and under protest to the prim and
oilhed Miss Sarley, that she knew nothing whatever
the applicant's character, or of her ability to pay
Or her board.
But lodgers being scarce, and Eda having a few
a° lars to advance, and a large trunk at the railroad
greiVit, which was immediately to be sent for, she was
alseieusly accepted, and was duly installed in a small,
aena-story room, which her hostess said commanded
Ca Story
view of the sky.
fin.tne first thing to be done was to send for her trunk,
u she very soon had a porter engaged for this
'IIrPOSe.
.; It is close by the dept," said Eda, unsuspectingly.
genTe have only to mention my name to a stout
e man there, with big black whiskers, and fine
te-
cli and he'll hand it right out to you. He has a
c4enleranduna of it."
ae: VerY Well; I'll go, mum," said the porter; "bat I
hod heerd of such a thing before. I thought every-
kept their own checks until the baggage was
eavered."
The
'herman went, and while he was gone Eda and
whihro. ther breakfasted, or dined, she scarcely knew
,Of
lec course, the porter's errand was fruitless, and
tet_er a long absence he returned to say that he could
411ao nothing of the check, or of the stout gentleman
had so kindly taken charge of it. The baggage
atale morning train had all been delivered, he said;
.of ne rather intimated that he had been the victim
110aX
Nlert grea't distress Miss Walworth called for -Miis
ElisieY and consulted her •, but the landlady looked
lailPiciens, and exchanged glances with the porter,
~
t(),.".said that he had heard before of people looking
hav'rlinks that they had never lost, and that he must
1e Pay for his time and trouble.
,
tia °or Eda gave the impudent fellow a ring to get
Arior hhn (Miss Sarley had all her money in pledge),
I•ra,aid she would go herself and look for her lost
If at 37, which she believed would yet come to light.
01 T
4' uld not, she was utterly destitute, not having
nge of garment of any kind for herself or her
realer.
14; It will be a long walk for you," said the prim
and, on the whole, I think it best for you not
bo come back here. You will easily find another
arditig-houSe
i ."
Oh, very well," said Eda,with difficulty restraining
tears; "but you have my money."
411 e woman handed her one •of the three 'dollars
ch Miss Walworth had given her, and said:
„I'es—l believe that will make us about square."
14nen. Eda expostulated, she replied sharply:
11hy, you have had the best room in the house,
:dinner for two. Of course we charge extra for
e meals, and besides I have reason to believe that
tho'l,!lave deceived me—that you are not what you
hohl`d be---and that, in short, the character of my
to-ee will suffer by your stopping here. If you will
.a ftt once however, and peaceably, I—l will not call
bun man.
eraanl.„,aYed, appalled, incredulous of her ears, and
Teivn u'Y -wishing that the earth would open and re-
her in its profoundest depths, Eda Walworth
Viliketaggered from the door of the heartless creature,
`tra,„l'ad wounded her woman's heart more by her
Words than all "the slings and arrows of
117,F,,eieus fortune" could otherwise have done.
1' '
' ~.ng with nervous grasp the hand of her
"ned brother, but neither hearing nor answering
her 41°1' questions which he put to her, she made
qiall'aY, after a weary walk, to the railway station,
o
littl Peful of finding her lost property. But, alas!
.etalo,e ingniry soon convinced her that she had been
AN,a-"Y defrauded. The baggage had all been taken
lvtt.,',,and the officer who superintended its delivery
ade distinctly to remember, among the claimants
: 11 fully answering to the description which
the 'Yal
worth gave of the man who had taken her
(I,lle.
' 114;18 there
no remedy?" asked Eda, most mourn-

'Not We have done
N. against the company, miss.
tsb. 1-43" ; but I will go with you to the chief of police,
ee if anything can be done."
to thleod-natured baggage-master acco.mpanied her
-"ef's office, where her story was listened to
attptntion' and politeness, and where she was.:
kli/kllotel into the"' rogue's gallery" collection of.
-
-then an incipient institution) to see f
tad. the visage of the man who had robbed
rort,llT to do so, she was informed that diligent
oert," snould be made for the recotbry of her pro-
that the' prospect of success was too slight
&I)8,„litY any sanguine hopes. So many hours lad.
`43kle-' since its loss, that the thief had undoubtedlyi
„ vtcd his escape out of the city with his booty.
1,111101,1,7 afternoon now, and Eda knew that she must
ca,clecide on her course, if she would do anything
g,t With the tide of disasters which seemed to be
her along.
I)l4ititillel'e are we going now, sister ?" said Frank,
1f,,ve137- "1 am tired, and it is so cold."
moQ, s'll'en knows, my dear boy; I certainly do
1/
%rrhile she pondered, the memory of one fair
.01'ed-t4,-derllY occurred to her—one whom she scarcely
u-ght call a friend, their acquaintance had been so
/7; ifsil„;l-1,,t1 ef whose goodness she felt as well assured
"ad seen her name emblazoned in the Book of
tia,a' seen Grace Sibbald f,rst in the hour when
blanched her beautiful cheeks, and when it
eo
L,llrage_ Privilege to administer consolation and en-
ent to the fair stranger who was so nearly
q.,e4stlnt_eirpart in all the. charms and graces of
l
ii4.:,,,Aoqta ad subsequently exchanged calls, and
tritijqrgo- L-41iee, which .had thus begun between
ktt,- e°ngenial would, doubtless, have ripenied
13c01:11. i2sk"sr, but for the removal of Mr. Walwort s
-4'41 the city
lr"klytit."ee resolved to go to Grace, to tell her
•N . '5, her
a destitution, and the causes which had
nd
aceePt from her the temporary shelter