The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-11-06 00:00:00

CHAPTER XLV.

ON FIRE.
His lit is on—the merry, blinliing elf
Bath rushed into a hungry, crimson fiend:
Now he will seize a house, crush in the roof,
And leap and dance above his prey.
--ALEXANDRA SM. Th,
,
WHATEvre was the causl of the illness of honest
John Jarvis, it did not yield either to the nursing of
his wife nor the ministrations of the kindly doctor.
The poor old man was helpless and bed-ridden, but
quite clear in his mind; though Mrs. Jarvis thought
that sometimes they had both been a little wandering
on the score of Beryl Atherstone, and that the little
miniature they possessed of her must have faded into
its present want of resemblance to the beautiful
heiress.
Somehow or other that picture seemed suddenly to
have interested a great many people, and procured for
them a good deal of notice. The very day that Beryl
left Edinburgh, the policeman who had helped the old
man home began a series of visits and questions, all
tending to one point—the possession of the picture.
Be was intensely curious about their early and re-
newed acquaintance with the heiress, and tried hard
to borrow the likeness—nay, he even offered to buy
it, so great was his desire to possess it.
"1 can't think what you want with it," the worthy
lady said, after refusing his offer. " You didn't know
her when she was little, did you ?"
"No, but I should like weel to hae the picture for
a' that, he replied; and she could get no further
information out •of him. Whatever his motive
migho be, his Scotch caution made him keep it to
himself.
"I do believe the man would steal it if he got the
Chance," Mrs. Jarvis said to her husband, after she
had got rid of him. "I never saw such a worry as
he is."
"Then don't give him the chance," he replied. Let
me keep it here under my pillow. No one will try to
take it from there. Sick folk may be very helpless,
but no one bothers them for anything. Say you
haven't got it, if anyone asks you for it any more."
Another visitor appeared in Davidson's-close the
second day after Beryl's departure—no less a person
than Mrs. Dalton, who came ostensibly, at Miss Ather-
stone's bidding to enquire after her old friend's
health.
"lam staying at Portobello for a little while," she
said. "I really don't feel quite equal to any more
travelling just at present, and I have remained to
rest. Miss Atherstone was very anxious I should call
Sod enquire for Mr. Jarvis."
"Miss Atherstone is very hind."
Somehow or other, Mrs. Jarvis did not like her
Visitor, and could not be cordial to her, try as she
"She is, indeed, a dear, good young lady," said
Mrs. Dalton, warmly. "She never forgets her old
friends."
"So she says. She promised she wouldn't when
she was a little child, and she has kEpt to the letter of
her promise," said John Jarvis from the bed.
"Ay, and to the spirit, too, as they all find in time.
By the way, Mrs. Jarvis, her aunt wants you to do us
all a favour."
"Indeed, ma'am!"
"Yes."

" What is it ?"
"Only to lend us the little portrait you nave of
Miss Atherstone as a child. It is the only one we
can hear of, for it seems that either her poor mother
did not keep one, or that, if she did, it got lost or
mislaid in her moving about so much as she did years
ago."
"And what may the lady want with the likeness ?"
Mired Mrs. Jarvis.
"They are going to have a picture painted from it
ass companion to a recent portrait of Miss Ather-
stone, which is very much admired."
" Ah, I don't think any picture painted from this
little one of mine would match the grand new one,"
said the old man, significantly. "I'd rather not
have it handled, if its all the same to you, ma'am."
"Oh, it's all the same to me, of court.," replied Mrs.
Dalton, shortly. " Miss Atherstone and her aunt will
be much disappointed.'
"I am sorry for it. I don't want to be rude or un-
grateful to the memory of the dear lady 141.. e. gave
My wife the picture, but I have my reasons for
refusing."
"As you will, of course. Miss Atherstone bade
me say, in her aunt's name and her own, that you
should have the picture again, and a portrait of her
now as well; and that any compensation —"
"Don't speak of money, please," said Mrs Jarvis.
"We don't want bribing. Miss Atherstone tried to
get the picture herself, and we would have given it to
her freely if we had meant to part with it. We doh't,
and we have only the same answer for you as we had
that day for her."
"I will tell Miss Atherstone the result of my ap-
plication," Mrs. Dalton said, rising. "I am sorry
you are so obstinate in the matter; but it is nothing
to me, of course."
"I'm not sure of that,' said John Jarvis, when the
door closed upon her. " It's a great deal to her, or
rm very much mistaken. Who is she, and what has
she to do with it? I read her face like a book while
she was talking, and if strangling either of us would
have got her what she wanted, she would have done
it."
"Law, John, don't talk like than"
"She would, old woman; and we shall see her
ngain, mark my words."
Two days passed by—three--four— and there was
no more news of Mrs. Dalton. But applications for
if the loan of Beryl A'heritone's picture had not ceased,
for the fourth morning brought a new one, in the
shape of a letter from Mr. Masters.
The letter astonished Mrs. Jarvis not a little. It
was addressed to her, and was very polite and
friendly.

Thostte Rnyal, Cilugow.

"Dear Madam,—l daresay yen will remember me
Re connected with the Birmingham Theatre, many
years ago, when you were living there. Mr. and Mrs.
Atherstone and their little daughter were lodging
In your house. I have just acciientally learned that
you have in your possession a pertrait of Miss Athcr-
stone taken at that time. I have a very pleasant re-
collection of the pretty l'ttle child actress, and I
should much like a copy of the picture. Will you
trust it to a friend of mine in Edinburgh to have it
copied? I hear you prize it very highly; but
the name of Henry Gibson, Esq., of the National
Hotel, will be sufficient guar intee for its safety and
return. If you will do me this favour, take the
picture to him with this letter, and he will tell you how
long it will have to be kept, and who will ropy it. It
will be a service to me that I cannot easily repay; and,
in the meantime, if you wi 1 aec,ept the enclosed trifle
in some acknowledgement thereof, I shall be glad.
Mr. Gibson will give you any information, and any
further guarantee of good faith that, you may requ're.
" Your's truly,
"B. MASTERS.

"Mrs. Jarvis, 12, Davidson's-close,
" Canong,,ate, Edinburgh."
The enclosure was a .£lO no`e.
gone picture'a a gold mine i" said Mrs. Jarvis,
staring at the money. "What do you think of it, old
man ?"

"There's

"Hush ! said, putting up his finger.
someone at the door."
She had scarcely hidden the letter and the enclosure
under the bed clothes when Mrs. Dalton entered.
"I have ventured to call again," she said, "for I
have heard from Miss Atherstone, and, as I imagined,
she is much disappointed. She says she will.do any-
thing you can rame for you, if you will lend her that
photograph—only lend, mind—sufficiently long to have
it copied. A very few days will suffice for kvliat she
wants."
"Less than that would do, I suspect," said John,
Jarvis, grimly.
"I dare say it would," Mrs. Dalton replied, cheerily;
she did not understand the tone of la's remark.
"Listen to what the dear girl says: Tell dear Mr. and
Mrs. Jarvis that Twill give them £lOO if they will
oblige me in this. It has been se careless of me not
to keep any of those old photographs, and I know of
no other to borrow.' There, what do you think of that,
Mr. Jarvis? Is she not munificent? Though, to be
sure, £lOO to her is not more than a hundred pence to
most people."
"You may put up the letter, ma'am," said John
Jarvis, quietly. "If that bit of a picture, that cost the
Nor lady that's dead and gone, maybe, four or five
shillings, is worth £lOO to Miss Beryl Atherstone, it's
worth more to me, and I'll keep it, with your good
leave, Mrs. Dalton!'
"Oh, as you will. I think you are strangely blind
to your own interests, and not over polite."
"I don't wish to be rude, ma'am, but you may tell
Miss Atherstone from me, that if she had said £lOOO
instead of £lOO it would not bribe me to lend her
that picture for a single hour. I have other uses for
"Oh, if you are so obstinate, of course I have
nothing more to say," said Mrs Dalton, rising to go;
but I think the time will come when you will be sorry
for refusing such a splendi I offcr "
"Maybe, ma'am; but. I do refuse it all the same, and
I wish you a good-day."
"A hundred pounds is a geed hit of money, John,"
said Mrs. Jarvis, r, gretfully, when the door had
closed behind their visitor ; "and she had the notes
in her hand; I saw them."
"It would have been the price of sin, and would
have done us no good," said the old man.
"And what about the £10?
"That's a very different matter. Mr Masters was
always good to that child and her motht.r, and I don't
think he means any harm. If he says it shall be given
back to us safely, and Gibson, of the National, promises
so, too, we may be sure it will be done. Anyway, you
had better go and see him, and take the picture with
you, for I don't feel as though it would be safe here
with me, alone."
"That women has made you nervona, John."
"I think she has. I don't like her."
Mrs. Jarvis saw her as she went over the North

Bridge, with the picture in her pocket, but Mrs. Dalton
did not speak to her. That lady seemed to be wander-
ing about Edinburgh in an aimless sort of way. She
had gone to the hotel where she had stayed with Beryl
for the day, and should possibly stay the night," she
Said,
She was sending some messages backwards and
forwards to London about some important business,
and found the Edinburgh office more convenient
than Portobello for the purpose; and so it happened
that, just as it was growing dark, she was standing at
the window of the hotel, looking out towards the old
town. She had just rung for a cup of tea, after having
had couple of hours rest, during which time she had
begged not to be disturbed. She felt languid and
fatigued she said—she suppes,d with the heat, for the
day was very warm.
Suddenly a glare appeared over the old houses
away to the left, above the tall chimney-pots, which
presently deepened into a broad, red glow.
"There's a fire somewhere," she said to the waiter
who brought up her tea. " See where it is, will
you P'
"Yes, ma'am."
It was some time before he got the desired infor-
mation, and meanwhile the fire grew and spread till
the whole sky was alight, and a great hubbub and
scurryinc, across in the street.
"Well?"' she said, sharply, when he presented him-
self again.
"Fire in Davidson's-close, ma'am, in the Canongate.
Perhaps you don't know where that is. Ws a narrow
place."
"No, I don't know it. Any lives lost 1"
"I think not, ma'am. The fire broke out at the
top, they say, in a bed-ridden man's room; but he'd all
right—they brought him down, bed and all, without
a singe."
"Thank you, that will do. No, I shall not sleep
here. Order a cab, and I will go back to Portobello.
I should be thinking of that fire all night."
She didn't look out any more, and went off when
she had finished her tea, to the great delight of the
waiter, who declared that "he epuld not please that
grumpy old party anyhow."
Mrs. Jarvis had her interview with Mr. Gibson,
who received her very kindly, and at once guaranteed
the return of the miniature if she would entrust it to
him. It should not go out of the house, he told her,
and she might come and see it every day, if she
liked. He was quite sure Mr. Masters had no had
motive in wanting the loan of it, lie sairi, and Mrs.
Jarvis should be no loser by lending it to him.
She told him the strange delusion they were all
under about Beryl Atherstone, and Mr. Gibson under.
stood everything in a moment. He gave her a bottle
of wine for her husband, and sent her home a happy
woman till she saw the sad glare in the sky, and stopped
aghast.
" Where's the fire ?" she gasped, seizing the arm of
the first passer-by, a rollicking young student, in her
excitement.
"Davidson's-close—jolly old rookery, aint it ?" was
the careless reply. "Hullo, old lady, hold up. What
is it to you ?"
She had dropped her basket, all unconscious that
the weight on her arm had gone, and was leaning, faint
and breathless, on his shoulder.
"What is it to me ?" she repeated, with white lips.
"Only this—my husband lies helpless and bed-ridden
in a house there; that is all."
"Good heavens !" exclaimed the young man. "I'm
awfully sorry. Let me help you. Come along—we'll
be there in no time."
He took up the basket and pulled her along with
his young arm at a rate that took them over the
North Bridge and down the Canongate, as he said, in
no time, till they arrived opposite the scene of the
disaster.
"Now, don't you move from there," he said, de-
positing her on a door-step; " because if you do you'll
get trampled to death, and I shan't know w}. ere tc
find you. Here, policeman, stop a minute—here'a
poor old woman been away from home. She belonged
to one of those burnt houses. Tell us quickly, is anyone
killed?" _

-
"No, no lives lost," replied the man.
"Anyone hurt ?"
"Not that I know of ?"
"Oh, thank heaven! I can bear anything it that's
true," said Mrs. Jarvis, startirg up. "Oh, my good
man, can you tell me where he is? What have they
done with him?"
"What Mm? Ther've been plenty of hims and hers
too brought out, but where they have gone to is more
than I can tell."
"He was helpless—bed-ridden. Oh, where have
they taken him ?"
"Oh, that old man? He's all right, my woman.
I saw them carry him away somewhere."
"We'll find him, never fear," said the young m2n
who had escorted her, and she rose strong and hope-
ful now, and folkwed him as he forced his way
through the crowd, calling out for news of John
Jarvis as he went. He was easily found, and her
young guide left her, going back, as he said, "to see
the rest of the fun."
The husband and wife met as those who came bark

from the verge of the grave. The invalid had been
terribly frightened and shaken, but a little of Mr.
Gibson 's good wine soon brought the colour back to
his face and the light to his eye. They had lost their
little home, all the gatherings of army year—the
relics of their young days, and the mementoes of the
children who had come and gone with the passing
time; but they were left to one another, and net
quite penniless, for the £lO note was in the good
woman's pocket, and they had good friends.
"When did the fire begin, John ?" asked Mrs. Jarvis,
when their first greetings were over, and they were a
Little calmer. "flow did it happen?"
"I don't know how," he replied, quietly looking
her full in the face. "But Ido know where."
"Where, then ?"
"In our own house, in the little outside room."