Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-21
NUMBER 252.

4
preference for her silent companion, but
still took no hint to depart so, adapting
my pbraseolOgy to her standard, Isaid:
Look here. yOu know enough to see that
two is company three none: Iwon't keep
your friend very long, but must have q
little talk to her alone; do YOU mind
waiting here tor five minutes? won't be
more." 3D.. u.rau yaas a.aAcA
With a toss of the head and an angry
glance, of which took no notice. and areY
quest that she might not he kept waiting
all night, she assented. ] took the little
girls hand, and, drawing it through MY
arm, walked quickly down the passage,
saying:
II wished to speak to you alone, because
| want to know whether you are living
with your companion, and how long you
intend to remain with her; for strikes me
very much you are here without the
knowledge of your friends, and | doubt
whether you are in good hands. You say
your friend there was schoolfellow. Do
you know how she has been employing
| herself since she left schooi?"
This little speech brought us to the lamp
at the street-end of the passage; here the
girl came to a stand still, muttering some
feeble reply to my inquiries, unwilling TO
90 further away. But she had gone quite
far enough for my purpose. The light fell
directly on her face, as she cast wistful
glances back to the spot on which we had
left her impatient companion. | kept my
eye on the cab-doOr from which we were
only couple of yards distant. In an in
slant hand was out on the handle and at
once the three sisters stood together.
1t would be difficult to describe the scene.
The angry, almost violent, reproaches OF
the elder. sister scared away what remain
ing sense the unexpected meeting had left
the poor little foolish child; she gasped
few words of explanation and entreaties
for forgiveness, to which added my voice;
and saw that the second sister was. like
me, inclined to show mercy to the little
culprit, reduced to such a state of abject
terror. L thought my task nearly ended;
so saying,
"Now you have no time to lose; take
away your sister at once, and let me know
where may communicate with you. Here
is mycard."
The elder sister at once gave me her
name and temporary address. / made
note Of it, hustled all three of them into
cab, half helpless as they were from the
violence of their conflicting feelings, Slip
ped five shillings into the drivers hand,
whispering the address just given into his
ear and with feeling of infinite relief I
saw them drive off at a rapid pace.
The remainder of my business was soon
settled. | returned to the church, told
pink ribbons her friend had met other
friends, with whom she had gone home, left
her to draw what conclusions she pleased,
| and desired that | might have possession
of the luggage left in her lodgings. or
course, AS | expected, met with flat re-
fusal and much angry surprise; but as in
| sisted with voice Cf authority, and assured
her that if she persisted in her refusal TO
lpliypr tho mr. hf har fra,i n
policeman should be called, | was at last
taken to some dim rooms clO.e by, where
q small box was Indicated as the only pos
session to which her friend could lay claim.
| put this into II cab, and drove straight to
my chambers in wnirl of bewildering
| emotions, created by the success aud COM
| pleteness with which all my good inten-
| tions were so miracnlOusly and suddenly
crowned. ... ...
Little remains to be told. returned the
box neHt d " to its rightful owner, when,
of course, | saw my three friends again;
the elder ones profuSe in their thanks to me
| for having restored their sister, unharmed,
| to their protection, and full of wonder at
| the strange coincidence that had enabled
me TO do sn at once. .t,.
IL was explained to me, as might have
been anticipated, that the young girl had
| played truant provoked at having been
| left ut no ne whilst her elder sister came TO
| town sightseeing. She had by the agency
of her dangerous friend, cOntriyed matters
rather cunuinglg, despite her extreme sim
| plicity. She had written to her sister the
day she left home, pretending all was go-
ing on smoothly, aud had started OFF for tho
| purpose of having some fun with her old
schoolfellOw, of whose proceedings since
| they had parted she was, of course, wholly
inno'elr, but who was perfectly aware that
the girl had control over a sum of money,
no doubt amply sufficient to form a C, m non
purse, of which she meant to appr, p late
the lions share.
Here then, was an instance of a series of
| coincidencesa as remarkable perhaps as could
be imagined by the widest compiler OF ro-
nance. The chances that had taken me to
Greenwich led me to meet, out of the sew
eral millions ofpeOple who inhabit this vast
metropolis, the only two persons, at the
very moment they were needed, who could
help me to the object was bent on attain
lug. l'