Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-04-08

titAFILK NNNII.-JiM BILLINGS J.
WANTED
1 Miss >pencelaugh took up her quar-.
icr> al the house Of friend in llarlc,
Street. and was waited upon. III,
morning AFTER her arrival in town. l.,
I Mr. Penning.
\ quiet. shrcwd. middle-agcd gen
llcnan was Mr. Penuing the embodi
mcnt of prosaic commonsense ; if ther,
were spark Of imagination anywher,
I ahou; him. hs concealed it SO CAREFUL,
Y from the world that its presence wa.
never suspected.
'Ohlige me by reading this paper
carefully through. sand Frederick as
She gave John E.nglish's Statement in
to the lawyers hands.
Quietly ohscr, ant Of him ~ he sat
opposite to her, Frcderica saw his
white eyebrows 20 mp several times in
the course of the reading. but he said
no worl till he had mastered the last
line then fohiing up the documcn,
carefully. and allowing his double eve
-AsA'N ~ iltlf iA'EiA - oil
Als nose. he turned face Of mild in
quiry on frclcrica. and said a sin
gtilar document nv dear Miss Spence
laugh--a very singular document.
Have sou any corroborative evidence
10 offer as Ia the truth of its state
mcni,.
Fre,lerica gave him au epitome Of
her Visit tp t,rellier's alm,houscs. and
then called Jane Garrod into the room
Mr. Pcnning listened attentiyelv 10
chief points This, lpresumc. com
plctes the case as far a it goes at pres
cnt said the lawyer when Jane had
lcfl the room.
Yes. Frcderica said, tina, was all the
evidence she had 10 oiier.
In the present state Of this affair, >
resumed the lawyer, rs he saw Fred
erica's eyes fixed inquiringly on him,
You must please excuse me from Of
fcring any opinion as 10 the value or
worthlcs-ness of what / have just
heard and read. have seen so many
strange cases in my time which seemed
at the first glance TO be built up of such
strong evidence that il was almost i'm
possible TO doubt their validity. and
which vet. when they came to be looked
into, were found TO be utterly worth
less. that | have learned at last to
doubt everything that is at all out Of the
common course. There is certainly
an air OF romance and inprobability
about Mr. English's Statement; but
for all that. IL may contain an under
living vein OF truth. sufficient 10 nece>s-
itate further investigation. As you
tell me that YOU are dcterIned 10 60 on
with the case. will at once put it
with certain reservations) into the
hands Of one Of my people. The whole
affair is certainly complicated by the
unexplained absence of Mr. English.
We're he here. our first duty would be
To ask him to prove his identity with
that of the child taken to America by
the man Kreefe and his wife. in support
Of which fact we have nothing at pres
ent beyond his bare word. As, how
ever, he is not here. the first point for
Us to take j. 10 track out tlie Jim
Billings, who is said to be the only per-
son able To throw any light on the
parentage Of the child taken to White
Grange by Mrs Winch. Mind you, l
think the chances Of our finding him.
even If he be still alive, are very faint
indeed But we will try: and mean
while, my dear Young lady, you must
wait patiently till l bring you some
news as to the success or non-success
Of my efforts. One last word At part
ing-don't be over-sangulne.
The mention of Lady Spencelaughs
name was studiously avoided both by
the lawyer and Frederica.
So Jane Garod went back home, and
Miss Spencelaugh svaited in Harley
Street for the news th.t seemed Sc
long in coming. Three weeks passed
away before she saw anything furthel
Of Mr. Penning, but at the end of thai
time he called upon her,
Il always said Merton was sharI
fellow he began. after the usual greet
ings. 'and this case proves the truth o
nv opinion. He has actually hunte,
down this man Billings. and is watch
ing for him at the present moment, a
a terrier watches for rat, ready u
pounce on him the moment he make
his appearance. Excuse the vulgarit..
of the simile, my dear Miss Spence
laugh. and listen to my explanation
Merton ascertained, in the first in
stance. at which town. Billings was con
victed. the nature Of his sentence, an
the date of his departure for Australia
There you would naturally think tina
all trace Of the fellow would cease, a
least ON this side the water. But nc
80. Merton by some means bes
known to himself, and with the assist
| suce Of bis good friends the polic'