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

piration of his sentence. and cam,
back to this country about eight year
ago. Following up the clue thus oh
tanned. Merton found further, tha
Billings had not been many weeks il
England before he was again convicted
on & charge of robbery with violence,
and was again scntenccd-this time
to ten years penal servitudc That
sentence-reduced by term of two
years-he has been working out a,
Portland. and it expired fortnight
ago. But. rs ifit were destined that
he should not escape us. Billings is
still there. in the infirmarv. suffering
from severe accident. which he met
with while working in the quarrics.
Merton is waiting close at hand,
ready 10 pouncc on him the moment he
shcws his scoundrcl's face outside the
walls; and if this fellow has any secret
worth knowing. Merton is just tho
man to twist 1t out Of him. We shall
probably have further information in
a few DAYS; but don't be over san
gIine. my dear Young ladv-ion't be
over sanguinc.
Three days later. Mr. Pcnning came
again. bringing letter with him.
News at last. he said. But had
better. perhaps. read Meritons letter.
and enable You 10 Judge Of its impor-
tancc Yourself lie adjusted his eve
glass with little show Of importance,
! and then read n un1pr
Ny DEAR >IR-As my last letter
| Informed YOU, have been dawdling
/ away nv time here for more than a
week. awaiting the discharge Of Bill
ings. ! had been appriscd by a friend.
| ly official that he would leave the in
tirmary this morning. and took him
| IN tow the moment hc was outside the
| gates. hal secured snug little
| place beforehand. where our interv lew
would not be likely To be interrupted.
Billings is evidently much reduced hv
his Illness. aUi therefore perhaps
more arncnablc To my little persuasive
ways than he would otherwise have
been. which i - FAR fortunate for us.
\ more thorough scoundrel | think |
never talkcl to not that he i. hv any
means uninLllgcnt. or wanting in
>hrew,lncs>, but in that he is SO thor
oughly hrutali>cd BY the kind OF life
which his crimes have compelled him
10 lead. He was suspicious of me
from the first moment. All. said he,
such gents As YOU don't take any in
terest IN coves like me unless you have
got some end Of Your own to serve
Quite right. | said Il have got an
end Ia serve. and ii you will come
quietly with me. I'll tell YOU what il is
The moment spoke Of White Grange.
he -tart,'i gniliily. Then with n sneer
and an oath. he exclaimed That's the
business YOU have come about, is it.
But you're not going 10 get anything
out Of me about White Grange. I've
not kept the secret all these years 10
be carncyed out Of /; by white-faced
fox like sou. know n trick worth
two Of that really thought at one
time that he was going 10 prove inprac
ticable but after a good dluner. fol
lowed by an ample supply Of old rum
and strong tobacco, he became more
ainenable 10 reason and not 10 trouble
you. sir. with useless details. did
actually succeed in talking him over,
and in inducing him 10 see on which
side his bread was buticrcd and | nav
be allowed 10 say that feifcYtate my
self a little on the victory. The terms
are rather high, must confess. but
lesser figure would have been of no
avail. In return. have obtained full
information as 10 the name and parent
age of the child and Billings has con
sented 10 lie quietly by for few
weeks, in case he should be required As
a witness. Further details reserve
till ] see you but as you will probably
be anxious 10 know exactly what it is
that have been told. and as think it
hardly advisable 10 trust such infor-
nation 10 this letter, will telegraph
10 You in cipher tomorrow morning.
half An hour after post-time. as ! shall
90 on from here to Exeter 10 see Mr.
Collinson re: the disputed-will case.
Your, respectfully. FRANK MERTON,
You have got the telegram. said
Frederica eagerly when Mr. Peuning
had finished reading the letter.
Il have said the old lawyer gravely.
He saw that Frederica's eyes were fixed
anxiously on him. Writing materials
were on the table, so he took a stripe
paper, and writing few words on it.
handed it across TO Frederick. That
is copy of Meriton's telegram he
said.
Frederica's cheek grew pale AS she
read and next m9mspt tears sprang to
her eyes. TN. Nj Penning,' she ex-
exclaimed, what terrible mystery is
here? Ny poor dear uncle
There was a knock at the door, and
servant entered with salver, on
which lay strange-looking letter, ad-
dressed to Miss Spencelaugh. Fred
erica opened it. 1t was another tele-
gram. Sir Philip Spencelaugh is dy-
ing. Come at once.
Pray Heaven that be n t too late to
tell him this strange news. said Fred
erica through her tears.
Better that he should die in ignor-
ance Of it. my dear young lady said
the old lawyer gently-'far better that
he should die in ignorance oft
Five hours later. Frederick alighted
at the porch of Belair. The house
keeper, with a sorrowful face. was
waiting to receive her. Ny uncle
said Frederick, and then she stop
ped, reading but too clearly in the face
Of the other the tidings she dreaded to
hear.
Sir Philip died three hours ago.
| said tho housakooner .YOur name