The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-02-22
on 1t the name Of my lawyers for your
reference, IL you wish"

waited for further information.
II will come to the point at once
Mr.. Baldwin. I believe you had
clerk named Samuel Pringle.n
II have still.n
is he useful clerk-one whom
you csuld trust?'
Really, Miss"--Mr. Baldwin looked
again at the card-.Miss Elwcod, 1
hardly see my way to giving you the
character Of my clerks.n
"Mr. Baldwin believe me, have no
idle motives in asking that question;
and If you will answer it, I will tell
you beforehand why asked it,
There is no reason, after all, ]" said
Mr.. Baldwin, ''why I should not
answer at once. Pringle has been in
my employ for about fourteen years.
| once thought he would turn ont
a smart, active clerk, but he has dis
appointed me. He is not sharp, and
he suffers from fits of ne rvous abstrac-
ton which will prevent his advance
ment in the world. But he may be
trusted.n
'Do you know his family?n
1--WE never take clerk into this
house without knowing his family"
"Then you can tell me If he had a
brother"
II dare say I could have told you
years ago, but have forgotten now"
Helen played her trump card.
Would you allow me to ask him
in your presence single question? 1t
is not impertinence or curiosity, Mr..
Baldwin; indeed, indeed it is not. III
you only knew how much depends up
on that question:
Mr.. Baldwin touched hand-beli.
"Mr. Pringle,n = he said.
A moment later Mr.. Pringle appear
ed. He was a tall man with STOPPING
shoulders, and = quick, nervous way
of looking about him. Also, as he
spoke, his fingers played with what
ever was near them. His eyes were
too close together which gave him a
cunning appearance, and bis forehead
was long and receding.
''Pringle," said Mr.. Baldwin, .'this
young lady wishes to ask you ques-
tion.'
Mr. Pringle bowed. The lady's
face was strange to him.
81 wish, Mr.. Pringle," said Helen,
"to ask you when you last heard from
your brother Thomasc"
The pale face of the clerk turned
white, his fingers clutched convulsivc-
ly at the back of the chair behind
which he stood. He trembled from
head to foot, his mouth opened, but
his tongue refused to speak.
Mr. Baldwin looked at his clerk
with kind of distress; what did it
mean, this terror at so simple ques-
ton.
Helen repeated It, never taking her
eyes off his face.
At last he spoke.
Not for five years or more. Tom
went abroad"
do you know where he Is?''
"No, l do not" he replied; firmly.
This was point gained. The man
clearly did not know that his brother
was In England.
Had your brother any distinctive
mark by which he might be known"
The man hesitated.
Il can not give information which
may injure my brother" he said.
Very well,'' replied Helen "therc
are other people who may be injured
by your silence. You had better think
of yourself first"
The trembling began again; then he
plucked up courage.
Il need not think of my SELF he
said, mot in that, but Tom had
enemies. However, there was mark
on the right side of his mouth-the
scar of a wound he got from a knife;
he may be known by that mark"
"Thank you, Mr.. Pringle," she re-
Piled know all wish to know except
your address. shall perhaps call to
see you in the course of day or two"
THAT will do Pringle."
Mr.. Baldwin dismissed him, and
turned to his visitor for explanation.
think it will be best to tell you
something Mr., Baldwin" said Helen
"Do you remember st. Ethlred's
Church four months ago."
Surely"
Ruth Warneford told her lover
there in your presence, that she would
marry him when the impossible
proved possible-when George Warne-
ford's guilt was proved to be inno-
What has that to do with your
visit to me?"
Everything, Mr.. Baldwin. l am
here in England to make the impossi-
bic possible. l am here to prove q con-
victed forger II wronged and innocent
MANI
Mr.. Baldwin looked at her in silence.
1t was in a harsh, constrained voice
that he answered:
THAT Is FOOLS errand. Time was
when | would have given ten years of
my life to have proved George Warne-
ford .guiltless; but that time has gone
by
1--WE shall see, Mr.. Baldwin," said
Helen, smiling Meantime, do you
want to know where he is now?n
I'm prison, wretchsd boy, at Sgd
ney;"
"You have not heard, then-you
have not read in the papers that he
has long since obtained his release?:''
"No.n
"Shall tell you for what reason %
Helen told. In her narrative the
heroism OIL her lover lost nothing. Her
eyes sparkled, her voice trembled with
emotion, her bosom heaved.
The old man, catching little of her
enthusiasm, only sighed.
"Why do you come here" he asked,
angrily, "to raise doubts when l had
certainties? Why, if had had the
least, the smallest spark of hesitation
about the lads innocence, would
never have rested, night or day, till
had proved it"
"You would not,n replied the girl.
"Oh, am sure you would not! But
there was no room for doubt, and the
plot was too deep; the accidental cir
cumstances were too conclusive. But
think, Mr.. Baldwin, can you wonder,
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