The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-09-02

the old woman, and she patted him on
the head.
He was plumper lad than when he
picked the crusts from the gutter, and
he wore clean, whole garments, though
they were very coarse.
"How wrong the neiehbors wese,"
she said. "That boy is the comfort Of
my life"
She went to bed with the treasure
under her pillow and slept. Far on in
the night she awakened. The room
was utterly dark, and there was not
ray of light-but she heard a step Oh
the floor.
"Who is that 2" she cried.
There was no answer, but she felt
that some one was leaning over her bed.
Then hand clasped her throat and held
her down, and dragged out the bag Of
money, and she was released.
Half suffocated, she for a moment
found herself motionless and bewildered,
conscious only of draught of air from
the open door, and some confused noises
outside
Then she sprang to the door and hur-
ried into the shop.
"Dick Dick p she cried; "Dick! Dick!
help! wake up, I'm robbed p
But there was no answer ; the door
into tie street was wide open, and by
the moonlight that poured through it
she saw as she peered under the counter
that Dicks bed was empty. The boy
was gone.
Gone gone Oh! that was worse to
Granny Briggs than even the loss of the
money for she had trusted him and he
had deceived her. She had loved him,
and he had abused her love. The neigh
bors were right she was fool to trust
a strange street boy, and had been
served rightly when he robbed her.
When the dawn had broken, the wise
neishbors came into granny's shop to
find her crying and rocking to and fro
and they told her they had told her so,
and she only shook her head. Life had
lost it's interest for her. Her "occupa-
ton was gone, but not with her savings.
Money was but money, after all /; he
had come to lie the or y thing she loved,
and Dick had robbed her.
1t was ten o'clock. Granny sat
moaning by the kitchen hearth. Good
natured Mrs. Jones from the stairs was
"seeihg to things" and trying to cheer
her, when suddenly there came rap on
the door and policeman looked in.
"Mrs. Briggs = he said.
"Here she is" SAID Mrs. Jones.
"Yes, I'm that wretched creature"
said Mrs. Briggs"
'Sone one wants to see You AZ head
quarters, said the officer. There's Il
boy there, and some money"
"Dick y cried Mrs. Briggs. sob, |
can't bear to look at him..
But Mrs Jones had already tied on
her bonnet and wrapped her in shawl,
and taken her oil her arm.
"Tbe wretch r she said. "Tm so
glad he's caught, you'll get your money
back"
And she led Mrs Briggs along-poor
Mrs. Briggs, who cried all the way, and
cared nothing for the money. And soon
they were at their destination Then,
not before, the policeman turned to the
two women.
ats pretty bad" he said. They'll
take him to the hospital in couple of
hours. ! suppose you are prepared for
that. He's nearly beaten to death, you
know"
odd you beat Lin, you cruel wresch''
said Mrs. Briggs. Il wouldn't have
had it done for half the money. Let
him go with it if it's any comfort to him
81 beat him !" said the man. "Well,
now, women have the stupidest heads.
Why, if l hadn't got up when l did, hid
have been dead. He held the bag of
money tight, and the thief was pummel
ing him with a loaded stick and the
pluck he had for little shaver Il tell
you l never saw the like"
"You shan't take granny's money
from her, he says, and fought like lit
tie tiger. If it's your money, old lady.
he's given his life for it, for all ! know"
Oh, Dick Dick ! l knew you were
good / must have been crazy to doubt
you > and then wrung her hands and
cried sob, Dick, for just paltrY bit
of money"
And so she knelt beside the still, pale
face upon the pillow, and kissed it, and
called it tender names.
And Dick, never guessing her suspi