The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-01-07

You will not conlide the less cheeriully
in me that | am an old schoolfellow OF
your fathers. if. that is. you are the gal
LIANT young Curtis, of III. NJ. =. Smasher.
of whom we have heard, and the son OF
my worthy friend, the rector of Marie !
Is it SO Then am very glad you did
me the honor of sending to me in your
emergency So now let us to business.
CHAPTER III.
There was something so frank, so kind
so rcassuring in the manner and bear
ing of his new friend, to say nothing OF
the circumstances of his having known
his own father, that Frank felt no hest
tation in laying open not only all the de
tails which we have already given, but
in confding to him certain tender Sc
cret of his own. Having brought down
the history of himself and his unworthy
schoolfellow to the very time in which
they were seated together, he proceeded
to place in his advisers hands the con
tents of the pocke,book, numbered in
due order.
The Major devoted himself earnestly
to the pcrusal of the various papers plac-
ed methodically in his hand, making
memoranda as he laid each carefully by.
Have done all this-and the contents
were Of varied as well as exciting cha--
acter-he at last held out his hand for
the pocketbook itself
There is a clue missing yet to make il
all perfectly clear and hold you wa
ger that it is to be found here, tapping
the leather case. II never knew one Of
these Thoroughbred rascals' pocket
books but had some secret pocket or
lurking place. BY your leave"
And so saying, he deliberately ripped
up the seams and sides of the case with
a handy knife, which, while speaking,
he had detached from his coat pocket,
and surely enough two thin pieces of
paper fell from the leather.
Ills as | suspected, he added, with
short, self-satistied laugh. But it is
an extraordinary thing to think Of that
all these great rogues are always great
fools in some essential and vital point
Who would have thought, now, of car
rying with him these two precious docu
ments, which with the letters, can only
prove him to he what YOU and | know
| him to bean unnatural and unmitigat
ed black guard.
SO saying, the old campaigner handed
across to his excited companion the tive
slips of paper, which the latter had nj
sooner perused than a warm flush over
spread his face, while brighter ligh
l Il, l.
Yes, yes, we see it now. my dear boy
The pretty Rose is not the sister of th
unhanged homicide, and you-
And ]. Major, can now cut his throa
with clear conscience, and without tn
least compunction whatever
Heaven bless me- YOU don't say so!
And here they both laughed in chorus
We'll, be that as it may although
am at present clear against cheating
the galows. But let that bide awhile
Meanwhile, let us take stock of our pre-
sent information and see where we stan
Matters appear thus, if | am not mistal
en-: Your quondam schoolfellow, hayin
tried all sorts of vile practices and pu
sued the double trade of cheat and bra,
was duly ,icked out of Her Majesty $
tn. Fai,n, | know old Henderson to
well TO doubt that for moment. Sin,
: which time. having descended in Il
social scale of scoundrelism, he has b
, come the boon companion of pothou,
revclcrs and blacklegs of an infcri,
grade, and now, waxing desperate, aft
: having broken the heart of his moth
and failed both on the virtue and fortm
= of his poor fathers ward-who is not h
sister, as he gave out-seeks at last ol
a of his old qualifications in pistoling Il
: man whom he always hated and cnvie
e and whom he finds, to his rage, to be Il
5 favored rival with the poor girl he soug
r to rob and to
Not another word, pray you'll il
t plore YOU.
V But am right in my summary
Quite right.
e And the mystery of his hunting "
e up in the society of these Birmingha
gentlemen, and then insisting on sat
5 faction for the indignity you put up
i him?
We'll, perhaps that may also ira
t spirc.
$ No doubt he meant foul play \
u own oplnon ls' he was disappointed
J the puck OF MS pals ana never dream
OF SeihS recognized
40 aouot t'la' may De- Dut there
= something else imagine from the
tercePteu ie''er "ilicn poor Rose lad
II dressed 10 me- ','a' ne was apprehehsl
II OF tnat Gear Siri coming TO warn me-
II ha' Is possible
> lheh l nave one 1ear winch cam
lay aSlde' 1t Is true he insists on me
~ ing me to-'npirow' put Wha' Snarah
nave H. III lhe meanwhile, WIN one
J. PerhaiouS' against some 1oul play W
. hose' S .,r
NJ ohe s'i'l h'eS III the ola cottage
% MARIE =, r.
% eS' "i'h lrlena OF her poor moi
70 CT al eAcei!eht ora SoNerhesS' ana
IN unuet ,he irlei"hy guardianship OF
n Maie is th;,tv milos from, hama ,o.
nbo nnnntry Von , sLar 'o,,' ,n,i, 'V'' ,,, ''.'
~