The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-02-06
LOVE OR MONEY;
A PERILOUS SECRET.
ny CHARLES READE,
;. Author of "Put Yourself in His Place."
etc., etc., etc.

Al the next place, the Dullding suOOu
in genuine cottage garden. 1t was
close to the road. The southern bound
ray was plain oak paling, made of up
right pieces which Hope had vanished
SO that the color was now fine amber;
the rest of the boundary was quickest
hedge, in the western division of which
stood an enormous Oak-tree, hollow at
the back. And the garden was fair with
humble flowers-pinks, sweet-williams,
crimson nasturtiums, double daisies,
lilies, and tulips; but fiower-beds shared
the garden with friendly cabbages, po-
tatOes, onions, carrots, and asparagus.
To this humble but pleasant abode
Hope conducted his daughter, and in
sisted upon her lying down on the sofa
in the sitting-roOm. Then he ordered
the woman who kept the house for him
to prepare the spare bedroom, which
looked into the garden. and to cut some
of the understanding flowers. He him
self had much to say to his daughter,
and, above all, to demand her explana-
ton of the awkward circumstances that
had been just revealed. But she had
received a great shock, and, like most
manly men, he had q great considera-
ton for the weakness of women, and
his paternal heart said, "Let her have
an hour or two of absolute repOse be-
fore | subject her to any trial what
ever" So he opened the window to
give her air, enjOining her most strictly
not to move, and even to go to sleep il
she could; and then he put on his shoot
ing coat, with large inside pockets, to
go and buy her little wine-a thing he
never touched himself-and what other
humble delcacies the village afforded.
He walked briskly away from his door
without the least idea that all his move
ments were watched from hiding
place upon his own premises, no other
than the great oak-tree, hollow and
open at the back, in which Leonard
MOnckton had bored two peep-holes,
and was now enscOnced there watching
him.
Hope had not gone many yards from
his own door when he was confronted
by one of those ruffians who, by their
way of putting it, are the eternal butt
of iniquitOus people and iniquitous
things, namely, honest men, curse them!
other than that Ben Burnley, who, be-
ing miner, had stuck halfway be-
tween Devonshire and Durham, and
had been some months in Bartley's
mine. He opened on Hope in loud
voice, and dialect which we despair of
conveying with absolute accuracy.
'Mr. Hope, sir, they won't let me 60
down T. mine."
mo; you're discharged"
~Who by?"
''By me-"
<What fory"
For smoking in the mine, in spite of
three warnings"
"Me smoking in t mine! Who telt
you yon lie?"
you We're seen TO pick the lock of
your Davy-lamp, and that put the mine
in danger. Then you were seen to light
your pipe at the bare light, and that put
it in worse peril"
THAT'S a lie. What mak's yer be-
iieve my skins nowt to me? It's all
one as it is to them liars that would rob
NE of my bread out of clean Spite"
Its the truth, and proved by four
honest witnesses. There are hundred
and fifty men and twenty ponies in that
mine, and their lives must not be sacri-
iced by one two-legged brute that won't
near reason. You are discharged and
paid; so be good enough to quit the
premises and find work elsewhere; and
Lord help your employer, whoever he
is!'
Hope would waste no more time over
this fellow. He turned his back, and
went off briskly on his more important
errand.
Burnley shook his fist at him, and dis
charged vOlley of horrible curses after
him. Whilst he was thus raging after
the man that had done his duty he heard
Il satirical chuckle. He turned. his head,
and, behold! there was the sneering face
of his fellow jail-bird Monckton. Burn
ley started. u
Eyes, mate" said Monckton, "it is
me. And what sort of pal are you,
that couldn't send me word to Port
land that you had dropped on to this
rascal Hope? You knew / was after
him. You might have saved me the
trouble, you selfish brute"
Burnley submitted at once to the as
tendency of MoncktOn; he hung his
head, and muttered 81 am no schOlard
to write to folk"
"You grudged joey to bloke to
write for you. Now L suppose you eX-
pect me to be a good pal to you again,
all the samew
"Why not?" said Burnley. "He is
poison to you as well as to me. He gave
you twelve years penal; you told me SO
at Portland; let's be revenged on him"
"What else do you think I am here
for, you fool? But empty revenge, that's
child's play. The question is, can you
do what you are toldg"
SAY, if / see chance of revenge.
Why, always did what you told me-"
very well, then; there's nothing ripe
yeti
"Yer don't mean L am to wait year
for my revenge"
you will have to wait an Opportuni-
ty. Revenge is like other luxuries,
there's time for ii. DO you think [
am such fool as to go in for blindfold
revenge, and get Jagged or stretched?
Not for Joseph, nor for you, either,
Benjamin. III tell you what, though,
think this will be u busy day. That
old fox BARLEY has found out his blum
der before now, and he'll try something
ON; then the Cliffords, they won't go to
sleep on it,"
II don'tknow atyer talking about"
says Burnley.
Remain in your ignorance, Ben. The
best instrument is blind instrument;
you shall have your revenge soon or
late"
"Let it be soon then"
ain the meantime" said MOnckton,
shave you got any money!"
Got my wages
"That will do for you to-day. Go TO
~ ,x,,I~I;o hA,,o.. a,,I ,,of holf