The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-05-03
IN TWO HALVES.
Solution of the Mystery Of the
Divided Bank-Note.
THE FIRST HALF.


Wet and dreary. II is midwinter;
the scene Is Kirzlington. on the Lon
don X Northwestern; the time one
quarter to eleven; Just after the night
mail had flashed through without
stopping--bound for Liverpool and the
north. Ehc railway officials are col
lccting preparatory TO go oil duty for
the night
where's Dan?" asked one Of the
crowd upon the platform.
- saw him in the hut just after the
one-QUartcr To eleven went through.
Can't have come TO any harm, surely?'
''No; he said he'd seen something
drop from the train. and he went down
tholiuo TO pick it up.'
And Dan had picked up something.
II was basket, common white
wicker basket, with a lid fastened
down 10y a string. What did il con-
tain7 Dirty clothes? What?
\ baby-a child half dozen weeks
old, no more.
Where did you como across it?"
asked one.
Lying on the line, tust where It
fell. Perhaps it didn't fall, perhaps it
was chuc-cd out. What matter? I've
got it, and got to look after it, that's
enough for mcn'
The little mites linen was white and
OF fine material, but he lay upon an
old shawl and a few bits of dirty fan
mel. All they found was . dilapidated
purse, common snaplock bag-purse
Of faded brown leather. Inside was q
brass thimble, pawn-ticASet and the
half Of Bank Of England note for
f1OO.
\ new Harold Treffry-had
come lately TO Kirklington.
He Is now paying round of paro-
chial visits, accompanied by an old COL
Icge chum. who Is spending Christmas
with him.
''Yonder," said Treffry, pointing 70
thin thread OF smoke which rose
from some gaunt trees into the sullen
wlntry air, '.yonder Is the house-if,
indeed, It deserves so grand n name
The hovcl, rather, Of one whose case is
the hardest OF all the hard ones in my
parish This man IS q mere hedger
muster. most often for the railway. but
who is never certain OF a Job all the
year around. He has swarm OF young
children, and he has just lost his wife.
lie Is absolutely prostratcd; aghast
probably at his utter incapacity to do
his duty by his mother-less little ones.
wonder whether you could rouse
hiIn' II you could only get him to
make 4 sign, or cry, or laugh, or 70
take the smallest interest in common
affairs. Jack, believe you're the
very man. You might get at him
through the children-that marvellous
hunl5y-panAy of yours, those surpris-
ing tricks a child takes 70 you natu-
rally 1T once Try and make friends
with these. Perhaps when the father
sees them interested and amused he
may warm little, speak, perhaps ap-
prove, perhaps smile. and in the end
give in Jack, viii you try?''
Jack Newbiggin was by profession a
conveyancer, but nature had intended
him for a new Houdin, or a wizard OF
the North. He was more than half n
professional by the time he was full
grown In addition TO the quick eve
and the facile wrist he had the rarer
gifts of the suave manner and the face
81 brass He had even studied mes
merism and clairvoyance, and could
upon occasion surprise his audience
considerably by his power.
They entered the miserable dwelling
together The children - eight OF
them-wore all skirmishing over the
floor. except one, u child of six or
seven, d bright-eyed. exceedingly
beautiful boy. the least-were not nat
ure's yagaries well knowu-likely to
be born among and belong to such
surroundings, who stood between the
legs OF the man himself, who had his
back to the visitors and was crouching
low over the seanty fire ....---
The man turned his head for a mo-
nent, gave a blank stare, then an i'm
1erceptible nod. and once more he
covered down upon the fire :,--
Here, little ones; do you see this
gentleman? He's a conjuror. Know
What ConjurOr Is, TOmmy2' catching
- "a mite of four or 1--WE from the
l0or. mo, not you; nor you, Sarah;
lor you. Jakey''-and he ran through
III their names :
They had now ceased their gam
'ols and were staring hard at their
isitOrs-the moment was spropitious;
ack Nesbiggin began. He had
,rtunately filed his pockets with
uts, oranges and cakes before leaving
ne parsonage. so he had half his APP
aratus ready in hand.
The pretty boy had very soon left
he father at the fire and had come
YER to join in the fun, going back,
owever, 20 exhibit his share of the
pUu and describe vclumiDously what |