Passaic City record., 1891-09-19

soon aIteT SlA.
Iknew by his look that he was en-
ployed on some important mission. His
brows were drawn down into single
straight line, and his lips were firmly
pressed together.
He stood for some time on the hearth
rug, evidently in deep thought. He had
not removed his top coat.
ssAre you off again9" remarked.
He looked up suddenly. "Going to
drive to Holloway" he said. "Will you
Gomez"
knew by this that he would tell me
more of his errand. rose at once. lie
looked at his watch.
ssThe cab will be round here in few
minutes" ne said quickly. "Tll tell you
what it is, Ton, if 1 miss this, l shall
give up this work altogether. have not
been very lucky lately, old man, though
| have not worried you about my al
fairs"
s'They never worry me" began, 81
only wish you"
ssI know, I know" he interrupted
kindly; "you think your back is broad
enough to carry my cares as well as
yours, but you shall never have mine to
bother you, Tom, while you have got any
of your own. This is the thing you
have heard of"-and then he went on to
tell me the details of the case that Miles
had referred to.
81 came across the track this after
noon," he said, 'sand now it's only
question of time"
He drew deep breath of relief, and
threw his shoulders back. ~ did make
a mess of that last thing, and that makes
me more keen about this. You see, there's
another man" q knew he meant Smol-
lett "who would give good bit to get
hold of this job before me, but there's
not much fear of my losing it now."
He smiled as he spoke, and looked
more hopeful than he had done for
long time.
We said nothing more and drove off.
1t was wet, cold night. and I was
glad when the cab stopped, and we left
it at the corner of shabby looking
side street.
s.Third door on the right" said
George, partly to himself, "past the coal
yard, over the butchers. You wait here
for two minutes, Tom; if am not back
then, you follow me. Back room on the
top of the staircase. l may want you.
Don't stand in the wet, Here's door
way, to shelter in."
At the end of two minutes I was
climbing quietly up the narrow dark
staircase. No sound of voices any
where.
"Bird's flown. Bad luck to him." I
thought. lawfully hard on George,
poor fellow"
l was at the top when suddenly there
came the sound $50 seldom heard) of
mans voice broken by sobs, striving to
speak quickly and coherently.
'sAh! found it's no 60, confessing his
sins," smiled'to myself, and pushed
the door ajar.
All! how could l have known Georges
voice, always so quiet, so selt-coutrolled?
How could I recognize George himself,
kneeling on the floor, by the side of
poor, miserable bed, holding in his arms
the figure of man. A head was resting
on his shoulder; his hands were smooth
ing back the dark hair from thin, white
face on which his own tears were fast
falling.
"Come, my boy, no time to lose. You
know me9 Bob dear, quick, say you
know me-your father, Bob, it's only
your father; you must get out of this, no
one knows but me, Bob, no one will
know, no one will follow you-quick,
quick" And with a sob in his throat,
he turned round and saw me.
tie had forgotten my existence, but
now seemed to think that knew every
thing.
No explanation that this was his lost
son, whom he had tracked to earth, and
whose discovery was to bring him so
much credit. No thought of the object
for which he had come. The detective
was not there; in his place stood
broken-hearted father, with but one
thought in his mind, how best to get his
unhappy son out of the reach of the law
which had so nearly caught him.
s'Come," he cried, in hoarse whisper
to me, 'help him to stand, he is weak;
we must arrange for him."
I had looked round the place. The
squalid poverty of the uncleaned room,
the well-worn pack of cards lying on
the chair by the bed, the empty bottle
on the other side, and the stale smell of
spirits and tobacco in the room all told
the same tale, and bore silent but unmis-
taxable witness to the complete mastery
of evil habits.
But of all this George seemed to see
nothing.
The sharp searching scrutiny of the
detective had given place to the loving
look of father, to whom all forgiveness
was possible.
With hasty hands he had taken off
his hat, great coat and scarf, and was
now hurriedly putting them on the
figure, who offered no help, and who
seemed too dazed and bewildered to
speak.
"Here is money, my boy" he whis-
,,ora1 in q husku uoicp. sfit ia oil hava