The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-01-23

The bed was occupied by little |
girl of about six years of age, who, il |
needed no second glance TO perceive |
was very near to death indeed. She
was wide awake, staring in mute ter
ror from the detective to her father
and back again. Nor did the white
face of the coiner's wife, who stood
trembling by the bedside, express
much less alarm than the child's.
Lets clear out before you frighten
my young 'un to DEATH" said the
coiner, in a quieter voice. ''Never
mind, JESS" he went on, turning to
the child and speaking in such ten
der and soothing tone that Bond
stared with astonishment, "Perhaps,
soon, shall come back, and then
you'll be better, and we will"
Vaughn's voice faltered, and he
paused.
'Ah, take him away, sir, but don't
hurry him over what he very we'll
knows must be the last goodby he'll
ever say to his child What hope
there may have been you'll take with
you but to take it at this moment"
The wretched mother, unable to ar
ticulato another word, sank into
chair, hid her face in her hands, and
gave way to a sudden outburst of
grief.
els the gentleman going to take
you away, then, daddy?" the child
said freely. "Oh, don't go,i do SO
want you tonight" Then looking at
the detective with great, earnest eyes,
little Jess continued, half indignant
ly, half pathetically: Glow would
your little girl like you to be taken
away if she was i'll, and wanted you to
stop with her dreadfully bad?"
An involuntary smile gathered for
one brief instant on the stern couLte-
nance of Bond.
cts true, worse luck" whispered
the coiner, stepping near his captor.
"Poor little beggar, she's mighty bad,
and the doctor says the next few hours
means life or death. More'n anything
she's got to be kept particular quiet,
so let's clear out and leave 'em; and,
please God, I'll see her again yet.
Yes, my prince of traps, you can see
what makes me such a miserable cow
ard, eh?"
As if ashamed of the tremor in his
speech, the coiner turned, and, tax
ing down his hat, crushed it upon his
head and approached the door with
rigid countenance and twitching lips.
Apparently, he dared not trust him
self to take even farewell look at his
child. But, as Arnold Bond moved
toward the door also, his glance fell
for an instant upon the thin, white
face of little Jess, who had already
fallen back exhausted.
She was gazing steadily at her
father, who, however, kept his face
carefully averted. The pitifuI. plead
ing expression in the sick childs eyes
struck the detectives to the heart, for
it was look which expressed more
eloquently than any words the bitter
disappointment she felt at seeing one
she evidently dearly loved about to be
taken from her this night of all
nights.
The detective paused abruptly, hes
itated a moment, and then the reso-
lutte expression on his features soft
ened suddenly, and he said, in half
jocular tone, to hide the emotion he
could not entirely conceal:
''Stay, Vaughan; can't do it after
all / can't take such. cruel advan-
tege of even you at a time like this
Ihavs all and good night"
'Bo.Sd, Bond" cried the king of
the coiners, springing forward as he
recovered from his momentary stupe-
faction, 'Heaven prosper you for this
Bad as l ann hope I'll be able to give
you your rewaSd for this, if it's years
to come"
A moment laterNthe detective had
gone. He had sacriSced an opportu-
nifty of adding enormously to his rep.
utation.
1t was year later beforetbe author
itiessucceededin discovering the ssfac-
tory" where Vaughan and his confed-
crates turned out the cleyerly made
counterfeit coins which had so lone
been passed with impunity in
quarters of the metropolis
But after infinite
found out all he W
one night he sur
the counterfeit
Bond got W
i