Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-01-28


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.
"Let's clear out before you frighten
my young 'un to DEATH" said the
coiner, in 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, L 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 childl What hope
there may have been you'll take with
you but to take it at this moment"
The wretched mother, unable to ar
ticulate another word, sank into o
chair, hid her face in her hands, and
gave way to q sudden outburst of
grief.
'Is 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 counte.
nance of Bond.
"lt's 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 miserable cow
ard, eh?"
As if ashamed of the tremor in his
speech, the coiner turned, und, tax
ing down his hat, crushed it upon his
head and approached the door with q
rigid countenance and twitching lips.
Apparently, be 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 pitiful. plead
ing expression in the sick child's 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 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 1 can't do it after
all. l can't take such cruel advan-
tage of even you at time like this |!
That's all and good night"
''Bond, Bond" cried the king of
the coiners, springing forward as he
recovered from his momentary stupe-
faction, "Heaven prosper you for this
Bad as 1 am, I hope I'll be able to give
you your reward for this, if it's years
to come"
A moment later the detective had
gone. He had sacrificed an opportu-
nifty of adding enormously to his rep
utation.
1t was q year later before the author
itiessucceeded in discovering the "fac-
tory" where Vaughan and his confed-
crates turned out the cleverly made
counterfeit coins which had SO long
been passed with impunity in most
quarters of the metropolis.
But after infinite trouble Bond
found out all he wanted to know, and
one night he surrounded with his men
the counterfeiter's den.
Bond got within few feet of the
door, and was already thinking how
neatly he had managed everything,
when suddenly, and without the slight
est warning, the whole floor seemed
to cave in beneath his feet; and as he
threw out his arms with a startled
cry, the trap he had unconsciously
sprung turned completely over and
threw him into u large well-lighted
cellar below. Before he could rise
some seven or eight men had seized
him, and amidst a storm of oaths and
threats, bound him hand and foot,
despite his strenuous struggles.
"You fools!" cried Bond exasper-
ated beyond measure. 'Let me tell
you the game is upl My men sur
round the place, and this little joke
will only make matters a great deal
worse for you. You'd better"
"Joke, repeated one of the coin
ers, with fierce laugh. ''Well, well
see. What say you, boys? What say.
our oath?"
NDenth To tho tran who boyIe ~,