The advocate., 1895-08-14

me see. When you got back, the lawyers were
atakin' all of old Ike Stilwels property, and were
fxin' to put him in jail where he had kept your
father for debt. I guess you knew it was that won
derful son of his in London pilin' up debts and
forgin names, and such like that broke the old man
up The son is in prison in England now for more
years than he'll ever live 1t was before you came
away, wasn't it that the old man ran off between
two daysP Well, he's never been heard of since.
His folks have never come to Worcester, though
they were expected last fall, you know, and nobody
has heard of them, either. l don't know but they
may be in Europe yet, with nothin to get back on.
"NO, Cottle. Reuben would look after them"
"Oh, yes. forgot. News came back just short
time ago that Reuben StilweL died in Naples of
some kind of fever, away back last summer before
any of this trouble. ItsWas lucky he died when he
did, too for all he had in the world went with old
Ike Stiwels property, and he would have had moth
ing at ALL"
"Grest God This is still worse. At this very
moment, Gertrude may be in wretched poverty in
some European city. And 1 poWerlesS to help herl
Oh, COttle, what heish worldI What can do?
l must do something. 1t will make me mad to sit
here in impotence while she may be wretched-
starving! 1 mast do somethingP
"Syd, you're too impulsiVe That's no way to
feel and do if you want to really help folks. You've
got to keep your wits about you, and not expect
everything to be fixed up right off just because you
want it fixed. Miss StlWell can't be any worse off
now than she was nigh unto year past. This thing
all happened last summer. I'm sure of this much;
I'd swear to it. When old Ike StilWell ran off he
took some money with him. He is not the kind to
leave anything he could take. And you can wager
he is with his folks. They are wherever he is. You
can be sure of that. They too useful to him for
him to let them desert him, Yes, and there's a
story out that Gertrude could jail him if she knew
of some doin's whereby he swore false to get some
money that was left by some queer old woman to
his daughter if ne should ever have one 1t seems
he swore when Miss StilWell was child that she
was his daughter, when, they say, she wasn't"
"Gertrude not StilwelPs daughterP"
"Thst's what they're ssyin They say her mother
was widow, or thought to be-"
'.Thank HeavenP' exclaimed Sydney. "Then she
| is not that old Wretchs daughter. You bring me
that much good news"
| Dr. Wimmareigh had entered the open door and
heard these remarks about Gertrude, but he endeaV
ored to seem not to have heard them and performed
his purpose, which was to propose walk about the
city for Jobs benefit.
The three men were soon on the street, which al
ready thronged with members of Congress- visitors
come to see to-morrows pageant, and placehunterS
come to seek employments of more or less dignity
under the new government.
The Doctor took Jobs arm, and seemed anxious
to talk with him; the sidewalk Broadway was too
narrow and the throng was too great to permit the
three to walk together, so Sydney went ahead by
himself. After going several blocks, they COM
petely lost sight of him, greatly to Jobs disturb
ance, for he feared Sydney might do all sorts of
terrible things and the two had returned from their
walk to DIR. Wimmsrlegh's Office fully an hour be-
fore their missing companion rejoined them there.
His look and manner betrayed intense excitement.
Job expected to see a score of officers or furious
mob enter Immediately for he had no doubt Sydney
had sssassinsted Washington or done some other
dreadful thing. But Sydney exclaimed:
Z a nl,n