The herald., 1895-04-28
A Loaned La.Chkev

"Fifteep years ago stood in the prison
ers' DOCK convicted felon."
1t is impossible to adequately describe
the effect produced by this startling con-
fession. A sudden and deathlike silence
fell upon the company. Each and all
stared at the speaker in undisguised as
constituent and expectancy.
Robert Clyde was one of the most prom
inent townsmen in the extensive and i'm
portant borough Of Daggerfield. Yet he
had not been 10 years in the town. He
had come among them a complete stran-
ger but by dint of unflagging industry,
allied with sturdy, inflexible principle,
he had pushed his way upward into a po-
sition of wealth and influence.
well, gentlemen, continued Clyde as
| soon as the company had recovered from
the shock, this is my story:
II had just entered my teens when my
| father died-my mother had been dead for
some years-leaving behind him a trife
| over 9200, little enough for friendless
| lad to have to face the world with. I had
neither trade nor profession, but after a
| good deal of trouble succeeded in obtain
| ing situation as porter to a large and
| fashionable draper. placed my fathers
| legacy in the bank, thoroughly deter
mined never to touch it until absolutely
compelled. 1 was robust, steady, hopeful
and by sheer hard work, coupled with the
strictest economy, managed to live In
some degree of comfort and responsibility.
! After awhile, however, grew restless and
unhappy. felt within me an irresistible
| impulse to rise to something higher and
better than the daily drudgery to which
| Il tod
about this time an emigration agent
came to Danesleigh, my birthplace, gen.
tlemen, and in glowing colors painted the
splendid prospects which awaited the en-
terprising emigrant.'
"'Just the thing for me, said to my
self at the close of the lecture. Here I lam,
young energetic, industrious, pegging
away without the faintest hope of better
ing myself. There's no mortal tie to bind
me to the old country, and it's morally
I certain that there won't be the keen, saw
age selfish struggle for existence out in
the far, unpopulated west that there is in
England. At any rate I'll make bold
bid for fortune -sc...-ssss "
'This resolution quickly carried into
effect, and drawing all the money 1 pos
sessed out of the bank got together a
small outfit and burning with high
hopes sailed for the land of the stars and
stripes. ~ @
Concerning my life there will say
nothing. My expectations were not real
lied, and, bitterly disappointed, l return
ed, after few years absence, all but pen
niless to England.
How 1 managed to exist during the
first few months after my return do not
know.
''At length, after many weary tramps
and much privation, I obtained post at
boot depot in Redgarth, a small town in
the extreme south. My work was neither
very light nor very remunerative but
was glad enough Of it.
by strange and-for me-unfortu-
nate coincidence the very next week after
my arrival the first of series of startling
and impudent burglaries took place. A
shop was broken into and ransacked.
Then, in rapid succession, no fewer than
four other burglaries were effected. The
gentry and tradespeople of Redgarth and
its immediate neighborhood became great
ly excited and alarmed. The police redou-
bled their vigilance, new locks and bolts
were fitted on to the doors, but every pre-
caution seemed futile.
''Well, gentlemen, it was my fate-and
| cruel one, too-to become entangled in
| those burglaries. Talk about a narrow
| squeak! No one was ever nearer to ire
trievable ruin than was at that time
| 1T was my practice after business hours
| to take quiet stroll down the Maldon
| road. One eventful night, in accordance
with this habit, was walking leisurely
! along, when a young fellow suddenly
| darted out from the doorway of large,
| substantially built house.
"'You don't happen to have such a
| thing as latchkey about you, do your he
asked abruptly.
II stared at the speaker in amazement.
| The request was an unusual one, to say
| the least
g 4 know it's funny question to ask
he continued noticing my hesitation and
attributing it to the right cause but the
fact is I've locked myself out Of my own
house. l was writing a letter in the H.
brary when somebody pulled the bell. l
am alone in the house and had to answer
the ring myself, but there was no one at
the door, and stepped out to see if there
was any one about In my hurry forgot
all about the latch and pulled the door be-
hind me, thus unwittingy locking myself
out in the street.
But are there no windows unfas-
tened?' 1 asked.
"'No fear of that, he replied laughing.
These wretched burglaries have settled
all that sort of thing. My only hope 10 to
borrow key, ON the off chance that it
may fit the lock-
II had a bunch of keys in my pocket
not that they were of much use to me- but
from the time Of my fathers death had
kept them in my possession-and among
them was the latchkey which opened the
front door of the house where 1 was lodg-
ing. t"a
~ am afraid it won't he of much
use,' l said, singing out the key and
handing the bunch to the unfortunate
man You are at liberty to try 1t, but
'Ah! this will do very well. See, he
exclaimed, and sure enough tho lock
clicked, and the door opened.
Thanks, very much, he said warslly.
Here are your but before he had fin
ished the sentence the key. dropped out of
his hand and fell with "a jingle upon the
pavement. He struck match and began
to search for thom. In the dim light I