Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1896-01-30

"Oh, Carmen! how can you talk so?'
said Margaret, reprovingly.
She was shocked, under the circuh-
stances, at Garments levity, but her
friend was not aware how much she
knew about the apparition that had ap-
peared in the library, and tried to carry
off matters with a high hand. But, in
=eality, Margaret knew as much as
Carmen did. Ruthven had thought it
right to see her before leaving Abbotts-
vile, and explain the cause Of her
alarm, urging her, at the same time.
to keep her own counsel. But he said
nothing of his contemplated journey
to London, at which Margaret was as
much surprised as Carmen.
Meanwhile Sir Frederic and Ruth
ven were not idle. The first place to
which they went was, of course, the
workhouse where Margaret had been
reared. Ruthven had been able to ex-
tract no information of consequence
from the officials there before; but he
returned.
BEG your pardon, sir touching his
cap, "but amt you the same gentleman
as came here some two or three years
Sack to make inquiries about a girl
called Peg Reilly?"
II am; and I've come on the same
errand again"
Then I've got news for you, sir.
We've found her father. He's been here
after her several times"
Found her father!'
The intelligence came upon the two
men like a thunder bolt, but Ruthven
felt it much the more severely of the
two.
"Impossibler he CALCULATED
ooh, no, sir, it amt; and he's most
respectable man as never came in the
parish himself nor wished his wife to
be tramp; and he's willing to take
the girl home and provide for her"
who is he? Where is he?"
'His name is Dan O'Reilly, and put
down his address for you, sir, in case
you should be calling this way again,
and require it. Is the gal living, sir,
asking your pardon?'
ooh, yes, she's alive and WE'LL
''The old gentleman only lives in a
poor way naturally, sir, being a Co.'S
termonger, and he wants his daughter
to go and look after his home for him,
and keep things bit straight, and
he'll be really glad to hear where she
is know"
"Ruthven, this can't be true" said
Sir Frederic, aside. Her hair, her
eyes, the color of her facial sc like
those of my poor wife, she must be
mine"
Hush, my dear sir! Don't agitate
yourself. do not believe her to be a
costermonger's daughter any more
than you do but we must have pa
tience. and search the matter to the
bottom Give me O'Reilly's address,"
he continued to the official, "and here
is something for your trouble"
They found O'Reilly to be a small,
wizened fellow, looking more like a
tailor than costermonger, and resid-
ing in one Of the lowest parts of Lon
don.
What may you please to want, sir?"
he said, lifting his eyes from off his
work as the gentlemen entered his
dingy abode.
Ruthven had determined to take the
bull by the horns
"Your name is Daniel O'Reilly?" he
commenced, in an authoritative man
ner, as if he knew everything about
him beforehand.
"At your service, sir"
''And some years back you had
wife called Nan, who tramped the coun-
try with lucifer matches?"
Against my will, gentlemen; against
my will She was always a wild 'un,
was poor Nan, and never kept at hum:
but there wasn't no real harm in her"
What made her pass off the child
she carried about as ner own, them"
At these words the old man seemed
paralyzed:
why it was her own, wasn't it?"
he inquired, with feeble attempt at
bravado.
1T was not her own, and you know
1t. It was a stolen child, and You had
put your foot nicely In itby aiding and
abetting her In felonious act"
aOh. no. sir; she never stole it! She
found the poor thing thrown In ditch.
and she picked 1t up for charity's sake,
and nurtured 1t to her bosom as II 1t
had been her own. The low cant have
III 10 for doing q work Of charity, SIR.
hard a. II i upon the poor
~ can prosecute you for obtaining
noaey under false pretenaea. Why did