The times., 1897-06-13
PART III.


had hardly been spoken aloud 10y Young
Macintosh when he was surprised Dy
d knocking upon the board partition i'll
yiding The Attic room from the one ad9o'n-
ing it, After pause, during Which he
listened, the knocking was renewed
Colin remembering that his neiShhor
was an infirm and melancholy looking
old Fellow, whom he sometimes met, wear-
iIy climbing the stairs with loaf OF bread
and brown paper bag OF conestibles
hugged To his breast, fancied himself ca1e'l
upon for help. He had but just renio"cd
his coat and putting it ON hastily, he rau
out into the entry, and tapped at the door
Of the next room.
feeble voice called to him to oocie
in Tie interior resembled Collins own,
in lack of comfort A gas-1et was burn
ing, which revealed, lying dressed upon
the bed close Go the partition wall, the
mamie hadoften seen gentle faced, Though
hollow eyed. and evidently racked by soIne
chronic mai ady.
Il heg your pardon, SIR said Colin 5
neighbor, 'but l must have been dream-
ing | aWokc suddenly. believing l heari
some one distinctly say, Give her "a
Stradivariust' And so 1 Knocked on the
wall, the way l used TO call my nephew
when he lived with me-
Il did say thuse words" ans wered Colin,
blushing Il was thinking aloud.
~ beg pardon again, sir said the man,
sitting up on the bed with an eager express
sion. Il had fallen asleep thinking Of
stradivarius was dreaming oft In fact,
] rarely think of anything else, in these
hat
in my present poverty would have been d
little fortune, and to have had it stolen
from me-good God! / can't speak of
him. It's too base for words. Mr.. Mack
intosti. I'm ashamed Of myself. You see,
/ know your name Mine is Rupert Thorn
dyke"
mo doubt, like mostof us working-fOiss
you read about the doings of the fine people
who constitute high society in this town.
Well, among them, you have often seen that
name The other Rupert Thorndyke Is as
Young and pushing and successful as ain
old and timid and collapsed. He is away
up among the uptops, Mr. Macintosh
Dimes and wines with the millonaireS, ANA
gives parties at hisow rooms l eat bread
and ham outofa paper bag on yonder table.
and am thankful whenI canafford bo~tle
of beer or Rhine wine to wash II down.
But he's OF my own blood. Ny brothers
son, an,. III y onl yltving relative-named for
me, to my sorrow. When his IA ther
was in business with me in musical in
struments at - Broadway, | was the
senior partner, and we pTospered for many
years Then my brother got into specuia-
tions, and / had 10 make good the money
he lost Rupert, who was a clever dog
had been sent Icy me to the university.
We'll my brother died OF broken heart
ard Rupertcame tolive withme for while.
Got ne 10 send him to Europe once or twice,
which could i'll afford todo. Hewas such
a handsome fellow, had such a winning
waywithhim one could refuse him nothing.
Then some OF his former classmates at col
Iege voted him into Fashionable club.
paid the entrance fee and dues, keeping my
honeIy self out of sight of his grand COM
panions Mr.. Macintosh, you will won
der at my want of self-control- But You re
a gentleman, aud have got heart, tCo;
i can see it I've often wanted to make
your acquaintance.
'-Go on, if il relieves you, Mr.. Thorn
dyke said the young man, dropping upon
6 chair beside the bed.
''Then you will honor me by drinking
q glass Of claTet," said the other, arising
with some difficulty from his recumbent
position II am rather stiff with rhe;i-
matte pains, as you see. / lay down
here before dinner to rest a while, and
must have slept till now. Pray share my
good luck. Ny employer-for ; IN serving
where / once Iuled, Mr.. Macintosh gave
me a bottle of Pontet Canet in honor of
his birthday"
Il have Just supped, thank you,r said
Colin, I'm willing 10 hurt him by refusal
"But III have a glass Of wine with you,
with pleasure.
The old man, shuffling about, produced
glasses and bottle, together with q
Bologna sausage and some biscuits. AS
he sat munching and slipping opposite Colin
at table MS dull eyes frightened with the
feast.
GOOD stuff, this he went on. ''Ill
warrant the great Mt. Rupert Thorn
dyke has no more relish for his sup
per with the rich and exclusive Mrs.
BeaumoIis, after the theater, tonight. My
employer gives me his morning paper when
he has done with It, Mr.. Mackin tosh, and
i bring it home, an under this gas jet. raa1
j
what's going on in society. Look at this
old ledger Lave cut out and pasted in 1t
all that is said about my namesake--where
he goes and what he does. Rupert is a
musical virtuoso-hand in glove with all
the artists, who sing and play at his room
for nothing. The fine ladies attend, too,
and admire the beautiful upholstery and
decorations that l paid for when / was
flush. Rupert has a collection Of musical
instruments, small but unriyaled,' so
the papers say. Mr.. Macintosh, Ia give
year Of m Y life to look over that collection,
and make sure of my-my-lost Stra-
divarius.''
''Do you mean TO say" began Colin,
Indignantly.
when / failed in business, had saved
that violin to be sold only in case OF dire
emergency. Rupert, better than another,
knew of its value. He always coveted it,
but though / had squeezed myself dry to
supply him, would not give this up For a
long time, l should tell you, kept on terms
with my nephew. Inever obtruded myself,
but 1 saw him from time to he-taking d
fools pride in the grand gentleman 1 had
created"
His head dropped forward. He seemed
lost in reverie. Colin, who had begun this
adventure with indifference, felt his in
terest awaken and grow with the mans
story.
"A pride am afraid your nephew did not
appreciate, Mr.. Thorndyke," said The young
man. finally, 20 arouse him.
"Eh! OH Of course not exclaimed the
instrument-maEer, coming out of his
trance. II was thinking of what a hand
some fellow Rupert is. His eyes are SO
blue, his smile so open, his manner so
winning: no one under Gods heaven would