The Van Buren press., 1900-04-14
81 want to redeem the watch | left

mere is your llcheti til sdio tHe
man.
81 have mislaid it" replied lIanlyn;
"but it's all right. You remember me,
| expect. The watch belongs to me,
and | want it now
81 am very SORRY, sir, hut you cant
have it without the ticket"
Hamlyn muttered an exclamation
of impatence
But suppose | have lost it, what
then?"
81 will give you form of declara-
tion to be made before a magistrate"
rs there no other way? said Ham
lyn, realizing the trouble and annoy
ance this would cause.
"No, sir" said the pawnbroker, 81 am
afraid there is not"
There is no time to waste. lie had to
be in court early, as his case was among
the first on the lists. 1t was no use
stopping TO argue the matter. He
must go before magistrate and sign
the declaration as soon as possible. Re-
turning to his chambers, he put on his
robes and was soon lost in contempla-
tion of the business in hand.
About an hour after his visit to the
pawnbroker's shop Alice Valentine
drove up in cab to the same door.
She had found the pawn ticket lying
on Hamlyn's table on the Saturday
n tor aud had unnrpnriatpI If
meaning to redeem the watch and send
it back to him as soon as possible She
was rather nervous at going into the
shop, but she was not the kind of
girl to allow her own feelings to stand
in the way of any project she wished
to carry through; so, putting on an
air of unusual haughtiness, she en-
tered the little compartment and hand
ed in the ticket.
81 want the watch, please" she said.
The pawnbroker's assistant looked
her up and down carefully. When he
had, as it were, sized her completely
he inquired, dryly: "Where did you
get this?'
Alice hared up Indignantly. "That
Is no business of yours. Tell me what
have to pay and give me the watch"
Not so fast" said the young man;
you must answer one OF moquestions
first"
He went away and after q whispered
confabuation returned with gray
bearded old man, who was polite, but
firm.
81 am sorry, madam, but cannot al
low you to redeem this pledge until
you inform me how this ticket came
into your possession"
81 found it," said Alice.
"Allow me to inform you, then" said
the pawnbroker, sternly, that you
are committing a very grave oifense.
by attempting to obtain the watch
you lay yourself open to criminal pro-
ceedings."
But" said Alice, 81 am friend Of
the gentleman to whom the watch
belongs"
Come, come" replied the man, shat
won't do at ALL A gentleman who
called himself Mr.. Hamlyn was here
about an hour ago endeavoring to get
the watch himself
"Mr. lIamlyn been here this morn
ing!" cried Alice, She had never sus-
pected that he would be able to redeem
his watch so soon.
"Better send for a policeman" sug-
gested the assistant,
Hold your tongue" said his master.
Then, turning to Alice Valentine, he
said: 81 do not wish to be hard upon
you, but insist on an explanation. !
will send over to the address on the
ticket, and if your story is true, Mr..
llamlyn will corroborate it. Harvey,
send the boy over to Queens Bench
walk and ask Mr.. llamlyn to come here
Immediately"
"Mr. IIamlyn coming here" cried
Alice, guardedly. "0h, | must go
at once"
81 cannot allow It," said the pawn
broker. "You must wait If you re-
fuse | have no option but to call po-
liceman."
II looks could kill the pownbroker
would have died on the spot, as Alice,
with the air Of n tragic queen, submit
ted to the indignity Of being escorted
to the back pprlor while Harvey kept
watch and ward over her.
A quarter Of an hour later Everard
llnmlyn jumped out of hanson and,
hurried into the shop. He was IN i'm
petuous person, and he had not waited
to change his robes, but had come
straight away in wig and gown from
the law courts. He was met in the
passage way ny Harvey. who had been
awaiting his arrival with keen inter
est.
"rhere's n woman in here" he said,
pointing to the parlor, "who says she's
n friend OF yours, and has found your
pawn ticket, but /"
"Out of the way" cried lIamlyn,
;hrustng the oflcious young man ON
one side and rushing into the room,
alice, by all that's wonderful" he
exclaimed, and then, seeing that her
bosom was helving conyulslvely, he put
his arm around her and inquired ten
DERBY what had happened
"rhey have been so rude and insult
ing" she sobbed,
llamlyn waited no further explnna.
tion, but, seizlng Harvey by the throat,
he shook him until the unfortunate
youth had not n breath in his body,
Then, turning on the older man, he
cried sternly; "What do you mean by
insulting this lndy?'
The pownbroker, discovering his
mistake, was all apologies, but Ham
lyn's temper was still up.
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