The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-26

of impotence.
sBut suppose / have lost it, what
then2'
II will give you a form Of deelara-
ton to be made before a magistrate
rs there no other way?n said Ham.
lyn, realizing the trouble and annoy.
anee this would cause.
ssNo, sir" said the pawnbroker, Lam
afraid there is not"
There is no time to waste. He 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 a 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.
ton Of the business in hand.
About an hour after his visit to the
p~awnbroker's shop Alice Valentine
drove up in a cab to the same door.
She had found the pawn ticket lying
on Hamlyn's table on the Saturday
afternoon and had appropriated it
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 tBe kind Of a
girl to allow her own teelngs 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.
Il 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 yoI
get this?"
Alice fared up Indignantly. "ThaI
is no business of yours. Tell me VIVA
/ have to pay and give me the watch
mot so FAST" said the young mani
you must answer n or two questions
first
He went away, and after Whispered
confabulation returned with a gray.
bearded old man, who was polite, but
firm.
Il am sorry, madam, but I cannot al,
low you to redeem this pledge until
you inform me how this ticket GANG
into your possession"
Il found it," said Alice.
ALLOW me to inform you, them" said
the pawnbroker, sternly, shat you
are committing a very grave ofensc
By attempting to obtain the watch
you lay yourself open to criminal pro.
ceedings,''
But" said Alice, Il am a friend OF
the gentleman to whom the watch
belongs"
Come, come" repliedthe man, "that
won't do at all. A gentleman who
called himself Mr.. HamIyn was here
about an hour ago e~ndeavoring to get
the watch HIMSELF
"Mr. Hamlyn been here this morn.
cried Alice. She had never sus,
Pected that he would be aMots5 edeem1
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 1 insist on an explanation. ]
will send over to the address on the
ticket, and if your story is true, Mr.,
Hamlyn will corroborate it. Harvey.
send the boy over to Queens Bench
walk and ask Mr.. HamIyn to come here
immediately"
Mr.. Hamlyn coming here,' cried
Alice, unguardedly. ooh, I must 90
at once"
81 cannot allow it," said the pawn.
broker. You must wait. If you re.
fuse I have no option but to call a DO,
A quarter of an hour later Everard
Hamlyn jumped out of a hanson and
hurried into the shop. He was an 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 by Harvey, who had been
awaiting his arrival with keen inter.
est.
There's a woman in here" he said.
pointing to the parlor, "who saws she's
a friend of yours, and has found your
pawn ticket, but L"
"Out of the way" cried Hamlvn,
thrusting the of1cious young man on
one side and rushing into the room.
"Alice, by all that's wonderful" hs
exclaimed, and then, seeing that her
bosom was heaving convulsively, he nut
his arm around her and inquired ten.
DERBY what had happened.
They have been so rude and Insult.
she sobbed.
Hamlyn waited no further ex9lana.
ton, but, Selling Harvey by the throat,
shook him until the unfortunate
youth had not a breath in his BODY.
Then, turning on the older man. h.
cried sternly; what do you mean nv
insulting this ladyP"
The pawnbroker, discovering his
mistake, was all apologies, but Ham.
lyn's temper was still up.
Nothing could justify rudeness to
a lady, he said, and he insisted on an
abJect apology from the c~restfauen as.
Then he took Alice back to his rooms
the Temple. When they were alone
ne put his arm around her, and said inn.
Dulsively:
"Oh, my darling, how sweet Of Won
Q try to get my watch back for me,