The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-04-03

and dashed at them. lie was active
and powerful, but blow on the
head stopped him for a moment,
and he SAW the robbers escape
through the end window. He grasp
ed something that lay on the desk
and followed. They were evidently
making for boat at the end of the
wharf, but the hindmost stumbled
and fell, and as he sprang up Ora
ham gave him blow on the head
that laid him out. Old Martin join
| ed him with a lantern.
"Turn the fellow over till we can
see his face. AS / live, it is Philip
Daily! The scoundrel! What have
you got in your hand 20
George looked.
ssWhy, it is surely the safe key
Martin was amazed. The genuine
was certainly in its accustomed
place in the house, and yet the safe
had been opened. Comparison of
the two at once made the plan of
the robbery manifest-the key in
Graham's hand had been the means
Of bringing Daily to justice, and he
went. to jail with very sore head.
Graham renewed his suit, but Mrs.
Bentz had evidently resolved that
he should not marry her daughter,
and Mabel had not force of charac-
ter enough. to act Independently.
So George, bidding them all goodby,
left, and next day they heard that
he had shipped On a vessel bound
for India.
Mabel mourned his absence and,
as is often the case, found that she
loved him more than she had imag-
med. But three years passed away,
and no word came from her old
lover.
Martin Bentz's health began to
fail, and his wife thought that it
was time for her daughter to marry.
| Mr. .Grayley had a nephew named
Sands, who worked around the place,
and he had been paying Mabel much
attention and finally spoke to her
mother, and after much persuasion
and some secret tears the girl ac-
cepted him, and they were married.
i Sands was not bad fellow, but he
was utterly feeble in character, and
after four years of dull and spirit
less married life Mabel found her
self a childless widow. Her father
! was dead, and when her mother
! spoke of her marrying again Mabel
said, with unusual frmness: Moth
er, your interference broke up my
life, and will not allow it to infu-
! ence me again. Don't speak to me
about these matters, as you only
/ give me pain
George Graham had prospered as
a sailor, and one day he came to
! Philadelphia captain Of a magnif-
cent clipper ship. He had cargo
consigned to a firm on Delaware
avenue and went to its counting
house and was very politely receiv-
ed. Captains were bigger people
then than now. CHANGING around,
he saw hanging on the wall a large
key. Memory at once recalled the
house in the boatyard and his lost
sweetheart. SsYou are looking at
that key" said one Of the partners.
ssWell, that belonged to an uncle of
mine named Grayley. It has his
tory, and when the old house was
torn down | kept this as me-
mento."
Graham was silent for a moment
and then asked, sDo you know any
thing Of the family that lived in
your uncle's house,
''The Bentzes? Oh, yes. My IN
Gle left old Martins widow 500
year as long as she lives. We pay it
to her. Her widowed daughter,
Mrs. Sands, very pretty and good
woman, comes for it, and, by the
bye, it's due today, and here she
comes. Do you know herr"
Gfaham was strongly moved. lie
! met her at the door and said, SfMa-
bel, do you remember me"
Poor girl! She stared at him for
a moment and then burst into tears.
ooh, yes, George, I remember you
we'll"
The sequel needs no telling. Cap
tain Graham made but one more
voyage and then married his early
love. Old Mrs. BentS fortunately
died soon afterward.
The old key had been talisman,
and it hung in the dingy Office with
tag on telling from whence it came
until a new generation came in, and
then it was thrown in the rubbish
and now hangs battered, rusty and
forlorn on the wall of rag shop.
The Eire+ cutno.r;po na-s