The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-07
\ Charles Dickens Xxx.

he had fulfilled his promise now, SO ne
turned and ran home again and the last
thing he heard was the rasp Of the file
as the man worked madly at the fetter
on his leg.
Very guilty Pip felt all that Christmas
morning. lilo went to church with Joe.
and after service Uncle Pumblechook and
Wopslc, the clerk, and other company
came for dinner. He could not enjoy
the good things to eat, for he knew that
now his sister must discover that the
porlt-pie was gone. Just rs sho Went
to get 1t he got up to run away, but as
he opened the door he ran plump into
n file Of soldiers.
He was sure they had come to arrest
him for helping tho convict, but he was
soon relieved, as the officer .nt their
head explained that they were on their
way to search tho marshes for the es-
capped men md wanted the blacksmith
to mend a broken hnndcuff. In their
arrival the pork-ple was forgotten, while
Joe mended the handcuff in the forge.
Whom the soldiers left, the blacksmith
set Zip on his broad shoulder, and he
and Wopsle went strlding with them to
see the result Of the hunt,
1t was sunset as the party entered the
marshes, and the searches opened out
| into n wide Inc. On sudden all
! stopped, for confused shouting had come
L >
| 1t cooking their guns, and Wopslc and
| Joe with Pip on his shoulder, followed.
| The shouts became palmer and palmer,
and all at once they came to ditch
at the bottom Of which the convict Pip,
had fed and the one with the bruised
cheek were struggling fierce1y together.
The soldiers seized and handcuffed them
both, tho man with the bruised check
pale and trembling, the other boasting
that he had dragged the man he hated
back to captivity, even though 1t cost
him his own freedom.
While tho soldiers were preparing to
take their prisoners back. tho convict,
Pip had aided, saw him standing with
joe Pip hoped he would not think
he had had anything to do with bring
Ing the soldiers. He was pretty sure
he did not because he presently told
the officer In every ones hearing that
! the night before he had broken -inG0
house where a blacksmith lived near
a church and stolen a pork pie. Joe
himself heard this and SO Pip knew nc
himself would be clear of any blame
The convicts were taken back to their
cells and Joe anu Pip went home to tell
the company Of their adventure But
neither then nor ever afterWard did Plo
find courage to tell Joe the part he had
played; for Pip loved the honest black
smith and did not want him to think
him worse tnan nc really WdS, ie H t tfr
Time went on and Pip grew older and
bigger, and though he nevereforgot tho
adventure Of the churchyard. yet the
memory grew DINNER. In the next few
years only one thing happened to recall
1t to him.
One evening Mrs. Joo sent Pip to the
village inn, THE Three jolly Barge
men," with message Pip found Joe
there, sitting with a stranger-a secret
looking man, who held his head on ono
side .and kept one eye perpetually shut
up as II he were taking aim with gum
This man, when he heard Pips name.
looked at him with curious wink, and
when no ono but Pip was looking he
took out Of his pocket. to stir his drink
with, the very file Pip had stolen from
Joes forge. Pip knew that moment
that tho man was n friend of the con-
Wet he had befrended Waen Pip left
the inn the stranger called him back
and gave him a shilling wrapped UP
In a piece OF paper
When he got homo Mrs. Joe (Who
took the prize away from him) discovered
that the piece OF paper was really two
bank notes. and both Joe and she Won
dered at 1t. Tho blacksmith tried next
day to find tho stranger TO restore the
| money, but he had left tho Inn, and SO
Il always remained a mystery--to all but
| Pip, of course. who knew In his heart
| the convict had remembered ans ala
and took this means Of repaylng him.
|