The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-07
\ Halle E1,1ai,ale R,ves Xli

1 Pip without war1ing--something that
| changed tho whole course Of his llfc.t
! Ono rainy night. when Herbert was away
| from London. as he sat alone In their
rooms, n heavy step stumbled up tho
stair and n man entered. He was coarse
and rough, looking and tanned with cx-
posture, with a furrp&cd bnld head, tufted
ut the sides with gray hair. There was
something strangely familiar to Pip In
his face but at first he did not recognize
him. Seeing this, the stranger threw
down his hat. twisted u handkerchief
around his head took u file from his
pocket and walked across the room with
"a curious shiverIng gait that brought
back to Pips mind, like u lightning fash.
the scene In the churchynrd so many
| years ago, when he had sat pcrched on
n tombstone looking in terror Mt that
| same mans face. And he knew all at
once that the man was the escaped
convict OF that day. sas
i 1t was strange story the newcomer
! told then, a story that Pip's heart sank
to hear. Miss Havisham had not heen
| his benefactort after all. Tho one whose
money had educated him. had set him
| there In London to live tho life OF n
4 gentleman the ono to whom he was In!
debted for every penny he owned, was
i Abel 4Nagwitch a criminal---the convict
| for whom he had once stolen food years
4 before!
Pip sank into chair. trembling as
Nagwitch, In a hoarso voice. told his
1 story. He told how the man. Compey-
/ son had led him into crime and then
deserted him, and how no had hated him
SO flercely that after they both had es-
capped from the prison hulks he had
i dragged him back to Imprisonment even
Mt the loss OF his own liberty How
1 for that attempt to escape he had been
sentenced to transportation for life, and
had been sent to Botany Bay In lls stralia.
i where In time he became In 4 measure
free, though forbidden under penalty OF
4 death to return to England. How he
1 had never forgotten the little Pip who
4 had tried to aid him, and how he hac
y sworn that he would repay him many
times over. How he had taken to
sheep raising and prospered, and became
a rich man. How he had written to
! Mr.. Jaggers, the lawyer, who had de-
4 Tended him, and commissioned him to
Z find, Pip and educate him. And how nj
last he had dared even the death penalty
( to come to England to see how he Jared.
1 His voice shook, as he told how he had
shaved through all the years looking for
4 ward only to this moment when he should
come back to see the little Pip whom he
had made into a gentleman.
4 Poor Pip! IT was an end to all his
4 dreams OF Miss Havisham and Of Es-
4 tclla. He shrank from Magwitch, horri-
d fled at the bare thought OF what no
( owed to him. He forced himself to ut
4 ter some trembling words and set food
before him, watching him as he ate like
a ravenous old dog, his heart like lead,
i all his plans knocked askew, plying the
l pitifu affection Of the man, but shrink
i ing from u him as II from n wild beast,
with all his childish dread increased a
b hundred fold
/ At length Pip put Magwltch to sleep
no himself lay tossing and seepess.
staring into the darkness and listening
4 to tho rain outside.
Allow Pip Came to Himself.
1 IN He days that followed were ono
4 long agony to Pip. When Her
4 bert returned he told him the
i whole story Herbert was
4 shocked and surprised, but he
was true to his friendship and together
they planned what to doc
It was clear to Pip THAI he could not
i spend any more OF Magwitch's money;
& indeed recoiling from him as he did he
would have gladly repaid every penny
3|tif It had been possible. TO mako the
matter worse, it seemed that Magwtch
had brought great deal Of money with
him and was determined that Pip should
move into a fashionable house. buy fast
horses keep servants and live most cx-
pensivoly Pip hesitated to tell Mag
witch his decision, however. for all tho
convict now planned showed how much
he had thought of him and loved him
in his rough way during all the years
he had toiled in Australia. Meanwhill
he and Herbert kept Magwitch hidden
as much as possible. and gave out that
the old man was Pip's uncle. on visit
d from the country.
. Unluckly Magwitch's coming to London
had been noticed. He had been seen
in the street. and followed to Pips
rooms. And the man who saw him
was his bitterest enemy-Compeyson. the
breaker OF Miss Havisham's heart, who
had first made Magwitch criminal,
and whom the convict so hated. Com
peyson had served out his term, and
was now free, He saw his chance to
j nay the old grudge with Magwltch's NE
J, In order, however to make cure OF his
capture he decided to entice Pip away
and bring the police upon Magwtch
when he would have no one to war;,
! him.
Meanwhile, unconscious OF this plot, Pr
made last visit to Miss Havisham. lie
felt now that he was again poor and with
!, out prospects, and with small hope Of
winning Estella. But finding her there
in Miss Hayishams presence, he told her
how dearly he had always loved her since
the first day they had met She seemed
moved by his distress, but her heart
had not yet awakened, She told him
that she was about to marry one whom
he knew for u coarse. brutal man, IN
every way beneath her, And then ~
, knew certainly that Miss Havishams bit
ter teaching had borne its fruit at last
and that lSstella was to marry this man
! as a final stab to all tho other worthlel
ones who loved her more truly.
, In spite of her years of self-torturf
, and royengeful thoughts, Miss Havishnn
had still spark Of real pity As PlI
reminded her OF tho wreck she had made
!. OF him, through Estella, and through 9!
lowing him falsely to believe her his
benefactor. his agony struck her with
j remorse sho put her hand to her heart
as he ended. and as he left them hS
saw through his own tears her hand stu