The Grit-advocate., 1905-11-17

calendar the days on which he would
present his coupons with The certainty
of receiving the value printed thereon.
This very day he had collected the
interest represented by certain cou-
pOns, and now he brought from his
breast dark soft leather bag and
poured the tinnIing contents on the
table-one hundred ana twenty-five
pounds.
He began TO count the soyereigns,
but somehow when be came 10 twenty
seven he could not proceed.
He tried again with the same result.
His head ached more than ever. but
he made another attempt-and failed.
Il wish the kettle would boil" ne
sighed, lyin. back YEARLY. a cup of
tea will make me right
But when the kettle boiled at last
he paid no attention. The thrObbing.
which for some minutes had been
almost unbearable, had abruptly
ceased and a sense of peace had de-
scended upon John Breer.
His eyes closed, lie lay unconscious,
his hard features wonderfully soft
ened. Strangely enough he dressed
well, and as be lay there n the poor
light of the candle and the increasing
glow of the fire, which failed to make
clear the poverty and wretchedness
of his surroundings, he might have
been taken for well TO do and rather
handsome elderly gentleman enjoying
a nap.
The kettle was dry and ruined, the
fire was almost ont. and the candle
was within an inch of its socket, when
John Breen came back 10 life aga I.
He sat up fecbIy and looked curiously
about him.
He felt no pain, but he was greatly
puzzled. An EXPIRE ssion OF disgust
dawned upon his face when his eyes
caught sight of the bread "a cheese.
but being -sperately hungry he cut
piece of the former and ate a por-
ton. He was chilly. too, and felt
craving for hot food.
Then he behe!d his wealth. He be-
gan TO tremble violently, and tears
rolled down his cheeks.
Awe stricken, lie whispered TO HIM
self: And ] might have tied TO-
night. ] nigh. have died and no one,
not even myself, have been the better
for my having lived"
He took The notes. the bags of gold
and the documents from the safe, laid
them in a heap at his feet, and began
to reckon bis future. 1t was easily
done, for each bag was st stlmpnd with
"t1U, while each bundle OF secur-
ties had slip of paper attached bear.
ing its approximate value. Besides.
he found no difficulty in counting now.
1ne grand total came to few hun
dreds and odd over eighty thousand
pounds.
Il must leave this accucsed house
at once he said. suddenly. Il must
lose no time OF ] may be too late
Within an honr he left the house in
cab with couple Of ancient port
manteaus- IL his pocket he carried
letter addressed TO his ctarw0man.
and containing instructions for her not
to call un;9! ::otilied 10 do so which
lie intended 10 post at the first opuor-
tllnity. The letter also contained ten
five pound notes.
1t was past midnight when he
reached the large hotel in Nor.hum-
berland aNenue-the name Of which
mad somehow occurred to him as lie
stepped into the cab-but he managed
to get fairly good supper before
retiring He slept little. for he had
many plans 10 make for the morrow
Still. he arose i'll the morning with
nothing worse than a feeling of tired
ness. which, however. seemed to
affect his memory rather strangely.
For instance, he could not remember
where he had come from the previous
night as the day wore on be was oc.
casiOnally perpleXed regarding other
matters of the past. The bunch Of
complicated keys IN his pocket puzzled
him, and when he happened upon
the doctors prescription in another
pocket be could not rec0llect the visit
10 the physician. Most of all the re-
volver in his hip pocket troubled him.
He did not know what to do will. it,
and he was afraid to unload il lest il,
De dlScnafEeu. tOr the time Delnr he
decided to lock il in a drawer in bis
bedroom.
He spent the fornoon il studying
the newspapers, and in the afternoon
he paid visit TO the poorest quarters
of the East End, returning with
white and troubled face, to play With
his dinner and to spend the evening
locked in his room.
A few days later people began TO call
upon him-prosperous looking gentle
men and fine ladies-and earnest con
versatiOns took place in the elegant
sitting room he had engaged in aldi-
ton to his b b,droom. Other !isr ELd