The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-02

Z y
and many others whose riches after their.
death. were found hidden in strange.
places. While Wegg read Mr.. Boffin
would pretend to get tremendously ex-
cited about his dust mounds, so that
Wegg grew surer there must be riches
hidden in them.
Finally the Golden Dustman sold tho
mounds and had them carted away little
by little. Wegg watching every shovelful
for fear he would miss some thing. Mr..
3offlns hired q foreman to manage the
removal Of the dust who wore Wegg
down to skin and bone. He worked by
daylight and torchight, too. Just as.
Wegg. tired out by watching all day in,
the rain, would crawl into bed. the fore
man, like goblin. would reappear and
go to work again. Sometimes Wegg
would be walked in the middle OF the
night and sometimes kept at his post for
as much as forty-eight hours att stretch
till Tho grew 30 gaunt and haggard that
even his wooden leg looked chubby In
comparison
Bat At last he could mot keep quiet any!
longer, and told Mr.. Boffn what he had
found. The latter pretended the most
AFFECT dread, and Wegg bullied and brow
beat him to his hearts content. and
ended by ordering him. like slave. to
be ready to receive him at a certain
morning, and to have the money ready
to pay him. e z
When he went to the Boffin house to.
keep this appointment, he entered. inso-5
lentlys whistling and keeping his hat on.
"A servant showed him into the library
where Mr. Boffin and the secretary sat
waiting, and where the secretary at once
astonished him by. taking off the hat
and throwing it out of the window.
In another moment Wegg found himself
seized by the crayat, shaken till his teeth
ratified and pinned. II g corner OF the
room where the secretary knocked his
head against the wall while no told him.
in few words what a scoundrel he was
when he learned that the will he had
discovered was worthless paper, Wegg
lost all his bullying air and cringed be-.
| fore them. Mr. Roffin was disposed to
be merciful, and offered to make good
his loss OF the ballad business but NNeggs.
I crashing and mean to the last set It's
value at such ridiculously high figure
] that Mr. sBoffin put his money back into
his pocket.
IN Then at sign from John Rokesmith5
one OF the servants. caught Wegg by the
collar, hoisted him on his back, ran
down to the street with him and threw
| him Into a, garbage cart, where he dis
appeared ( from view with q tremendous
splash.
\ And that, so far as this storyi.is con-
cerned, was the end OF Silas Wegg.
bella and Golden Dustn1an.
It was not long before John Rokesmlth,
the secretary was very much in love
With Bella, indeed. Bella saw this plain
~. but the fine house and costly clothes
had at first quite spoiled her. and think Is,
ling him only a poor secretary and her
fathers ledger. she treated hin, almost
with con tempt Yet he would tel! her
! who he was, for he did not want her to
| marry hin, merely because OF the money
IT would bring her. She hurt his feel;
! ings often, but in spite Of 1t she could
not help being, attracted ito him. I5o had
! a way, too. OF looking at her that made
| her feel how proud and unjust she was.
and sometimes made her quite desp1se
| herself. "A t 55s q
But having had taste OF the pleasures
and comforts that wealth would bring,
Bella had quite determined when she
married to marry nobody but a very rich
man. Mr.. and Mrs. Boffin both noticed
! how changed she was growing from her
| own sweet self. and regretted It. for they
| liked Bella and they liked the secretary
too, and they could easily see that tho.
latter wns in love with her.
81 One day Mrs. Boffin went to the SEQ
retary's room for something. AS she en-
tered oi,,;ss,s, lt,,I who was sitting sadly
over the fire. leaked up with n peculiar
expression Tint told the good woman
all in a flash who she was. ~ know You
now" she cried; You're little John Har-
mon."
In the Joy and surprise she almost
tainted, but he caught hor and set her
down beside him. Just then in came Mr.
Boffin and the secretary told them tho
whole story; and how he now loved Rella
but would not declare himself because
Of her contempt. s
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Boffin were so glad
to know he was really alive they fell to
crying with jay, Tho Golden Dustmnn.
declared that no matter hsfw the last will
read, John should have the fortune fur
his own. Rokesmith Tor Harmony ut
| first refused to do this. but Mr., Boffinj
swore tina t IL he did not, he himself would
| not touch the money anu 1t would have
I to 20 to the crown anyway. soYut last
It VAS agreed that Mr. Borfin should