Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-20

please, milady, as the value was given
as fS, he claimed reward Of FL
(which you will pay yourself. You
lost the bag" was the curt reply.
"Where is it?"
The maids voice was somewhat tear
full as she answered.:
"In milady's room. ! paid the sov.
ereIgn."
Her ladyship rose and glided grace
fully toward the door, followed by the
maid, who whispered to French
waiter-bowing most deferentially to
the guest as lie held the door open-that
her mistress was a cat. He confdej
his own opinion that her ladyship was
holy pig, and the two passed along
corridor
Lady Morland hastily tore open the
recovered dressing Case and consulted
an address book.
"Oh, here it ISL she cried triumphant
". mo. 3 JOhnson's News. Mile End
road, E. What hOrrid smelling place.
However, Messrs. Sharpe & Smith will
now be able to obtain some definite in
telligence for me. Julie! My carriage
In ten minutes"
Thus it happened that during the aft
ernoon dapper little clerk descended
from an omnibus in the neighbOrhOOd
of JOhnsOn's News and began his In
quiries, as all Londoners do, by con-
sulting a. policeman. Certain facts
were forthcoming.
"a Mrs. Anson, widow, who lived
In Johnson's News? Yes, I think
woman of that name died few weeks
ago. remember seeing funeral leave
the news. don't know anything
about the boy. Sometimes when pass
through there at night l have seen
light in the house. However, here it is.
Let's have look at It,"
The pair entered the mers and ap-
preached the deserted house. The So
licitor's clerk knocked and then tried
the door. 1t was locked. They botn
went to the window and looked In.
Had Philip hanged himself, as he in.
tended, they would have been some
what surprised by the spectacle that
would have met their eyes. AS it was,
they only saw small room Of utmost
wretchedness, with q mattress lying on
the floor in front Of the fireplace. An
empty tin and bundle Of old letters
rested on O rickety chair, and q piece
of sacking was thrust through two
broken panes in the small window op-
posite.
"Not much there, eh?" laughed the
policeman.
"Not much, indeed. The floor Is all
covered with dirt, and IL 1t were not
for the bed one would imagine that
the house was entirely deserted. Are
you sure Mrs. AnsOn is dead"
"Oh, quite sure. Hers was rather
hard case, some one told me. remem-
ber now. It was the undertaken. He
lives near here"
"And the boy. Has he gone awayp
II don't know. l haven't seen him
lately"
Each Of these men had read all the
reports concerning Philip and his dia-
monds. Large numbers Of tiny, white
pebbles were lying on the floor beneath
their eyes, but the window was not
clean, and the light was far from good,
as the sky was clouded. Yet they were
visible enough. The clerk noticed them
| at once, but neither he nor the police
man paid more heed to the treasures
almost at their feet than was given by
generations Of men to the outcrop OF
the main reef at johannesburg At last
they turned away. The clerk gave the
policeman a cigar with the remark:
II will just ask the undertaken to
give me letter, stating the facts about
Mrs. Anson's death. suppose the boy
is in the workhouse"
"Who knows? 1t often beats me to
tell what becomes Of the kids who are
left alone In London. Poor little dev-
lis, they mostly 30 to the Lad. There
should be some means Of looking after
them, think"
Thus did Philip, bravely sustaining
bis heart In the solitude Of prison,
escape the greatest danger that threat
ened the preservation Of his secret. and
all because scheming woman was too
| clever to tell her solicitors the exact
reason for her anxiety concerning the
whereabouts Of Mrs. Anson and her
son.
The boy passed dolurous Saturday
night and Sunday. Nevertheless the
order. the cleanliness, the comparative
comfort of prison were not wholly
ungrateful to him. His meals, though
crude, were wholesome, luxurious
even. compared with the privations he
had endured during the previous fort
night. The enforced rest, too, did him
good. and. being under remand, he
had nothing to do but eat, take exer-
else. read Il few books provided for
him and sleep.
With Monday came remarkable
change III his fare. A pint of first rate
cocoa and some excellent bread and
butter for breakfast evoked no COM
ment on his-part. but u dinner Of roast
beef, potatoes, cabbage and rice pud-
ding was so extremely unlike prison
diet that he questioned the turnkey.
"It's all right. kid" came the brief
answer. "lt's paid for. Eat while
you can and ask no questions"
But
The door slammed, and at the next
meal Philip received In silence cup
of tea and nice tea cake. This went
OH during three days. The good food
and rest had already worked mar
velous change in his appearance. He
entered the prison looking like stary-
ed dog. When he rose on the Thurs
day morning and washed himself, no
one would have recognized him as the
same boy were 1t not for his clothes.
After dinner he was tidying his cell
and replacing the plates and the rest
on tin tray when the door was sud
denly flung open, and warder cried:
"Come along. Morlnnd. You're want
ed at the court"
AT the courtw he could not help
saving. "This is only Thursday
"What boy you are for arguing.
Pick up your hat and come. Your car
riage waits, my lord. l hope you Will
like your quarters as well when you
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