The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-01

I'll OraB nlfn rom II, CTleu 4Sicioids'
 Put" said Newman. Better rescue the grl.'
 As soon as he felt himself calm enough. Nicholas sought an interview with Mad cline Bray He felt 1t his duty to ex- postulate with her. he said:
 You say you have duty to perform replied Madeline, and so have l. And with the help of heaven I will perform mine"
 Say rather with the help of devils" cried Nicholas.
 "I must not hear this" said Madeline. My fathers health, perhaps his life. de- bends upon my obedience. He was talk ing as you came in with smile such as I used to see of old of the freedom which would soon be his Oh, pity me-and leave me-"
 Her tears fell fast. After more fruit less expostulatIon Nicholas departed. Promptly at tho appointed hour next day old Arthur Gride, chattering and grin ming, came In coach with Ralph NcNlc- by to claim his victim. Bray himself met them as they came into the house.
 "she was very i'll last night" said he, "but she Is calmer now. She will DC down presently Then, drawing Ralph aside, he whspered "This seems cruel thing, after all doesn't t?''
 NO" said Ralph.
 Look at that man." repeated Bray, that soulless old rascal. It's cruel, by all that's bad and treacherous."
 Leaving the two aged rascals alone, Bray went to fetch his daughter. Soon they heard the rustling of a womans s dress in the hall and the step of a man. Springing up to receive the bride and her father vast was their astonishmcnt 10 see confronting them Nicholas and Kate.
 At first Ralph was speeches.. Then he broke out into a torrent of invectve. "Girl!' said he to Kate. "retire. We can use force with him. but would not will ingly hurt you. Retire and let us deal with this dog as he deserves
 "Oh, dear, oh. dear"' chattered old Gride. He wants to marry Miss Made line. too. He! he! he.'
 "I have come to rescue your victim If l can." said Nicholas. speaking in n low, hard voice. Approach me at your peril. '
 The next instant there was the sound of a heavy fall in the room overhead. Then some servants burst into the room, had, indeed passed beyond the bounds of all debtors limits" The weak heart from which he suffered had snapped suddenly. Nicholas and Kate flew to comfort the distracted Madeline: and
 when Gride and Ralph tried to Interfere. Nicholas. in the name of the Cheeryble brothers as next friends" of the or phaned girl, took entire charge of every thing and turned his uncle and old Gride out of the house. That night Madeline became an inmate of the cottage at Bow. i under Rates care, by direction Of ! Cheeryble Brothers.
 Smike's health was failing rapidly and by a physicians advice Nicholas took him down to Devonshire to try what a change of climate might do toward pro- longing his frail hold on life. One day when Nicholas had left Smke alone in the garden. he returned to find him in q great state of agitation
 "I saw him." faltered Smlke, "the man who took me to school. He was just be- hind that tree. remember before went to the school that l was in a gar ret There was a scuttle just over the bed on which l lay. I was kept there q
 long time. l used to lie and look at that scuttle. Then man-that man l just saw-came and took mo to the school That is all I remember
 Meantime up in London Arthur Grlda had returned from his attempted we'd ding to find that the old hag who had served him for a housekeeper had Van- ished and carried away with her box containing papers of value. But he le- fused to make q complaint to the poilce
 
 suggestion of such a thing. Ralph al once determined to recover those papers if possible-they must contain something that would enable him to squeeze Grido.
 So he hired Squeers to seek out the hag-old Peg Sderskew-and get the pa pers from her by hook or by crook. lie himself helped in the search and New man Noggs, gathering what his employ CT was up to, joined with Frank Cheery- . ble in shadowing Squeers.
 At last in a miserable lodging house they found Squeers and Siderskew living fin adjoining apartmnets. The school master had ingratiated himself into Peg favor, and she was handing him some documents to read when Frank and New man broke in with an officer and arrest cd the pair On searching Squeers they found in his pocket a will leaving a large fortune to Madeline Bray It had been suppressed by old Gride, who had been an agent Of Madeine's uncle once.
 When Ralph heard of Squeerss arrest he hurried 10 see him. Hastily he told squeers to hold his tongue. and all would be well-they would devise a story for him to stick to.
 "Oh" replied Squeers. who was rather drunk. that's what I'm to do, Is it2 Now inst hear a word or two from me. l ain [ a-going to have no story made for me. 1 never bargained for being brought inso this. and, old feller. I tell you what. Ve had enough of you and your plans ! , have The only number as l know or 'h arithmetic is number one under this here most fatal go.'
 Roundly cursing the schoolmaster' Ralph went to the house of Snawley; but snawleys wife met him at the door ana warned him not 10 come in. He had done enough. If the matter of the forg- cries came up her husband would pro- [ ct himself. He was but an agent He sought Gride. Gride refused to omen the door to him and yelled "Mur- derr' and "Thieves," when Ralph threatened 10 break the door In. fou are a dangerous man. Nickleby, said Gride from inside his barred doors ! Ralph began to see ruin about him. hls eonfederates had deserted him. All that | day Newman Noggs had not appeared. l This also gave him anxiety Newman knew too much about his business. The night before one of the Cheeryple | brothers had called at his house ana 1 begged an interview. Ralph had drNeh l him away. Now. feeling himself at paJ' he sought out the cheerybies to learn