Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-04-20


towards the village.
Where can we go?" asked the stran-
ger.
My house is not far away" answered
Lynn.
Each full of his own thoughts, they
walked along in silence until they
reached the bank where Donovan was
manager, aud Lynn ushered his guest into
his cosy sitting room.
And now% said Lynn, perhaps we
had better introduce ourselves. | am
Lynn Donovan, manager of the Twenty
Acre branch of the Southern bank"
And |, if you will excuse me, will re-
main incognito for the present. Let 1t
suffice that in London I am one of your
directors, and it is in my power to fur
Their your advancement"
Il am content, sir; and now, perhaps,
you will explain
1T is long story, Mr.. Donovan, but |
will try to be brief. Twenty four years
ago the banking world of London was
thrown into a state of CONSERVATION by
the fact that hundreds, may say thou
sands, of spurious sovereigns were finding
their way into circulation. The coins
were well made, of fair weight, and in
every way masterpieces of counterfeit
ing. Banks were in a state of panic and
business was considerably delayed, as it.
became necessary to test each coin. Po-
lice and detectives were baffied and things
got from bad to worse. and at last,
need not tell you how, / myself discov
cred the smashers' den. / gave informa-
ton to the police and joined in the raid.
The gang maGe 4 desperate fight for it,
and with one burly ruffian | found my.
self engaged in a hand to-hand struggle.
After desperate tussle I managed to
throw him, and in doing so broke his
knee-cap. That man was Jack Hawker,
and he got five years penal servitude.
Four years after that l married, and my
wife died while giving birth to our daugh
ter. ! was heart broken, but my troubles
~.A not stop there My little baby girl
was stolen from her bed few months
later"
"Stolen!" exclaimed Lynn.
Yes; she disappeared two months aft
er the release of Jack Hawker, the coin
er.''
And you think"
Il think Jack Hawker and this man
you call John Daunt are identical. Also,
my daughters name was Isabel"
Can it be possible?"
That we must find out. | have spent
years and years looking for him, and
wandered everywhere, Whenever a con-
victed coiner has been released from pris-
on | have had him watched and followed
in the hope that he would lead me to
Jack Hawker. Where the carcass is,
there the carton gather. A man named
Spit Bantam was released some months
ago. l followed him down here tonight,
and he entered that house. Tie was one
of the gang l helped to capture, but he
has been convicted several times since"
What do you propose to do?"
Il propose to enter that house and con-
front John Daunt. Can | count on your
help"
II will do anything for the sake of
Isabel. Listen! | have arranged to meet
her in the garden tomorrow evening, and
we were going in together to force an in
terview with John .Daunt. You had bet
ter come with u.s."
And SO it was arranged The stranger
stayed the night with Lynn, and the fol-
lowing evening found them in the garden
waiting for the light in the window.
Then the light flashed and few min
utes later Isabel stood beside them, very
much surprised to find stranger with
her lover.
Say nothing now, darling, but trust
me. This gentleman will help us more
than you think"
Il trust you, Lynn. My father and
Bantam are in the laboratory in the Gel
lar | don't know what old Martha
means. but she says if we confront them
down there they will be only too glad to
grant us anything
Then come, let us go at once"
She led the way, Lynn and the stran-
ger following At the head of the stairs
old Martha stood with finger on lips, mo-
tioning caution. Silently they stole down
the stairs until they reached an iron
door Quietly turning the handle, they
entered the room.
John Daunt and Spit Bantam, with
their backs to the door, were bending over
pot OH a glowing furnace. Then Ban
tam lifted the pot of seething metal from
the fire, and both turned.
For moment they were speeches., and
then Isabel spoke.
Il have brought Mr.. Donovan to see
you, father"
Mr. Donovan, Ell; and the z6ther gen.
tleman?"
The stranger stepped forward and tear
ing the beard from his face and the wig
from his head, confronted Daunt
Jack Hawker, we meet at last"
Sir Hamilton Farlow"
Yes; the man who tracked you down
years ago, and l now find you at the old
game"
Father, father. what does it mean?'
THAT man is not your father. He is a
notorious coiner who has spent years OF
his life in jail; but he committed worse
crime than that when he abducted my
infant child"
AYE, aye; it was crime murmured
Daunt.
WHO am l, then? Oh, it can't be
true!"
You are my child, my Isabel, my lisa.
bel. Oh, when first saw you thought
it was my dead wife come to life again.
rs this true?'
AYE. it's true, Isabel Fm-I'm sorry
| took you to be revenged on Sir Hamil.
ton. I've had my regrets, but l couldn't
part with you"