The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-12
CHAPTER xIII.-continued.


Crunden's clerk was Mr. Jack Vim
cent and no one else. The son of Sir
John had gone over to the enemy. 1t
was strange transfer OF allegiance,
Il wonderful voluntary fall from the
top OF the social ladder to Its lowest
rung: one day. the leader, of fashion.
lord ana prince among splendid loaf
ers. and the next an humble worker,
paid servant OF common working
man. He lived in a workman's cot
Crnnden's yard. You could see him In
the yard any morning. with an invoice
In his hand, experimenting and check.
Ing the delivery Of materials; or again
at evening In the small Office Just in
side the archway. busy with time
sheets. while bricklayers. carpenters.
etc. came in and out through the open
door And all day long you might see
him hurrying here and there: to Kings
Cottage, to the railway to watch
trucks unloaded. down to the brick
fields by the river. back again to the
estate to count the piled bricks or
measure up the lengths of drain-pipes
lin q word, working at one thing or
another. 1t was said that he went on
all errands for Crunden, cleaned the
knives and boots at Kings Cottage;
and, in return for these degrading
services, was allowed perhaps ten
teeth in the kitchen with Mrs. Price.
But here. as usual gossip was mex
act. Mr.. Jack was called upon to per-
fern no mental domestic Offices: he
was receiving weekly wage OF thir-
ty-ive shillings: he took his meals
dinner and tea-with the family. and
was moreover sometimes formally in
vited to supper.
When, keeping the grudgingly given
appointment, he had repeated his ap-
plicatIon for work. old Crunden man
Tested the strongest Decentralization to
comply with the request. made many
excuses, was obviously much embar-
raised.
Look here, sir. I'd rather not. (. !.
AS to that loan you mentioned-don't
bother about 1t. There's no hurry.
Take any time you like
But l do bother about IT, said Jack
.I want to pay you-and ! will. II
you'll take me on. / promise you
and I'll do II, whatever it is. I prom
Use I'll be useful"
Don't press me, sir. tell you
frank, I'd rather not"
Because you don't believe in me-"
said Jack eagerly, and pressing more
than ever. You think I'm an idle
fool-but I'll show you're wrong If
you'll give me chance; and again
Jack used the Masonic form of address:
"Brother Crunden, give me chance.
Brother Crunden. extremely embar-
rassed. said he would think 1t over and
Brother Vincent might call again. He
discussed the extraordinary request
first with Mr.. Bowling. and then with
Lizzie.
4 "He says he can make himself use
full How the dickens could he be use
fui?"
.Useful!" cried Mr.. Bowling, with
enthusiasm. HELL be worth his weight
in gold. Give him anything he asks.
having him on our side-merely to eX-
hlbit him. let people know he's with
us-will be worth any money. He's
the very man to help us-to act as.
go between, smooth things over. and
cure all the soreness against us"
In this notion as events proved, Mr..
Bowling was far too hopeful. But at
the time he was confident that II Mr..
Vincent publicly joined hands with
them, their present disfayor. with the
Then. after day or two. Crunden
spoke about the matter to his daugh-
ter. Lizzie's thought now was only
for her father. He had embarked on
vast and dangerous enterprise; his
whole fortune was at stake; toll and
anxiety lay before him. When she
heard his unfortunate outbreak at the
meeting, guilt and remorse possessed
her. More bitterly than hitherto SHE
hated herself for the childish folly
that had been the first cause Of all his
subsequent action. The folly had
faded, been washed away with tears.
burnt out by holly repentant thoughts
ali of 1t. she believed, was gone from
her: but its wide-reaching conse-
uuences remained. If she had not
stung her father into anger against
the Hill, he would never have planned
its destruction. She was sure OF this,
although he told her always that she
was In no manner connected with the
reasons that had moved him.
all that again. It was over and done
witll-something we both meant TO
forget. No. this scheme was in my
mind from the moment Mr. Downing
put 1t before me. Then, while you
were in Cornwall, went into 1t and
began to see my way clear. II Kept
1t secret from you. 1t was only pe-
cause 1 knew you'd be against u. But
nothing could have shaken me. You
remember what ] told You-that per-
haps il should need all your help, Well,
my mind was almost made up then,
And Lizzle-cured of her day. dream
ing-vowed herself to good daugh-
ter's task.
n shall need" said Crunden, AL the
help L can get from you, and others.
It's big thing--a very big thing I'm
in for. Hut It's not too, big-dton't let
any one persuade you that Its more
than j can carry through.
And then he told her about JACK
pressing request
MIR. Bowling, he says he'llHbe worth
his pay-nnd OF course there's no doubt