The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-09-27

house. most probably. What work
house? Parish of Southwark. Easy to
find. Just turn so-and-so, and so-and-
so.
With grunt of acknowledgment the
inquirer passed into the street. He
gave an eye to the public house, but
resolutely quickened his pace. At the
workhouse he succeeded, with some
difficulty, in interviewing the master.
If was after Office hours, but as he had
journeyed a long way an exception
would be made in his case.
Books were consulted to ascertain the
fate Of two boys, John and William
Mason, who would now be aged TWEEN
ty and eighteen respectively. Youthful
Masons had certainly been in the
schools-one was there at the moment,
in fact-but none of them answered to
the description supplied. The work
house master was sorry. The records
gave no clew.
Again the man sought the dark Sc
clusion of the street. He wandered
slowly toward a main thoroughfare
and entered the first public house he
encountered He ordered penny
worth of brandy and drank it at
gulp. Then he lit a pipe and went
forth again.
''That was an ugly lookin' customer"
said an habitue to the barman.
"'E 'ad flee like fifth act at the
Surrey" agreed the other.
If they knew the toast that Jocky
Mason had pledged so readily, they
would have better grasped the truth of
this unfavorable diagnosis of his char
acter.
"Ten years. penal servitude, four
years police supervision, my wife dead
and my children lost, all through
smack on the head given me by Philip
Anson," he communed. "Here's to
getting even with himv'
1t was q strange outcome Of his long
Imprisonment that the man should
have acquired fair degree Of culture.
He was compelled to learn in Jail to
certain extent, and reading soon be-
came pleasure to him. Moreover, he
picked up an acquaintance with
smooth spoken mate Of the swell mobs-
man and long firm order-a dandy who
strove to be elegant even In convict
garb. Masons great strength and in
domitable courage appealed to the
more artistic If more effeminate rogue.
Once the big man saved his comrades
life when they were at work in the
quarries.
The influence was mutual They
vowed lasting friendship. Victor Gre
nier was released six months before
Mason, and the latter now crossed the
river again to go to an address where
he would probably receive some news
Of his professed ally's whereabouts.
Grenier's name was impaired under
inviolable confidence as that which he
would adopt after his release. His real
name, by which he was convicted, was
something far less aristocratic.
Philips driver, being of the peculiar
type of Londoner which seems to be
created to occupy the dicky Of a ham
som, did not take his master down
Park lane, along Piccadilly, and SO to
Pail Mall. He loved corners. Give
him the remotest chance Of following
q zigzag course and he would follow
1t In preference to route with all
the directness of Roman road.
Thus it happened as he spun round
Carlos place into Berkeley square he
nearly collided with another vehicle
which dashed into the square from Da-
vies street.
Both horses pulled up with jerk,
there was q sharp fusillade Of what
cabmen call "langwidge," and the 9th
Ell hanson drove on, having the best of
the strategical position by a stolen |
yard.
Philip lifted the trapdoor.
HAS he a fare, Waller
eyes, sir, lydy."
ooh, leave him alone then! Other
wise ! would have liked to see you
ride him off at the corner Of Bruton
street"
Vale, who was choleric, replied with
such force that Philip tried to say
sternly:
"Stop that swearing, VALE"
BEG pardon, sir, I'm sure, but |
wouldn't ha' minded If 1t wasn't my
own old keb. Didn't you spot it?''
"You don't tell me so. How oddv'
"And to think Of n brewers dray-
man like that gettin' old Of 1t. Well'-
Vale put the lid on IN case his en-
ployer might hear any more Of his SEN
Philip, leaning back to laugh, Tor
Wales vocabulary was amusing If not
fit for publication, suddenly realized
the queer trick that even the events
in the life Of an individual have of re-
peating themselves.
In one day, after an interval Of many
years, he had been suddenly confront
ed by personages connected with the |
period of his sufferings, with the very
garments he wore at that time, with |
the cab in which he drove from Clerk |
enwell to Hatton Garden. Abingdon
had dined with him; Isaacstein had
sent him a message; his driver even
was the cabman who made him a |
present of 2 shillings, a most fortunate
for Vale, as it led to bis
selection to look after Philips London
stable.