The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-22

money safe enough now want to assure it even under the fathers will l want him driven through every jail In town
 Then, said Nancya he said how strange it was that Oliver should be where he was and how much Miss Rose Maylie would give if she knew who her two-leg- ged spaniel was.
 Nancy made Rose promise that she would keep her secret and use the informa- ton only to save Oliver. 'It would be hanging for them that have stood by me, bad as they are. Swear that you will not betray them, and l will walk on London bridge on Sunday night between Il and midnight if I am alive, and tell you more. I must go now or they will murder me"
 Refusing all Roses offers of aid, she ffed as she had come.
 Rose did not know in what direction to turn for advice, when lucky chance came in. Mir Brownlow returned to London and Oliver spied him while he and Rose were driving next day.
 She sought him immediately and told him the whole story. MT. Brownlow seemed strangely excited by the tale. When Sunday night came he accompanied Rose to London Bridge. Nancy was there and told them that she could not stay long, as she was suspected already.
 q will put Monks into your hands, said she, If you will swear to me to let the others go."
 Has Monks" said MT. Brownlow, "a broad, red mark on his neck, like burn or scald?''
 The girl looked at him in astonishment and said Yes" Mir. Brownlow said no more, but his agitation was evident.
 When he had obtained all the details that Rose in her experience had not thought of asking, and finding Nancy resolute, in her determination not to leave Bill Sikes, they left her, after begging her to consider their offer and promising that they would furnish her and her companion safs asylum in a foreign land if they would accept 1t.
 Three hours afterward the housebreaker and Fagin sat in Field Lane house lis- tening to the reports of one of their num- Der who had followed Nancy and, con- cealed behind a buttress, had heard enough snatches of the conservation to learn that treacnery was in the wind.
 When the thief had finished, Sikes, who had listened till then in deadly silence, ieaped up and shouted: "Hells fire! Let me out!"
 Fagln seized him by the arm. Don't be violent, Bill" whined he. "I mean not too violent for safety!" But his own evil face was so distorted by rage and hatred and fear that it spoke malignant murder in every line.
 Without looking to right or left, Sikes hurried to his own house. Opening the door softly, he stepped into room and drew back the curtain of a bed. The girl was lying on 1t, half dressed.
 Get upl" said he.
 Grasping her by the throat. he dragged her to the floor holding one heavy hand on her mouth.
 "Bill, Bill," grasped she, T --I-won't scream or cry-not once-tell me what I've done!''
 '"Then spare my life for tho love of heaven as I spared yours!' said she. "Oh, think of all gave up this very night for youl I have been true to you, on my guilty soul, l have!"
 The housebreaker swung his arm twice and brought down his pistol with all his mighty force on the upturned face. She staggered and fell. Raising herself to her knees, she lifted her bleeding face and held out both hands toward him.
 It was a ghastly figure to look upon. The murderer retreated, snatched heavy club and struAll at her madly.
 With his back to the door he stood still and glared at the body. After a while there was moan ard a faint motion of the hand. With horror added to rage, he struck and struck again. Then he seized his dog by the collar and ran from the room.
 In the next few hours he wandered over miles and miles of ground. Now he lin- gered without reason, then rushed on without reason, hiding from every human eye. fearing to think, unable to formulate a course His first clear thought was that the dog would lead to his Identification when the handbills came out.
 He walked to the brink of pool, knot ting a heavy stone into his scarf as he went Then he called to the animal.
 The beast, which had been close at his heels all day, wagged his tail and re- treated paused moment and then secured away at his utmost speed
 Late that night, in a tumble-down house on the Thames, sat Toby Crackit and three others of Fagin's band whispering over the light of a candle.
 "When they came and took Fagin," said one of the party, "Bolter that had spied on poor Nancy told enough to hang Fagin as an accessory before the fact He's going to turn Queens evidence and deliver us all, damn him! The officers had to fight like devils or the people would have torn Fagin away and killed him then and there. He was down once, but they made a ring around him and fought their way along. They dragged him among them. all muddy and bleeding and clinging to them as if they was his dearest friends. Ugh! l can hear the people snarling now and making at him like wild beasts. I can hear the women yelling that they would tear his heart out You should have seen how he looked about him with the mud on his hair and beard"
 As the horror-stricken thief finished talking there came pattering on the stairs, and Sikes' dog ran into the room. Ne had crept through an opening below
 The thieves looked at him with fear "-