The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-22

lring around him and fought their way along. They dragged him among
 them, all muddy and bleeding and clinRing to him as if they was his dearest friends. Ugh! I can hear the people snarling now and making at him like wild beasts. 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's dog ran into the
 room. He had crept through an open ing below.
 The thieves looked at him with fear
 'T--I hope he Isn't coming here" nut tered Crackit with pale lips. They sat for long hours. covering. starting at every sound of the wind, till at last there came knock at the
 door. Must we let him in7" said one. we must" said Crackit but without
 stirring. till the knock was repeated. They he undid the bolts with tremb- ling hand, and sIkes. bIanched. with Sunken eyes and the short breath of a l, hunted man, entered the room. He said nothing. not even when the | rest shrank from him. Putting chair close to the wall he sat down and | looked around silently.
 Damn you ailp' he whispered at
 last, Have you nothing to say to me7"
 There was an uneasy movement | among them. but nobody spoke. Suddenly a furious blow was struck at the door below, "In the Kings name" cried voice. and instantly a hoarse cry arose outside. Footsteps that seemed countless In number be-
 gan to. sound through. the night. all
 coming toward the house. Slkes leap ed to cupboard and snatched a long rope. Racing to the roof, he fastened | 1t to a chimney and then advanced to
 tho edge. preparing to lower himself l Into the river, H
 At sight of him the thronK below set up furious cry that might well ap-
 pail any human ear. some shouted to
 the police to set the house on fire. oth- | CTS screamed to shoot him dead. Fifty hounds" cried an old gentleman on | horseback. "hfty pounds to the man
 who takes him alivel'
 There was another roar. The door below fell with q loud smash. The | crowd surged in. Sikes, working with
 hands and teeth. Iooped the rope over his shoulders and lowered himself down the side. to escape before 8 boat could
 be brought Suddenly his handa slip- ped and the moose ran around his neck tight as bowStrinE. He fell thirty 1 i've feet. Then the rope fatehed up short, there was a terrific conwulsi0n
 of his limbs and he hung dead, swing ing to and fro. A white dog clamb-
 cred to the edge with Q dismal howl.
 collected himself for a spring and
 jumped for the dead mans shoulders. Missing his aim, he turned over and over and dashed out his hrains against
 the masonry below.
 A few weeks afterward Mir. Brown
 low eat In his library, confronting .
 tall, dark man who had been brought
 in by two men who appeared to be watching him. With an assumption of
 anger. he demanded: By what au- | thority am I practically kidnapped on
 the street and brought here by these doGa?" .ea.-s.
 'Reeause." said Mir. Browniow calm
 ly. you know that lt was better for l you to come here. even agalnst your
 will. than to walt tn the police sought you. If. however, you wish to appeal
 to the law, go. slrs and I, too. will ap-
 peal to it. You know what awaits you
 if you do! and even after what you have done. I would save you for your fathers sake"
 The man muttersd some unintellisl-
 bIs words and sank into a chair.
 ''You know already" said Mir. Brown low. that we know all about your deal ings with Fagin under the naEne of Monks. That you shall understand how much more I know, Edward Lee ford. I win tell you that I was your fathers oldest friend. Before he went abroad he told me of his sin, and he told me how he intended to right the wrong he had done, so far as he could. He left with me, too. picture of the unhappy girl who had trusted him too well. And 1t was that picture hanging over the bedside of the waif that came SO providentially into my hands. that first aroused in me the suspicion that oliver Twist might be her son. You got the boy away from me before I