The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-22
E SElZED Ills DOG bY TE COLLAR AND RAN FRon nE ROo1


 E IF SElZED nent they took things out of his pock cts with the most extraordinary ra- pidity. If the old gentleman felt a hand in his pocket he cried out where 1t was. and the game began all over again.
 For many days oliver remained in the room, occupying himself with pick Ing the marks out of handkerchiefs, of which a great many were brought in. Sometimes he took part in the game. which was played regularly every morning.
 At last the old gentleman told him he might go out. and placed him under the joint guardianship of the Artful Dodger and Mir. Bates. oliver accom- panied them, very eager to learn their work. At first they sauntered along, and he thought that they were going to deceive the kind old gentleman by not working at all. But suddenly they changed their behavior entirely.
 A very nne~loolsIng old gentleman with a powdered head was standing at book stall. reading book as hard as # he were in his own study. oliver's two companions approached him gteaithiiy, and Oliver saw the DodEer draw a pocket Handkerchief from the old gentleman's pocket and pass it to Bates who immediately vanished around the corner. followed by the Dodgef.
 In an instant the whole mystery of the handkerchiafs and the games with the merry old gentleman rushed on Qliver.s fnlnd. He stoed for minute with the blood so tingiing through his veins in terror that he felt as if in a burning fire. Then, confused and dis mayed. he took to his heels.
 Just then the. old gentleman missed his handkerchief and seeing the boy run. shouted: stop thief" The cry aroused. as 1t always does, the passion for hunting something that Is inc planted ln the human breast. The wrstchea. breathless child agony in his eyes. terror in his strained face, became the quarry Of an eager mob. At last he was caught and knocked down, and when the old gentleman ar- rived and. unwillingiyi enough, identi- fled the lad, he was carried in triumph to the police offlce.
 There the gentleman who gave hts name as Mir. Brownlow tried to have the child released. but the stupid and obstinate Magistrate refused and was about to commit Oliver when the book dealer arrived and testified that the theft had not been committed by him, he having seen the perpetrators run away.
 The excitement and the cruel blow that had felled him proved too much for hin. He had hardly been dls- charged before he fell to the ground insensibie. Hurriadly Mir. Brownlow had him carried to coach and driven to his home.
 He was insenslble for many days. When he returned to life he found hini- self in a pretty room, with snowy cur- tains and bright pictures on the walls such a beautiful place as Oliver had never seen in his workhouse life. A delightful old lady who told him she was Mr. Brownlow's housekeeper, trot- ted around busily and fed him indus triouEly on broth. Soon Mr. Brownlow hustled in, blowing his nose ostenta- tiously and wiping his eyes furtively as he saw the wasted little face and beheld the witheFed little hand that was put forth timidly in greeting.
 Suddenly he stopped short and said to the old lady: Why, Bedwin, look hereI Whats this?"
 He pointed to the boy and then to a picture of a beautiful young girl that hung over his head. Divers face was its living copy; the eyes, the nose, the mouth, every feature was the same.
 Mir. Brownlow's excitement so acted on Oliver in his weakness that he faint ed again, and when he opened his eyes the picture had disappeared. Then fol lowed happy. quiet days of slow recov- cry. When he was well enough to go down stairs, Mir. BrownloW asked him Into the library hear his story, and Oliver was just beginning to tell it when the old gentleman recollected that he had intended to send five pounds to a bookseller who needed the money.
 He intrusted Oliver with the errand. The boy was scarcely out of sight of the house when he was seized by two of Fagin's band-Bill Sikes and a girl named Nancy. Before he could cry out he was dragged Into coach and driv- en to the old house.
 Oliver fell on his knees at Fagin's feet and begged him to send back the money to his benefactor. "He will think that I stole iti" cried he. The good, kind gentleman who took me home and had me nursed when I was near dying! Oh. keep me here all my life, but send him back the moueyp'
 chuckled Fagin. "He will think you've stolen it."
 "Yes." growled Bill Sikes. "and the soft-hearted psalm singer won't ask questions after him because he won't want to prosecute and get him Jagged. So he's safe enough.
 "So you wanted to stay away from us. my dear, eh?" ask-s F1gin. pick ing up a club and striking Oliver. He was raising the weapon for another blow when the girl Nancy wrested 1t from him and flung 1t into the fire.
 'You'vs got the boy" said she, "and what more would you have2 Let him he, let him be, or I shall put that mark on some of you that will bring me to the gallows ahead of time."
 "Come, come. Sikes." said Fagin, shrinking back and appealing to the big rufian, "make her civil. We must have civil words"
 "Civil words!" cried the girl, "Civll words! You deserve them from mel I thieved for you when r was not half so old as this child I wish had been struck dead before brought him here tonight He's Q thieR, a liar, a devil, all that's bad. from this night forthF