The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-12
she tears your heart to pieces. |


 she tears your heart to pieces, love herr'
 That night Pip lay awake with Mss Havishafn's words sounding in his ears. A burst Of gratitude came upon him that she should be destined for the blacksmfth's boy Then he thought, when would she begin to love him? T love her. l love her. Hove her." he said to his pillow.
 He thought those were high and noe ble emotions. He never thought that there was anything low and ignobie In knew that Estelia would be contempt- uos of him.. It was but a little while ago that Joe had brought tears of love to his eyez. They had soon dried, God forgive him. soon dried.
 So came Pip's twenty-hrst birthday. MT. Jaggers sent for him then and in- formed him that thenceforth he was to receive an allowance of 500 pounds . year. It came as welcome news. for Pipss conscience was troubling him not only about the amounts of money that he owed, but the extravagances into which he had led Herbert Pocket. who was poor and could not afford them.
 With the aid of MT. Jagger's chief clerk he arranged with a young ship ping broker to take Herbert into part nership. Pip paid him half of his an- nuai allowance down and signed secret articles engaging for certain other pay ments. Not the least suspicion was aroused in Herbert. and when he came home one evening in a flush of excite ment. with his honest face shining with pleasure. to announce that his opening had come at last, Pip furtively wiped a tear out of his eye, and felt with an unwonted joy that his great expectations had done some good to somebody.
 So his twenty-frst year passed. ana his twsnty-seeond and his twenty-third And then one black and stormy and wretched night he heard a strange voice on his staircase and a man came up.
 He was dressed roughly, like a voy- ager by sea. He had long iron-gray hair. His age was about sixty He was muscular and brown. A bright and gratified look was in his flee and he held out both hands.
 The next moment Pip knew him! If the wind and rain had swept away the intervening years he could not have known his convict better than he knew him nowl
 Again he held out his hands. Be- wildered, Pip gave his He raised them to his lips, kissed them and stlll held them.
 'Tf you have come to thank me" said Pip, 'it was not necessary. "sfiii, there must be something good in the feeling that brought you. But you must understand that cannot wish to renew that chance intercourse with you. am glad that you have come to thank me. but our ways are different ways
 As Pip finished he saw with new amusement that the mans eyes were full of tears.
 Put it." he said faltsrinsiy, "as man as had done wonderful well as sheep farmer and stock breeder out there in New South Wales had remem- bered a good turn as was done him. And put it as he had picked out some lawyer--some lawyer whose name be- gun with 'J' and might be Jaggers-'
 Pip could not speak. The room seem- to reel around him. His Great Expec- tattons had come home to him in one triKhtful revelation.
 "Yes. Pip" continued the convict. 'T've made a gentleman of youi It's me wot has done itl I liver rough that you should live smooth. I work ed hard that you should be above work. drops my knife many q time in my lone hut when was a-eating and says Here's the boy again. looking at me whIles eats! And swears I'll make that boy a gentleman. And I done ft! That there hunted dunghill dog wot you xep' life in got his head so high that he could make gentleman--and Pip. you're hin!"
 He wiped his eyes and the weli-re- sob came Into his throat.
 T risked my life to come to see you just to come to see you. dear boy" he went on. q must lay close. I was sent away for life, and they'll hang me If I'm took"
 Pip stumbled to the windows and irew the curtains. His blood ran cold. Estella. Miss Havisham. all his old life and his new passed through his stun ned mind. But sharper than the thought of Estells. now lost to him forever. was the thought that he had deserted Joe. looked down on Joe. been ashamed of Joe--for this convict!
 Only one decision came clear and sharp to him as he sat that night ,rooding in the dark after he had seen he old man to bed. It was that under 10 circumstances would he take any nore of his money.
 With the morning came a fresh and lew anxiety. Despite hls horror of the 'elon. he could not bear to think of the 'isk he ran--the deadly risk incurred through his love for the child who had him. He knew that Mir. Jag lers would not help him. Mir. Jag Sers was far too clever to wish to know | hat life convict had returned to Eng 1 and. Pip decided to conhde in Her | pert. Abel Magwitch. or Provis, as | was his assumed name now. saw Her 1 pert. and consented to trust him with lis secret
 Pip's first wild intention, to flee and | 'seape from his terrible patron, was dismissed by him as soon as he realized | hat without him the man ran imml- | ient danger of being captured. Then. Is the days went on. although Pip new IT faltered in his determination to 'roit no longer from the convict's wealth. his frat feelings of horror of