Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-11-09


That's what comes O. 'aving yer
ears hopen and yer heyes awakel" he
calculated with satisfaction. BILLY,
my boy, you wasn't heducated first
class for nothin'"
He turned back. Lord Netherville's
hanson was following Mrs. Vines
brougham little way Off
"Gi'e's a copper, m'lord." he cried
running after it and clinging on to the
splashboard at the imminent risk of
his life
Get out. you young BLACKBOARD.
Why should I give you anything?"
could tell you something about
them as would have settled We short
off if yer hadn't had luck"
Get off. or I'll call policeman and
give you in charge"
You'd best give them in charge as
knocked We on the cad and left yur
for dead under an edge and would
have had your jools if We had had
them about yer"
What?" The words arrested his
attention. What do you mean by
that, you young beggar?" he asked. II
believe you must be the very boy who
disappeared out of Mr. McGilup's
shop To YOU know that Mr.. McGillup
has offered a reward for news of you,
you young theft"
He Amt offered no reward TO me.
and l ain't<a thief. but If l was prop
erly paid l might tell where them as
is thieves, Is to be found"
Ohio! so you want to turn inform
er, do you?"
Il want to become honest, my
lord" answered Billy, with a fervor
that was not altogether hypocriticaI.
I don't want to be mixed up with
criminals any longer. If so be as 1
could see my way to a tidy little sum
as ud clip me to start in business for
myself. why. then I'd break off for
ever with them as as led me astray."
Lord Netherville was silent for
minute. He had no particular desire
to reward Billy Watson himself, nor
did he care about bringing the boys
late accomplices to justice, 1t was
none of his business. But he had a
shrewd idea that Rupert Carroll would
be very glad to unravel the mystery of
the attack which had been made upon
him.
Look here boy" he said, after a
short pause, Il can't wait now, and |
daresay you won't believe it. but I
have nothing to do with the assault
your friends committed upon the gem
tIeman you mention; it was not me at
all. 1t was another person altogether
whom they knocked over"
"Oh, go along" grinned Billy, dis
believingly, Il know'd 1t was you. l
seed you"
We'll you are wrong as 1t happens:
however, / haven't time argue it out
with you now. but If you will come to
this address-my rooms in Victoria
street-at o'clock this evening, you
shall tell your story to a gentleman
whom it interests far more than it
does me-"
He gave him his card and tossed
him shilling.
Il knows the address. sir I'll be
there. never fear"
But Billy Watson never did go to
Victoria street, for reasons which shall
hereafter be explained. Netherville
told his cabman to drive on quickly,
and soon disappeared down the road
Billy strolled along leisurely, whis-
Ting gaily to himself. His little. claw :.
like hand well thrust into the depths
of his ragged trousers pocket, clutched
the two silver coins with greedy Joy.
He had had a good afternoons work
already. At this rate he might soon
hold up his head In the world again.
Billy Watson had fallen very low
since he had been made by his tyrant-
to abscond from Mr.. McGillup's shop
He had had rough time OF it-blows.
and kicks had been his daily portion.
and starvation and raggedness had be-
come his normal condition.
Billy had begun to wonder lf 1t
would not pay him better to turn upon
his employers. He was rather afraid
of it-afraid of calling down their ven
geance, and afraid, too, with an In
stinctive shrinking, of the police that
he had lodged himself so often and so
successfully.
He bethought him he might be able
TO square" things in an amateur fash
ion 20 his own benefit. much better
than by deliberately giving his friends
up to justice. Mr.. McGillup might
think it worth while to pay him some
thing-Lord Netherville. too. might
like to have that old affair cleared up
for a consideration. If he could only
scrape together a few pounds. he
would cut and run and set up some
where else
He would not have been quite so
delighted perhaps had he been aware
of the proximity of some of his old
friends
What's he up to now" growled
Jim. who was lounging at an adjacent
street corner. "a talking to gents in
'ansoms and a swaggerin' as il he vas
lord,"
Young an requires watching. l ex-
pect." rejoined Shuffier u tell you
what. Jim, that there boy knows too
much. He could tell tale or two. If
that boy chose he could get us all
clapped into jail: he wants watchin'.
he does"
Well I'd watch him now, If I was
YOU"
That's 'zactly what / means to do.
You so Off and give the tip to the
Marquis. and l stops ere and keeps
my heye on Billy for the rest of the
day--that's what l means 10 do
Jim went of as he was told. Shut
fer followed Billy at a respectful dis
lance. and by-snd-by. overcome with
an unwonted sense of repletion. Billy
went to sleep on the doorstep of an
empty house. and whilst he slept.
Shuffier reclined against a lamp-post
hard by, and watched over his slum-
hers with the Devotion of a mother.
In the second room in the Burlington
House. between and s o'clock that
afternoon. there was played out
rather curious little incident. The ac-
tors in the short chapter out of this
comedy in human life. appeared upon
the scene one after the other.
The first TO arrive was Lord Meth
erville who planted himself upon a
vacant seat exactly opposite Leigh
tons famous picture II was the pic
ture of the year, about which every
body was talking but OF which he
took no more notice than If it had been
4 signboard