The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-01-13

are kept.
The half-crown was dropped into
Billy's expectant palm. and Mrs. Vine
altered her orders to her Goa lehman
Immediately.
Billy Watson fell back. chuckling.
That's what comes o. 'aving yer
ears hopen and yer heyes awake!" 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 a little way off.
"Gfe's a copper. m'lord." he cried.
running after 1t and clinging on to the
splashboard at the imminent risk OF
his life.
Get out, you young BLACKBOARD.
Why should give you anything?"
Il could tell you sopething about
them as would have settled we short
off If yer hadn't had luck"
Get off. or III call a policeman and
give you in charge"
You'd best give them in charge as
knocked ye 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. Il
believe you must be the very boy who
disappeared out OF Mr.. McGillup's
shop, Do 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 amt thief, but if was prop
erly paid I might tell where them as
is thieves. is to be found"
"Oho. so you want to turn inform
err do your
Il want TO become honest my
lord" answered Billy. with fervor
that was not altogether hypocritical.
Il don't want to be mixed up with
criminals any longer II so be as I
could see my way to tidy little sum
as 'ud 'elp 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 a
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 IL, but /
have nothing to do with the assault
your friends committed upon the gen.
tleman you mention; 1t was not me at,
all. it was another person altogether
whom they knocked over"
"Oh, go along" grinned Billy. dis
believingly. II know'd it was you.
seed you
We'll. you are wrong as 1t happens:
however. I haven't time argue it out
with you now. but II 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 a shilling.
Il knows the address. sir. I'll be
there. never fear
But Billy Watson never did 20 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. ciutched
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.. McGillups shop.
He had had a 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 IL Il
would not pay him better to turn upon
his employers. He was rather afraid
of it-afraid of calling down their ven
geance, Ind afraid. too. with an in
stinctivc 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 to 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 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. IA talking to gents in
'ansoms and a swaggerin' as if he was
| a lordi"
Young an requires watching, / ex-
pect," rejoined Shuffler. Il tell you
what. Jim, that there boy knows too
much. He could tell a tale or two. If
that boy chose he could get us all
clapped into Jail: he wants watchin'.
| he does"
We'll. I'd watch him now, if I was
| you"
That's 'zactly what | means to do.
You go off and give the tip to the
farquis, and / stops ERE and keeps
~ heye on Billy for the rest of the
that's what / means to do
Jim went off as he was told. Shut
| fer followed Billy at a respectful dis
| lance, and by-and-by. overcome with
an unwonted sense of repletion. Billy
went to sleep on the doorstep of an
| empty house, and whilst he slept.
| Shuffier reclincd against lamp post
hard by. and watched over his slum-
bers with the devotion of n mother.
In the second room in the Burlington
| House. between 5 and o'clock that
| afternoon, there was played out a
| 2ther curious little incident. The ac-
.ors in the short chapter out of this
sonedy 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
IONS famous DictrIrP III was the No.