The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-21

beat her much oftener.
 What was 1t that made this strange thing grow even in that degraded life? Ask what makes love spring up in the very pit-for this was love, wretehed, distorted. evil as 1t could not help but be. growing in such a wretched and evil soil-yet 1t was lovei We know only that it Is so, and so with thousands of wom- en as bad and wretched as she was, something that holds them through ev- cry suffering and i'll usagel
 Though there was no feeling remote ly resembling this passion in that ana tomical part of MT. Sikes known as his heart. his feeling for Nancy might be called almost exalted in one respect at least. He trusted her; and as he never had trusted any human being before it was evident that there was something like high emotion in his breast. Indeed her trustworthiness became his boast, and over quart pots of liquor he sang her praises in magnificent oaths
 One day Mir. Fagin, in persuit of his educational life york; picked up a young boy who said that his name was
 
 the poorhouse authorities of nearby village to escape their charity which was so scientific that 1t proved triumphant iy how nearly a human being could be starved to death without quite perish ing.
 Oliver knew nothing of his parentage except that his mother had been picked up dying on the roadside and that he had been born in the poorhouse, to which they carried her. When Fagin found him. and took him to his den, he did so merely because he thought that the waif's innocent face would make him an excellent asset as a pocketbook Before long. however, he learned that Oliver was a better asset than that.
 A man who had possession of a small fortune to which the boy was heir had started secret inquiries, hoping to as- sure himself that Oliver was dead and that his possession could not be disputed The search led him at last to Fagin: and that kindly old gentleman, always es CT to do benevolent deeds, agreed to keep the lad in his hands and make | a thief of him. MT. Fagin did not tell the visitor that he would have made a thief of Oliver anyway. He pocketed the excellent bribe that was offered and | hugged himself at the gleeful thought l of the many other sums that he would extort as hush money in the future. As a first step toward carrying out | his plans, Fagin decided to lend Oliver to MT. Sikes. who had a house breaking job in mind which demanded the ser vices of small boy to crawl through a pantry window. Before they started MT. Skes stood the boy up in front of him while he produced a pistol. "You know wot this Is. eh?" he growled. Well, then. look here. This Is powder. That | 'ere's a bullet. This is a. little bit of a old hat for waddin'" He proceeded to load the pistol with great nicety aud de- liberation. Then he put the barrel to the boys head "Now," said he say agely, 'if you speak word when you go out with me, except when I speak to you. that loading will be in your head without noticer'
 Having been joined by Toby Crackit, they made their way, circuitously, to the country house marked out for rob bery. With a final terrible threat. Sikes lifted the little boy to the window and pushed him through. Trembling with terror the lad crept forward with only one conscious idea in his bewildered brain. It was to alarm the inmates as soon as he was out of the range of Sikes' pistol.
 He had not moved far when the house breaker shouted: Back, Backw There
 was flash and a stunning report and Oliver fell. He had staggered and tum- bled backwards where Skes could reach him. The powerful man pulled him through the little aperture and set off | at top speed, carrying the boy slung over his back, head down. The house ser- want. who had shot him, pursued them with others whom the alarm had raised, and at last the robber hard pressed, dropped his burden in ditch and ran | off
 Sfkes cursed when he saw that he was alone and that Tony Crackit, thanks to long legs and long head, had gotten clear away, having started off at the first | alarm. MT. Crackit succeeded in keeping so far ahead of the hunt that he man. aged to get to London, while Sikes had to lie close in the country waiting a more favorable opportunity
 Mr. Craclxit was amazed when he saw the effect that his news had on Facin ''The boyl The boyr screamed Faein. looking like red devil He pulled his grizzled, matted hair, as his vehement manner was when he was sorely fright ened or excited, and rushed headlonp out of a den to Sikes' dwelling place. He found only Nancy there; and in his rage he screamed at her that sikes must bring the boy back at any cost He's worth hundreds of pounds to mel, he cried, his fury getting the better of his usual prudence. "If Sikes comes hack and doesn't bring the boy murder him yourself If you'd have him escape Jack Ketch. I can hang him with a half a dozen words."
 Hardly had he uttered the threat before he regained his presence of mind. He stole a sfrightened look at the girl. She at him llstlessly, stupidly, and presented every appearance of being quite drunk = an appearance which was borne out by a smell of gin that pervaded the room. Fa- gin put few cunning questions to her She answered so ramblingly that he felt assured she had not comprehended what he had uttered in his fury. He cast one last look at her, as she sat at the table her head dropping heavily, and stepped softly from the room.
 ohoroo ca1r,a over her tuefanti.- G..