The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-02

IS en-? he growled. Well. then,
look mere. This is powder. That
ere's a bullet. This is a little bit Of
a old hat for waddin'.' He proceed
ed to load the pistol with great nicely
ana dellberation Then he put the
barrel TO the boys head. "Now."
SAID he. savagely, "if You speak a
word when O go out with me, ex-
cept when | speak to you, that load
ing will be in your head without no
tice!'
Having been Joined by Toby Crack
It. they made their way, circuitously,
to h country house marked out for
robbery. With a final terrible threat.
Skies lifted the little boy to the win
dow and pushed him through. Trem-
bllng with terror, the lad crept for
ward with only one conscious idea in
his beWildered brain. It was to a\4rm
the inmate as soon as he was out Of
range Of Skies pistol.
re had not moved far when the
housebreaker shouted: Back! Back"
Ihere was a flash and a stunning re-
port, and Oliver fell. lie had stag
gered and tumbled backward where
Skies could reach him. The powerful
man pulled him through the little ap-
erture and set off at top speed carry
ing the boy slung over his back, head
down. The house servant. Who had
ShOt him, pursued them with others
whom the alarm had raised. and at
last. the rObber, hard pressed, drop
ped his burden in a ditch and ran off.
Skies cursed when he saw that he
was alone. n that Toby Crackit,
thanks to long legs and a long head,
had gotten clear away, having start
ed off at the first alarm. Mr.. Crackit
succeeded in keeping SO far ahead of
the hunt that he managed to get to
London. while Skies had to lie close
IN the country, waiting a more favor
able opportunity.
Mr.. Crackit was amazed when he
saw the effect hat his news had or
F'agin. THE boy! The boy" scream
ed Fasin. looking like a red devil
He pulled his grizzled, matted hair
he vas sorely frightened or excited
and rushed h%eadlong out Of a den tc
Skies dwelling place.
He found only Nancy there: and ir
his rage he at her that
Skies must bring the boy back at any
cost. He's worth hundreds of pounds
to me.' he cried, his fury getting the
better Of his usual prudence. II
Skies comes back and doesn't brinq
the boy. murder him yourself if you'G
have him escape Jack ketch. I car
hang him with half a dozen Words
Hardly had he uttered the threat
before he regained his presence OF
mind. He stole a frightened look a
the girl. h stared at him listlessly
stupidity. and presented every appear.
ance Of being quite drunk-an ap.
pearance which was borne out by {
smell of gin that perNaded the room
:. Fagin out a few cunning questions t
her. She answered so ramblingly tina
ho fo1f occ,1rol che had MT onnonro
hended what he had uttered in hi
! fury. He cast one last look at her
as she sat at the table,, her heat
l dropping heavily, and stepped softl.
S from the room.
r A change came over her instantly
t She was UP and after him. Hurried,
. as he went. far as he went, she pur
, sued him as steadily. as softly. as IN
escapable as a shadow. Tate was clos
. around them all: on this very nigh
/ when hi had betrayed himself an,
: sent her to SOY on him. he went t
meet Monks. the man who wanted
< Oliver Twist kept out Of the way.
Nancy managed to hear what the,
said. She learned enough to make
good guess at the secret.
g When Skies succeeded at last i
T entering London again Fagin's oil,
t4ldSh VI Ii 11dSi liz ~ III d
on him once more. By this time the,
S knew hat the mate Of the hous
: had found Oliver. taken him in an
8 nursed him through his wound; tina
he had told them his story; and tina
n the tender-hearted people had decid
ed not to pursue the criminals 70
fear Of getting the boy into troubl
with the authorities. The spies VIII
had learned all this for Fagin report
It ed that Oliver was to stay with hi
+ new protectors. But by this time, too
t the girl Nancy. spying indefatigabl
d on Fagin, had nearly all about Monk
e and his
She had seen many children de
stroyed body and soul by Fagin as sh
It had been hersElf, and she had feI
i hardly an emotion about it. But fror
the very beginning there had bee
l. something about the utter i%nnocenc
Of Oliver that stirred her. 1t stirre