The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-06-16
Condensation by
Alfred s. Clark
sINIsTER bid OF prey seeued

stern Of dirty rowboat, his
eyes fixed upon the broad waters OF
the Thames, his arms bare, his hair
matted his clothes mud-begrimed.
Twilight deepened the shadows cast
by the huddled buildings of London,
hut his gaze did not swerve. His
daughter, a girl of twenty, rowing in
obedience to his mods. regarded him
with fascinated dread. Suddenly he
stinened; the bird of prey had sighted
the quarry. A few minutes later be-
hind the boat body bobbed and
lunged. Hexam had found another
corpse, the pockets OF another drowned
soul TO rifle. II was this grisly llvelI-
hood that was reflected In the fright
ened eyes OF Lizzie Hexam.
The story OF that find was to be
talked about In drawing rooms; In
dingy homes along the waterslde and
IN the comfortable bar Of the Six Jolly
Fellowshlp-Porters; In the musty shop
OF Mr.. Venus where skeletons leaped
out Of corners as the fire frightened !;
In Boffln's Bower behind which rose
the dust-mounds that had created the
Harmon fortune. For the body was
identified as that Of John Har-
mon, returned to England to claim
n fortune of 100000, left him by an
eccentric father upon condition that
he wed a girl whom he had never
seen.
John Harmon was decreed dead and
the fortune came TO Nicodemus Bofin.
He remained the same unaffected and
iOvable man he had been In the past
when he was foreman In charge OF the
dust heaps. They were slngularly
happy. were Mr. and Mrs. Bofin. Men
and women laughed at their oddities
but never with malice. Commonplace
as they were. there was a sterling
worth to them.
Eager TO atone for his lack of school
ing, Mr.. Bofiln hired Sllas Wegg,
wooden-legged vendor OF sweets and
ballads, to read aloud Gibbons story
Of Rome. His eyes popped with
establishment as Wegg plowed stolldly
ahead, making havoc OF Roman names.
II didn't think there was half 80 many
Scarers in print" Mr.. Bofiin muttered
sagely.
He acquired, too a ward and sec
Rotary. Bella Wilfer had been named
In the Harmon will as the sons future
bride. Her bllghted hopes so troubled
Mr.. Bofiin that he installed her in his
home, treating her like n beloved
daughter. And soon after John Har-
mon disappeared there came into Lon
don mysterious John Rokesmith, who
obtained the position OF secretary. A
secretive man was John Rokesmlth,
unwilling to speak OF his past.
Rogue Riderhood. former partner
and now sworn enemy to Jesse Haxam,
set afoot suspicious that Hexam had
murdered John Harmon and the law
trailed the vulture OF the Thames. II
found Jesse dangling behind his boat
ne 30 many had dangled there before,
swept overheard and caught In his
rope. Eugene Wrayburn was one OF
the trailers, and again he looked into
the clear eyes of Lizzie Hexam.
Lizzie found refuge with Fanny
Cleaver, better known as the Dolls
Dressmaker, a fantastic little creature
with a tongue as sharp as the needle
she 30 necessarily piled. Intrudlng
into Llzzle's life came the love of
Bradley Headstone. morose man, and
OF Eugene Wrayburn, conscious that
she was too far below him for mar
riage, unwilling to do her harm, and
yet unable to resist his longing TO be
near her.
Rejected, Bradley Headstone vowed
vengeance upon the man whom he be-
lieved responsible. In the BofIin
home, too, unhapplness was broodlng.
Bella Wilfer, her head turned by
wealth. remembering poverty at home.
set her heart upon wedding a rich
man and discouraged John Roke-
smith. The secretary had other trou-
bles. He was trying TO put together
the past. He recalled a voyage, a
ship upon which he was known as
John Harmon. He remembered COM
ing ashore and going with a mate TO
the house OF Rogue Riderhood. Some
where was a room where he drank cof-
Zee. Then stupefactiOn, with CLEANS
OF memory concerned with n fight, a
slide, cold water swirling about him.
a rescue and a decision TO test Bella
by taking another name. After that
the discovery OF the mates body. mis-
taken for that OF John HNrmon.
Suddenly Mr.. BOfIin seemed to lose
his amlabilIty. He was gruff with his
secretary; he turned 20 stories about
misers. "The more save. tho more
you shall have" he said 10 Bella. but
Ihe did not like the cunning look in
hls eyes. Nor was Silas Wegg aloOf
from the lust for money. He cast COW
'tous eyes upon the mounds that had
Jade NJ Boflln "the Golden Dust
man," He explored their lowla Ids
ind their sumn'ts. poking about for
reasure. PerhNiS there might be an