The Cotton Factory Times. — 1911-12-08 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

FRANK MAYNARD.  SYNOPSIS OF OPENING CHAPTERS.  Jake Dagton, a notorious criminal and convict, is dying in a Liverpool lodging-house. During his illness—which he knows will be fatal— he has written a confession of murder committed in the West Riding of Yorkshire eighteen years before, and placed it, along with some documen. stolen from the body of his victim, under tin pillow. Several men had been arrested on suspicion of having committed the murder, but all had been discharged. Dagton, desirous the confession shall reach the hands of the police after his death, entrusts it to a new arrival at the lodging-house, a young fellow whose eyes remind him of someono--that someone being a woman whom he had deceived and din graced years before. The young fellow gives bin name an Bill Kearsley. In reality his name is Hemden, and he is the illegitimate son of the exconvict and the woman whom the latter deceived. He has traced Dagton to the lodging-house intent on avenging his dead mother's wrong. As he peonen the papere he bends over the bed and discloses his identity to his callous father, who, a little later, dies. hit Maggl., the lodging-house keeper, who has been listening at the door, gsee for a doctor, and in her absence the young fellow departs, taking with him the papers. Jessie Ainsworth, a handeome girl of twenty, is employed in the cardroom of a Bolton cotton mill, tne " head carder" (foreman) of which has an evil reputation. His name is Ilan Gaskell. He finds fault with Je.ie'a work because she res.ta his bare advances. Je.ie's own father died when rho was a babe (there in some mystery attached to his death, which took place in Yorkshire), and her mother had nurried for second husband a Bolton miner named Iladley. Ile in employed at Carlton Pit, a abort distance from the town. A new manager, named Armitage, hailing from Yorkshire, has recently been appointed at the pit. HP is a splendid specimen of young manhood. Jessie has oo.sion to visit an old. woman living near the it, She is followed by Dan GaakeLl, arid 1 awoosterl by him in a lonely lane. She is saved from his itionilis by a well-set-up fellow, who has approached from the direction of the pit. Arnuttege falls in 10. with Jessie. He leer,ns she is Mrs. Hadley's daughter by a previous marriage, her name being Ainsworth. The name recalls to Iris mind a murder committed eighteen 'ears ago, the victim's being the same. Araage's father had been ..pected of having committed the crime. The young fellow attributes the similarity of name to coincidence. Jessie's stepfather visits the mill with a horsewhip, arid compels Dan Gaskell to apologi. to .I.aie. Armitage is present. Gaakell absents hirn.lf from the mill for several days on a plea of sickness. In a public-bourn he falls in with a young fellow who inquires about Armitage and the pit which he manages. He gom to the pit nd obtaine employment, giving he name as llernden. Florence Armitage, the manager's -utter, come, from Halifax to keep house for her brother, and whilst walking with him through ono of the principal street; she recognise, in Hemden a man whom she had 60011 in Ilalifax making en. quince with regard to the murder of eighteen .years before. Sister and brother meet 'lrene Ainsworth, who promises to visit Florrie. The following Monday Armitage asks Hemden if he has been in Halifax recently. He answers that he has not. .1s Armitage turns away Helielee taking a small wallet from his pocket containing papers, chuckles to himself: "Yes, they're there safe enough to put the 'screw' on him when I want."