The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1884-05-03 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

HARRY BLYTH.  CHAPTER XLI.  The plotter stared at Walter aghast. " The old fool has confessed," he murmured to himself. "And you have the choice of two courses, Mr. Furneaux. You can either leave this place quietly or you can be kicked out of it."  Few men have ever swore as Leon swore then; few have threatened as he did; few have foamed so at the mouth as he did, as he reluctantly retreated into the street before Walter's threatening fist and ready foot. The unexpected had indeed happened, and for the moment he was baffled. But he made up his mind that he would be revenged—come what might he would make them all suffer. He had only a paltry ten or fifteen pounds in his possession, and meanwhile he would go to London and consult with his friend Haynes as to whether something could not be done. But if Greer and Howell were friends, it was not easy to see how he was to get money from either of them. He had never felt so evil or so miserable in his life, and on the journey he glared on his fellow-travellers as though he could have slain them. With the knowledge that his crime was discovered and forgiven, all thought of suicide fled from Mr. Greer's mind, and he faithfully made full restitution to Walter. Pleading ill-health, he left his business in Kilmarnock in the charge of a manager, and it was some time before any of his friends saw him. When he did return he was still shy of meeting Walter. But he managed to get over it and visited his neice and her husband. The young man strove to make the one who had for so long kept him out of his rights as much at ease as possible, but to confess the truth neither cared for each othel's society very much. Marjory had been housekeeper to Walter's father, and she was now housekeeper to Walter himself. At least she called herself so. Walter and Kate always spoke of her as dear old Marjory, and she was allowed to have complete command of their great house. Very proud of her position she is, I do assure you, and with her lace cap on and her rich trimmings she issues the orders with the air of a queen. It is true that the younger servants say she is a "stuck-up old thing," but then what do discreet housekeepers care for what the younger servants say? She is devoted to Walter's interests, and she regards Walter's altered circumstances with peculiar complacency, for with the egotism of age she firmly believes that she has brought this glorious change about. The spotted lady died, and Joe and Mr. Forrest were very near getting into serious trouble over this business. They managed, however, and by the skin of their teeth, to escape prosecution, and Joe very resolutely drank himself back to the prison from which he had so recently emerged, and to which he had been committed for the same offence. Old Mr. Forrest was offered a very comfortable income on the condition that he " abjured'sack and lived cleanly." With great readiness he accepted the offer, and he is now a somewhat extravagant flaunter of the cerulean emblem. lam afraid, though, that he has not entirely abandoned the bottle, but in his old age he has learnt sufficient discretion to keep himself from the sight of men when his tongue has an inclination to wag too freely and his legs feel cramped in a thoroughfare not especially made to suit their peculiar requirements. Leon Furneaux was never again seen alive by Mr. Greer. He had carried out his intention of calling on Mr. Haynes, and to his annoyance he found Bella in the office making inquiries about the cheerful villa he had taken for her, and wanting to know why people avoided it so. The old "To Let" board that had been stuck on a post in the garden she had discovered in one of the back places, and seeing Mr. Haynes' name on it, she had determined to question him. She left the office with Leon, and, he being unable to shake her off, they stayed together at their old hotel. The next that was heard of them was that they were both in one of the London hospitals dangerously ill with typhoid fever. Then came the news of their death. So Mr Leon's Typhoid Villa experiment turned out more successfully than he had bargained for. Leon had no occasion to echo Mr. Greer's old cry of" Kilmarnock for Ever," but Walter has, and he does. It was there, or in its neighbourhood, he says, that he met the sweetest wife that ever blessed loving husband—Kate of Carmel Water.