Year: 1867

meanest quarters of London, misel
sat pouring over a heap of gold and
gems. The only furniture in the room
was an old rieketty chair small deal
table and iron pot. The miser sat in
the chair, his treasure was spread on
the table, he was gloating over it by q
farthing rushlight, the only luxury lie
i ever INDUCED in.


I This treasure was vast in amount,
much of it consisting OF diamonds
which now many in number, and some
Of large size, glittered before the mi
ser's eager eyes.


The room which the miser occupied
was one of the several in an old rickety
building which contained number OF
tenants, some of them as poor in fact
as he was in appearance. Now It hap
pened that about a week. before the
night we speak of q burglar had taken
up his quarters in an adjoining room,
which was only separated from the mi
ser's by board partition, and in one
place i'll this partition there was small
crack. Coming into his room late one
night, the man Of crime perceived a
faint glimmer Of light, and Supplying bis
eye to the crevice, discovered the mi
ser in the act Of counting over his treas
ure. He watched him eagerly till he
put 1t away, but could not see where he
hid it. The next day after the man
had gone, he entered his room with 6
; skeleton key and made search for his
treasure, but did not succeed in finding
it, SO carefully was it concealed Now
bent on possessing it, he returned to
his own room and nearly cut away g
board, large enough to permit him to
crawl through, and carefully put it back
to its place, determined that the next
time the old nliser should count his
treasure he would be with him.


While, therefore on the present nj glt,
the miser was engaged with his treas
ure, the burglar very softly removed
the cut board and crept forward as
stealtbily as cat, till he stopped Just
behind the man he had come to murder
and rob.


"Ah!' groaned the miser, at length,
beginning toEarouse from the fascina-
ton which a@sight Of his treasure had
thrown over him, ''this really does Ely
soul good, but it rs two expensive to be
looking at it. by this costly light I
must say good night to you, my lovely
gold and glorious diamonds, aHd must
81 back into M boz where, as I can,
vii add good honest companions, /
Viii assure YOU"


At this moment, as if his soul had
fsud5enly took an impression from the
evil influence hoveriBg over niEl, he
started, shuddered, and threw his eyas
quickly, around, It was his last hook
Like tiger springing upon his prey
the robber clutched him by the throat
with both hands, and stranaled him SO
quick that he never uttered q cry.


AS soon as he was satisfied that his
victim was dead, the robber lifted the
body and laid it upon the straw IN the
attitude Of natural repose, seized his
i'll acquired treasure and thrust it into
different pockets, blew out the light,
and crept into his own apartment, and
carefully replaced the board Then he
drew a long breath, and sat down to
consider his situation and altered cir
cnmstances.. lie was now, by one bold,
wicked deed, the possessor of q fortune
an amount SO vast that he fairly tren-
bled to think Of it. What was he TO
do next? How to keep and turn it to
account? He was man of crime, q
convict, who had only recently returned
from transportation, liable to be ar
rested at any moment His best plan
he thought would be to get out Of the
country as soon as possible; and as it
would be dangerous for him to remain
where he was even till morning, the first
thing for him to do was to leave his
quarters at once, and get on board the
first vessel going directly out to Amer
lea.


Day was just breaking as the mur-
derer reached the bank of the Thames,
in the quarter ofthe Shipping, and he
was ahjectly skulking along, actually
attracting observation In his efforts to
avoid it, when he was terribly startled
at hearing a sharp voice sing out:


"dallo, Flipper Jimmy,whea did you
get back p


Flipper Jimmy, as he was familiarly
called by his associates, looked quickly
around, and beheld, Of all others, the
very man who had arrested him prior
to his transportation. Had he stopped
and spoken to the officer all would have
/ been well !: for the latter only intended
a friendly hail, and to let him know
that he was about and ready to arrest
him again if necessary. But the MUIR
derer, with his guilty. conscience, and
vast treasures, was to much frightened
to act with cunning or even with reason
and he. bounded away.


"Oho - cried the officer, ''that's it
eh p and at once bounded after him.


There were very few people astir in
| this quarter, and the two had q clear
run along the quay. Finding the Off
Ger gained upon him and determined
not to be captured, the copvict sudden
" plunged head foremost into the wa
ter with view to passing under a YES
sci, and either concealing himself, or
escape on theother side This attempt,
however. proved Fatal, for his head
came in contact with the sharp corner
of q half slnken anchor, and was split
open at once.


The officer now called to his Assist
apce roueh looking man, VINO had
/ evidently just arrived from a night, s
sleep among some lumber, and the two
soon had the body Of the rohber on the
quay. rs


Here's work for the coroner" said
| the officer, as much Thinking aloud AZ