Fifty Pounds Reward

When a youug married clork suddenlv loses his situatioa ia a provincial bank wbere employers are reducing their hands, it doos cotfollow that work can be had for the asking in Loudon; and so Mr. Toni Craven iound himself still seeking employrnent many months after his savings had dwindled down to a few pounds. The lost resources of the young couple was the sale of every available article of furniture they possessed, and when my story opens young Airs. Craven was on the pomt o"f starting to sell the last reinaining article of value, namely, her husband's boots. "The children must live," said tho young man, looking at two tiny figures in the bed, "and all my other clothes are done for, so the boots are of no use to me. The only trouble is that you should have to tako them, Clara. "But, Torn, you can't go without boots!" "I've got slippers," replied Tom. "Make haste, dear- no one will seo you in the dark." Resolved to keep up, Clara stooped for tho boots. "Something must turn up soon- perhaps you'll hear from Brown & Co. to-morrow." she said. "Very likely," responded Toni in a desponáing tone. Brown & Co. were his late employers, and he had wrikten to them asking if they could possibly tako him back- xvilh faint hopes of success. Quickly the boots were put into an old leather bag, and Airs. Craven dressed herself in a shabby waterproof and bonnet, and covered her face with a thiok veil. Then she crept down the creaking old stairs and out into the narrow street, with a heavy hoart and eyes into which tears would come. Gusts of wind made tho steet lampa flicker and cast strauge shadows as Clara Craven sped on toward the shop where "left-off" clothing was purchased. Sho paused a few doors off to let some persons go on their way, for she was sorely asliamed of her errand; and as she stood thus her ejes feil on a placard that was fixed uuder the light of a lamp on the wall of a pólice station. "Fifty pounds sterling reward." "Fifty pounds! How nico to get it!" thought Airs. Craven; and then she took another look to see if the coast was clear for the business shehad in hand. Two more people were coming. Back went her eyes to the placard, and she read that this reward was oflëred to any person who would give such information as would lead to the conviction of a daring jowelry robbery. "Wish I could catch the thief," said Clara to herself, half laughing, half sadly, and when she looked igain toward the wardrobe shop she saw she might venture in. After hearing her husband's boots depreciated in every possible manner, she timidly accopted the pitiful price offered, and then stoio back into the street, where she purchased a few absoluto necessariès of life, and ordered some coal which a green-grocer's boy wheeled in a barrel behind her until they reached tho door of the lodgiug-hou.se. "Would you mimi carrying them up to my room in two basketsfifi if I give you two-pence?" asked Clara, gently. The boy nodded by way of answer, and the young wifo opened the door with her latch-key, and ran up for an old basket. While she was getting this out of her room a man had swif tly entered the house and passed ud the stairs. The coal boy neyer noticed him, for he was eagerly watching the signs of an approaching fight between two tom-cats on an opposite itairway. Tho staircase was very dark, so when Clara carne down the man had squeezed himself iuto a corner uuobsorved; and when she went on her way the stranger passod on to the top of tho house, and entered the room behind that occupieil by the Cravens. An hour later a sung glow of tire warmed the young couplo and their cliildren, and tho latter, having boen satisüed with a meal, went sound asleep. Tom watched his wife's busy iingers mendiug siiabby clothes for a while, and then he, too, went to bed, sharing her fervent hope that 'somothing would turn up to-morrow." And so it canic about that when all were asleep Clara sat on by the fire that still burned clieerlly, and after eleven strokes had tallen slowly from the big clock, and the restless ro:ir of tralie was somewhat less in the ever busy street, her hands lay idle in her lap, and she blow out the eandle to save its light for another time, and : turned such a sad young face, such troubled blue eyes, on the Uickering lire that it seemed hard, hard that so young a life should be so old in sorrow. A sound of yoices in the next room roused her. There was a door comi luunicating with tho noxt room, which, of course, was locked, but which made '. sounds easily heard. Clara know that her compauion was an olderly lady - ' she had met her on the stairs somei times - and she wondered who her visitor could bo at such an hour. Then the sound of frightened sobbing and expostulation made her listen atten1 tively, for she feared herneighbor was in trouble, and she determined to rouso her husband f neceuary. "Not yet, Joe! Oh, don' t say you must go yet!" "Mother, I've Btayed too long ali ready. They'll be ufter me slinrp, now the rewatd's out. Think of fifty pounds sterling, mother! The men who tompted me, and got the jewels, i wou'.d turn on me now und get tho reward." This wa3 it, tlion! But one slight I wooden door Itood ln-tueen Clara and tbe thief t,he she could find. Only to step round the corner. There no knaw was the pólice station, and the news she brousht thwm sbo would get fifty pounds sterling. She clasped lier hands tight ana siu pcrfectly still, all the while knowing that every second lessened her chance of secunng the living piece of property valuod at iifty pounds sterling. In her present straks Iifty pounds sterling seeiued a fortuuo to her. As she sat, her strained oars caught the mother'a voice again. "I'll not keep you, though my heart is breaking. My bonny bo.v come to this! Oh, God, most meiciful, save hiru from a felon's doom!" "Mother, pray for me. If 1 escape I vow to lead an honest life and ruake a home for you. It has not been iny fault. Pray God to forgive and help me." Clara's jraspof her haDds relaxed. Theu, with whito faoo and toarful eyes, she stood up and looked at her two tiny slceping boys. Then npon hor kneesshe feil andstaycd in earnest prayer until she lioard tho stealthy footsteps creop down tbo stairs; then sho stole to the window of her darkened room, and, looking out into the lamp-lit street, watched a quiclc walking figure in an old countrywoman's oloak, with a deep cape and large poke bonnet, such as hor ncighbors always wore, and sho knew that tho young man bad escaped in his mother'1 clothos. One of the mostold-fashionedhouses in au old country town was Miss Greybrook's. A stoep flight of immaculately clean steps led from the pavementof High streot to her hall door, with lts shining brasa knocker and bell handle. Now, this old lady was Torn Craven's godmother, and on tho veyy cold, dull winter morning of which I bave now to speak, sho had risen from her highbacked chair, in front of the bright steel fender, at the sound of the pottnan's knock, and advanced to meot Lheelderly seivantwho brought in the letters on a silver salver. "None from him," said theold lady, when she was alone again, turning sver four letters eagorlv in search of i hand writing that waa not there. "Poor and proud, liko his father! IVell, l'vo seen much folly in my time, out if ho refuses iny offer I question if :here is a compauion idiot for such a man." It was three weoks since she had ivritten to Torn Graven, addressing ïer letter to the office of Brown & Go., yy whom she thought ho was employïd, and ofloring to overlook the hid3ous mistake hehad made in marrying i penniless orpban girl, aud to devote i substantinl saín to further his prospects in life. On the very morning that she was jewailing openly her godson's pride, i.nd secretly her own, our fnend Torn received a reply to the letter he had jent to Brown "& Co,, resrettins' that they eould do nothing to help hini, and inclosing Miss Greybrook's letter, which had been lying uearly three weeks at their office. Clara, withthe sadness of thenight's struggle still upon her, ran down the rickety old stairs at the sound of the postman's knook and received the letter for her husband. When she arrived breathless at the top Üoor igain she watehed his face as ho opened it. The few polite lines from the business men feil unread to the ground, while tho envelopo they enclosed was torn eagerly open. Clara looked over his shoulder and read, too, and theu with one glance at the renewed vigor in his worn, anxious face, she relinquished her role of bravery, and cried out the misery of months in his anus. Robbie waleed and Bertie crawled to the scène of action, and, seeing their motber in tears, lent a shrill to the chorus, upon which they were kissed, blessed and cried over" till they thought the world (represented to them by their father and mother) had gone mad. When partial calmness had returned, Torn spoke joyously : "Now, wife, sell something of your small store and send a telegram from me to the dear old girl!" "Tom," cried Clara, laughing throuak her tears, "how disrespectful!" Bat the telegram was sent and brought in olemn wonderment toMiss Greybrook before ten o'clock by tho postmaster himself. When once she had the opened paper before her oyes, and devourod the informaron that her godson was in London and desirous of seeing her immediately, she gave orders for u ily to be in readiness to catch the next up train, and that her fur traveling cloak and boots be put near the fire immediately. In the anxiety that allthe domestics feit to take a share in the general excitement, Miss Greybrook's cloak threatened to be torn in pieces, and, when wanted, one fur boot was ïound warming in front of tho kitchen liro, the other reposing on the sbecp.s';iu rug beside the drawing-room feud.r. However, vouchsatins; ueyer a word of explanation, but, happily for the sanity of those she left behiud her, dropping the telegram in the hall as she walkert out to the fly, Miss Greybrook slarfced alone on hor travels. The dull, foggy shades of a London winter evening had gathered, and two big and two little faces wero pressed tightly against tho grimy top window of a house in a Weslmitiistor street, as a cab drove up. "Go and bring her uptairs, Clara," said Toni. "I can't go in my slippers." "Yes- but l'm so afraid of her!" All fears were obliged to disappear, however, for the object of them had not waited to be brought up. She had intiraidatcd the landla'dy by tho comnianding voice in which sho had i!esired to be shown to the apartments of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Greybrook Graven; and that fat and lazy person had preceded the strange lady rapidly up so many flights that on reaching the top landing Miss Greybrook stood silent and stately, for she could not spe:ik. She waved the landlady down again, just as the kitter wanted tolook in and see what would happen next. Then Tom advanued, and hls godmother kissed him lirst, theu his wife. Then observing Robby and Bertie, she grimly smiled, and remarked aloud, uut to hevself, evidently: "Children, of course- being as poor as church raice." Looking around the wretched room, and sliaking tte threo ehairs, she chose the least rickety and sat down. "Pack up- haven't arot much to pack that I can see. You must all come back with me tonight." Tom Craven and his wife exchanged glauces, and at last Tom deferontially ventured 10 speak: "You see, dear godmother, we - we need a few things to make us presentable at your house." "Eh! what? My houso is my own. Como as you are. "The worst must be said, then. But - please excuso'such a state of matter, but - I've got no boots. "Boots! my godson without boots! Here, Clara- that's your name 1 believo, run out and buy all you need for everybody, and let us get out of this place, for I can't breathe." Away ran poor Clara, holding tho fat purse Miss Greybrook pushed into her hand, aud all unconscious what sho carried in it. It feit so ful!, however, that she took a cab and drovo first to a boot shop, wiiere she purchascd for her children, her husband and hers'elf. 'Xhen camo a big overcoat for Tom, and wraps for the little ones, and she told the cabnjan to dvivo home fast. She had paid for her jiurchases with gold, and bank noies crackled as sho closed the purou. Miss Greybrook eamcd out hor intention and b-."it!o - them all to the station. The cbildren slept all the wny in the comfortable first class carriage. It was eleven o'clock when thoy drovo up to the door of the old lady's houso, and sho grimly counted n've heads in night-eaps thrust out into the night air ïrum lier neighbors' Windows, araong them the rector's with a flannel rolled round as an extra proection. Inside the house all was done in the right way as soon as the word was given. "My godson and his wife and children have como to live with me. Light largo tires in the two best rooms, and get supper." Three years had passed. Torn was flourishing in a large iirm in a seaport town whero his godmother's monoy had bought him a partnership. It was only a short daily rail way journoy to his work, and he and his faniily were still happy inmates of Miss Greybrook's houso. One day Clara accompanied her husband to this seaport town, and, before taking leave of him at his oflico door, ana pioceeding to niake the purchase which was her ostensible reason for bringing her bonnie face and fresh winter oostume through the griruy streets, she waited while he went in for a book he wanted her lo change. While she was standing outside, great crowds of poor, respectablelooninar people carne in and passed on to a large room beyond. She was told the y wore emigrants, just about to start for New Zealand. She watcbed their faces with kindly intorost as young and old passed by, and presently si woman who seomcd too old to be making the journey, dropped her purse just in front of Clara, who stooped to piek ie up. In returning it she saw what made her stop tho woman and eagerly question her. Yes, it was her fellow lodgor in the old Woatininster street, and with a faen of quiöt happiness sho told tho tttdy that a yonng son, who had gone to New Zèalaud three years before, hadsont hermoney to join him. "He is my only one, rua'am, and was a trouble to moonce; but, praise God, he is doing well now." Then Clara, in gontle tones, wished hor well, and, when herliusband came back to her, she rominded him of the event of that miserable night which secmod so far, so very far, from the prosperous to-day, and inahushedand reverent tone sho said: "ïhank God, Torn, we never had that lifty pounds sterling revvard!" -