Adventures Of Tad

ADTHoa op Pbppkii adams," "Bimra Out toSea," "Paul, Gkaïtok," Etc. [Copvrighted, 1SS9, by D. Lothrop 6 Co., and PuUüieci by Special Arrangement.) CHAPTEK XV.- CONTINTJBD. "Well, by gracious! this beats all the rides ever I took!" said Joo, as ten minutes later, with TaU at his side, he drove slowly toward Bixport, while the detectivo followed close bchind, with his captive. "Me, too!" returned Tad, who was holding t!ie recovered sachel very tightly. "Won't folk's eyes stick out, though, when they como to hear all about it, to-morrow!" and ïad replied that he rathor guessed so, and then, opening his heart, he told his companion the whole story, from beginning to end, at which recital, as the stories say, Joe's astonishment can better be imagined than described. Bixport was in a wild stata oí ferment when they arrived. The story of the robbery, with somo marvelous embellishments had spread like wildfire. A real criminal and an actual detective in their midst! No one, after this, would ever daré to cali Bixport "a little, sleepy, one-horse town," such having been the once cast upon it by a resident of Middleboro. Leaving Joe explaining to the wondering orowd that had assembled before PQtter's, thelr joint share in the exciting incidentsof the evening, Tad, hugging the sachel under one arm, while across the other was thrown the circular cloak, hurried, with joyous steps, back to Miss Smith's. , Bursting impetuously into the sitting-room, where sat the little company, to which Mr. Mason, who had gloomily returned f rom an unsuccessful search for a deputy sheriff, had I joined himself, Tad tossed the longlost sachel into the lap of Mr. I ton, thereby causing him to drop the paper ho had been perusing upsidedown, and, with it, his dignifled reserve to such au extent that he exclaimed: "Gracious goodness," for which he at once apologized, as his trembling j nngers appliod the littlo key to the kep-hole; while Tad, with his politest bow, presented astonished Mrs. Mason with her recovered jewelry and the fur-lined circular. "The dress was all mud. and striddled from top to bottom, or I'd brought that, too," ho added, as Mrs. Mason, with an exclamation of delight, rcceived lior recovered property, while her husband gazed at smiling Tad in a dazed sort of way, and whistled softly to himself, as ono vvhose feeling3 were too deep for adequate expression. "Tad, you're a- a jewel!" said Miss Smith, energotically; and very much to Tad's astonishment, but to his secret gratification, tho maiden lady imprinted a sounding kiss uion his blushing cheek, whilo Captaia Flagg shook hands with liim vigorously, with a muttered reference to chainin' up a child in tho way he'd ought to go, so's when lio's oíd he won't go to strayin' off. Polly said nothing in words, but rejoicing sparkled in her eyes, and praise was apparent in her beaming smiles. With the list in one hand Mr. Athorton was rapidly running over the eontents of the alligatorskin sachel. "Gold star pendant, solitaire drops, diamond ring, bracelet and papers - um - yes, everythingseemstobe here," he said, with a look of intense satisfaction, as, dropping the list into the inouth of tho bag, which ho carefully relocked, the dignified gentleman regarded the company with something like affahility. "Begarding the of - er - reward," oontlnoed Mr. Atherton, drawing i bulky note-ease from bis pocket, and glancing benignantly at Tad, who stood in awkwurd siluneo, while all present looked on cxpectantly, "I feel pleased to be able to bestow it upon so - a - worthy a - er - youth as the one to whom it rightly belongs," selecting iis he spoke somo crisp bank-notes f rom their receptacle, and placing them on the light stand; "and," with a gracious inclination of his head to Miss Smith, "I may venture to prophesy that, if he hceds the teachings of tlie estimable lady whose acquaintance I have been fortúnate enough to make in this unexpeeted manner, he will eventually rise to - er- a positioa of - of- it may be Presiden ti al honor - -who knows?" And satisiied that he had said about the correct thing, Mr. Atherton gathered up his belongings, and, recognizing the romainder of tho inter. ested party by a comprehensivo bow, took his departuro for tho hotel with great inward exultation; and as ho left early on tho following morning, he thus passes out of mr stoiy. CHAPTER XVI. Tho Flajrgs, in a high state f pleasnrnble excitement - all talking very fast- united in congratulating Tadso warmly on his good fortune that it was some little time before they left Miss Smith's house for their own home. Then Mr. Mason and h3 wifo must perforee hear the strange adventures of the alligatorskin sachel, from the rery beginning, and receivc from his lipa a true and unembellishcd account of the pursuit and capturo of the wily Edward3, from whom had been so successfully recovered the fur-lined cloak, which had playud its part in the story, to all of which they listened with expressions of unfeigncd interest and wonder. "It did me a good turn once," concluded Tad, in reference to the artiele in question; "now I've done ü one." And he steadfastly refused to listen to the gentleman's proffer of a money reward, to Miss Smith's secret satisfaction, till Mr. Masón, with a great show of affected indignation, tosscd a bilí on the table, bcside the others, and told Tad to take it aud give it to foreign missions or to the soldiers' monument fund- lie didn't care which, or, if he thouglit better of it, he might put it in the savings-bank.- As for himself the mone}' rnight lie there forever - he wouldn't touch it again. And, summoning Mrs. Mason. wlio, in her gratitude gave Tad a hcarty good-night kiss, her husband went to his room, and banged the door behind him very hard, as though ho were angry. "Well, Tad," said Miss Smith, putting on her glasses and glancing at the pile of bilis on the tablo, "th3 haa been one of the days, hasn't itp Five hundred and- fifty dollars!" she exclainied, taking up the bill left by Mr. Mason. "Well, well!" "It's too much, cvery way," returned Tad, who hardly knew whether iie was on his head or his héels. "Tain't too much," snapped Misa Smith. "That Atherton man, who ac's as though his spine was froze stiff, orter give you an even thousand hisself. Look at thera di'munds - sixtyfive hunilrcd dollars w'ith and yon riskin' yonr life to capter' 'em back from that bloodthirsty bu'glar!" "I wish, then, youi take the money, and put it somewheres in tho bank whcro you ra is," finally said Tad, who already was heginning to realize what the Frcnch culi "tho embarrassment of rickeê." "May be that would bo best," returned Miss Smith, thoughtfully; "butl must give you somc soit of a writing to show for it, in case any thing happens to me." "Oh, dear!" sighed Tad, "what should I do if any thing did hapnen to you, I'd never flnd anybody else in the whole world I should like to work for as I do for you." Miss Smith was strangely moved by this simple appeal, but she had, as she expressed it, "broke down," once that evening, and didn't propose to again. So she made no reply, but busied herself in getting out writing matcrials; rather to Tad's I appointment, for he had almost dared to hope for sonie little manifestation of the tenderness that ho knew lay under Miss SraitU'a crusty exterior. Turning the lamp up a little higher. Miss Smith sat down to write, and, after considerable mental effort, succeeded in dravving up the following receipt: "Biiport, June 23, 187-. "Thi3 certifles that I Rhoda A. Smith have thl9 day Received uve hundred and flfty dollars. To bo deposited with my Monay Ín Middleboro Bank. The same Í5.10, dols being the propertyol" "VVhat is your wholo name, child," asked Miss Smith, suspending her pen over tho paper after writing tha word "of." "Thadilüus Thorne, mum," replied Tad. "Whai r' exclaimed Miss Smith, droping the pen. Thaddeus Thorne," repeated Tad, a little louder. "Oh, Lord!" said Miss Sniith, and stared at Tad so wildly that he almost feared the events of the day had affected her brain a very little. "What was your mother's name?" Miss Smith again asked, in a euriously repressed tone. "Margarita Consuelo Smith," Tad returned; a little hositatingly, for it had a rathcr romantio sound, and he foared shc mïght laugh at it. "Any relations living?" inquired Miss Smith, ia the saaie constrained manner. Tad shook his head. "I suppose I've got an Aunt RhoJa somewhere," he said, slowly, "but sho was mad at mothcr for marrying father, and never wroto her or any thing, and mother never said much about her" "Oh, Tad!- Tad!" cried Miss Smith, throwing up her arms, "God knows I aidn't mean to be cruel- it was iny hateful proud-spiritedness did it, aud then, the first thing I heard, Margie- my owtt 6ister!- waa dead, aud it wu.s too late!- too late!" And drawiug the bowildei-ed boy'a fresh face against her own Üiin sallow features, wet with remorseful tears, M133 Smith told hini that site was the Aunt Rhoda whom ho hml never known, and that hcnceforth, please God, he should be to her as yo own son. "And now, Tad," said hisaunt, after the long talk that ensued, "t's nigh twelva o'clock, and time you waa ia bed long ago, after such a" "Rat-tat-tat!" went tho knocker. "It never rain.s but it pours," remarked Miss Smith, lighting a candle, "and I wonder irhat'fl coming nowV Stepping into the entry, she called: "VVho'á tliere, andwhatdoyou want?" "Ifs me - Joe Wliitaey! - I waut to see Tad a minute," piped a Wöll-known, voiee, through the key-hole. Miss Smith uttered au exulamatiou of disgust. "Well, J'm goiug to bod- you eau let kim in for a few minutes, Tad, though I doa't see, for the life of me, how Deacon Whituey and his wife eau reconcile it to their conseienee to let that Joe go trapsiti' about at this time o' night," said Tad's aunt, shortly. But sho kissed her nephew very tenderly, de-spite her acid tones, and hurried away lest Joe's obaerving eyes should see the marks of her reeent emotion on her f.'e. Tad drew back the bolt, aad opened the door. There stood Joe, dressed iu hb Sunday clothes, with a small bundie slung over his shoulder, after the manner of a dramatic sailor about leaving home for a sea-voyage. "Come out here, Tad," whiápered Joe; and, too much astonishedtospeak, Tad followed his triend out on the moonlit piazza. "I come to say good-bye - I'm going to run away," said Joe, ia a voice intendcd to be very firm and brave, but which had a suspiclous shake in it, as he involuntarily glanced back at the farm-house a little further down the street, bathed ia the soft splendors of tlie moonbeams. "Going to run away!" repeatel Tad. in tones of the utmost astouishinetit. "What for?" "Well," was the reluetant answer, "tliere are a good many reasona. I'm tired of being thraahed so inueli, for one thing," said Joe, squirming around rather uneasily, as though he found sitting on the edge of the piazza uncomfortable, "and Tm tired of farm work, too. Besides," he added, boldly, "I want to be a detective - Mr. Blossom 8aid he] bet I'd make a real smart one." "Then, bine-bye, you'll be goin' off," continucd Joe, mournfully, as Tad stared at hls friend in coasternation too deep for words, "and you're the only fellow I ever cared any thiug for, anyway." "No, indeed, I won't!" eageriy exclaimed Tad; "I'm going to stay here n.nd grow up - Miss Smith's my own Aunt Rhody, that I never saw- we only found it out by accident." And Tad related all, with wjiich our reader is familiar, to Joe's open-mouthed amazement. A little silence fell upon them both as Tad related his story. The crickets ehirped in the grass and there was a distant chorous of fvog music from the ncifhboring swamp. "Joe," said Tad, gently, "what do you s'pose yotir mother would do without her boy?" That was touehmg a tetidor spot. Joe loved hi.s mother better than any tliin or auybody ia the wide world. and Joe was tho very apple of her eye. The boy drew liis sleeve across hisface, while tho visions of beiug a detective were eutirely obícured by sorae troublcsome tears. "Come, oíd fellow," continued Tad, throwing his arm about his friend'3 neck, "you know you dou't mean it. Why, it would just about kill your folk3 to have you go off this way; and then what would I do, if you should run away?" "1 - gueas - I - won't - go, after - all,'1 said Joe, brokenly, aud the determination cheered him wonderfully. In livo minutes be was chuckling over the incidents of Edward's capture, and the conversaüon bocame general. "But I teil you, Joe," Tad remarked, as he rose to nis feet, "seems to me I've been getting considerable niwr'n my sliare of good things, for one day - five hundred and Jifty dollars, and Aunt Rhoda nto Uie bargaia." "It hasn't beea such a bad day all round, wlien you como to Uiink of it," responded Joe, witii hifl cusloinarv grin. '-ïhere was Mr. Atherton got his saclit'l. Mis. M:ison her cloak and things, Cap'n and MU' Flagg has got somethin' to talk about, Miss Sniith got hysterics, Mr. Blossom got Edwards, Edwards got caught, and 1." said Joe, as a fine Bummlng up, "got a ride - ten dollars froni Mr. Blossom for upsetting a buggy- and a jolly good lickin' toe drivin' a atable-team, when. I'l been. told oot to." And Joe, with % lighteaed heart anti afriendly noil, stole back to the shelter of the paternal roof, reaching his chambor in safety; while Tad soaght his ovfix little room, where, with a rery full heart, ho knelt by his bedsida aod thanked the Good Father of all mercies for the wonderful way ia which He had directed his boyish steps. Thea Tad undressed and went to bed, just as Eh tall clock down-stairs struck twelve, and thus ended the day of so manjr wonderful eveuts. Thus, too, my simple story is virtually ended- with the future of itó charaötera I have nothing now to du. At the present - Tad Thorne U aa active, growiiig boy, of good principies and indostrious habits, a capital acholar, and a source of coudtaut comfort and cumpanionship to- MissRliodaSuiith.who seenis to hav grown teu y;;irs younger since Üi events oí vrhich I have been writing. She has formally adopted Tad, and 'm more proud of him even than ia - Captain Flagg, who look.s upon himself - to ue his owa words - as "tha insterment, ander Providence, -w-hich. was the niouns of interduein.' Tad to his Aunt Rhody." He haa, at th earnest roquost of his wiie and adopted daughter, abandoned his perilous calling, aud turin;d over the command of the coaster to Kphraini - novr Cap'a Small. Polly Flagg i growing up jnto om of the nioest girls I ever knew. That she has never been able to discover any thing further as to her parentaga gives her no uneasines.s - in fact, sh gives it littla thought, being a healthy, sensible young miss. with no romantis fancies a to "mysterious birthrights" and the like. She ia trying to Eve so that in the fullness of God's timt she shall meet her own angel niother, who so long ago was laid under th daisies wliioLi nod above the green, mounds in Bixport church-yard. Meanwhile, her love for good Mrs. Flagg and the Captain grows even Btronger as the days go on; while they, oa their part, k&ow ao diflerence betweonPolIy and a child of their own flesh and blood. And that Polly and Tad are ths best of friendo goea without saying, while they seem to exereise a sort ol joint proprietorshlp iu Bounoe, wha grows bigger, more afFoctionate, kno w ing and groff-voiced every week, while - Joe Whitney is really getting ti b more tractabla and les.-i mischievoos; and since the deaeon dLscovcred nm :■ how that bis son carne very near iorsaking the paternal roof, it is said he is not nearly as severe with him, partioularly alter knowing tliat Joe's intention ia running away was not only to escape the parenbü i hnsüsement. but that ho iiiight adopt the hazardoas calling ofDetective Blossom, who receired a substantie reward for bis capture oí- Jones Edwarda - Forrest, now servingtlie State for Iiis mauy mi.sdeeds, and tras haring abundant opportunity for reflection. Lot us hopo that, realizing by actual expórtense that the way ot the transgre.-i.sor is hard, he witl, whou released from imprisonmont, tura over a new leaf, and lead an ho&est life afrerward. Thus my little amateur dnuna of iacidenta in real life has drawn to aclose. And now with the principal actors, who hand in hand step bofore the foofclights, let me make my own bow to au imaginary audience for their "kind, indulgence," and, steppiug back, allow the curtain to fall upon tlie final act 0Í THE ADVENTURES OF TAD.