n to seize him.

"Promise me this, John!" urged Mary upon her knees.

"I promise!" reluctantly answered John.

"And you will put the money in a savings-bank?"

"I will," repeated her husband; "and I'LL give up smoking, too."

"'Tis well, John Jenkins!" said Judge Boompointer, appearing suddenly
from behind the door, where he had been concealed during this
interview. "Nobly said! my man. Cheer up! I will see that the
children are decently buried." The husband and wife fell into each
other's arms. And Judge Boompointer, gazing upon the affecting
spectacle, burst into tears.

From that day John Jenkins was an altered man.

NO TITLE.

By W--LK--E C--LL--NS.

PROLOGUE.

The following advertisement appeared in the "Times" of the 17th of
June, 1845:--

WANTED.--A few young men for a light genteel employment.
Address J. W., P. O.

In the same paper, of same date, in another column:--

TO LET.--That commodious and elegant family mansion, No. 27 Limehouse
Road, Pultneyville, will be rented low to a respectable tenant if
applied for immediately, the family being about to remove to the
continent.

Under the local intelligence, in another column:--

MISSING.--An unknown elderly gentleman a week ago left his lodgings in
the Kent Road, since which nothing has been heard of him. He left no
trace of his identity except a portmanteau containing a couple of
shirts marked "209, WARD."

To find the connection between the mysterious disappearance of the
elderly gentleman and the anonymous communication, the relevancy of
both these incidents to the letting of a commodious family mansion, and
the dead secret involved in the three occurrences, is the task of the
writer of this history.

A slim young man with spectacles, a large hat, drab gaiters, and a
note-book, sat late that night with a copy of the "Times" before him,
and a pencil which he rattled nervously between his teeth in the
coffee-room of the "Blue Dragon."

CHAPTER I.

MARY JONES'S NARRATIVE.

I am upper housemaid to the family that live at No. 27 Limehouse Road,
Pultneyville. I have been requested by Mr. Wilkey Collings, which I
takes the liberty of here stating is a gentleman born and bred, and has
some consideration for the feelings of servants, and is not above
rewarding them for their trouble, which is more than you can say for
some who ask questions and gets short answers enough, grac