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which are all nocturnal in habits, the wolf- the person who held it should make inquiries, which belongs to the Canidae family-constantly and find out that it would be worth so much to wanders about in search of prey in the daytime. Sir Peter, he might offer to sell it to him, and the At night, young children are often taken from temptation would be too strong for the impecutheir beds, or when lying asleep in the open air. nious baronet to resist, especially if he were It is the habit of the animal to lie in wait in guided by his trusty counsellor, David Crooks. some patch of sugar-cane or Indian corn in close The latter would, no doubt, be satisfied if his proximity to a village. There the fell brute client got even temporary possession of the estate, bides his time, watching a party of poor naked as that would give him a sufficient opportunity of urchins at play, till presently one of the group fleecing his victim. strays from his comrades and approaches near to the crouching foe. There is a sudden cry, and a glimpse of a brown object making off. But a rescue is seldom effected in time, for the wolf generally destroys his victim before assistance can be rendered.

MR MOSSOP'S WILL.

IN THREE CHAPTERS.-CHAP. III.

J. H. B.

MR GOULDING again had John for his driver, and on this occasion made no secret of the fact that Mrs Reddie had come in for all the property. The man had very likely heard as much before, but he seemed pleased, for the lady was a general favourite at 'The Firs.'

Presently he said: 'I don't like that little man, sir-him as come with Sir Peter.' 'Why?'

'Well, sir, they come out to the stables, to look round they said; but they was only trying to pump me. Mr Crooks, he says to me: "Weren't you one of the witnesses to your master's will?" and when I told him I wasn't, he begins to talk about something else. But after a while he comes at me again, and he says: "I believe your poor master was wandering a good deal before he died." "I didn't hear that, sir," I says; "he was always pretty hard in the head." So then he says: "It was on Wednesday Mr Goulding came down from London first, wasn't it?" "Yes, sir," I says; and then he asks: "Well, how was it he came back on Thursday?" "I don't know, sir," I says; "but I think I see him over there; maybe you'd like to talk to him?" So at that he made off, and dragged Sir Peter with him.'

Mr Goulding laughed at this story; but he felt a little uneasy and annoyed, nevertheless. He did not talk much during the drive, for his thoughts were occupied with the events of the last few days, and he was wondering whether there would be any news for him when he reached London. The case now stood thus: if the will were found within a few days, all would be well. If it were not, and Sir Peter came to hear of the circumstances, it was probable that the clever Mr Crooks would urge him to apply for letters of administration. Mr Goulding could then delay their further progress by entering what is called a caveat, which would cause the matter to be brought into court. If, however, the will were not recovered by the time the case came to be heard, the court would grant administration to Sir Peter Mossop as next of kin. It might, of course, come to light afterwards; but possession is nine points of the law, and as the baronet would in that event be more likely to dispute it, endless litigation and expense might result. Of course the document must be in existence somewhere; but the danger was that if

It was to be hoped, however, that none of these disagreeable possibilities would be realised; at all events, Mr Goulding had a little time at his disposal in which to act. He did not care much about his own legacy, but it troubled him exceedingly to think that, by his unfortunate negligence, he might be the means of keeping Mrs Reddie and her family out of their fortune. Besides, when the affair came to be known, as it undoubtedly would, his professional reputation would be seriously injured, and the firm would suffer in consequence. Altogether, he felt his position so acutely, that had he been sufficiently wealthy, he would have made the loss all his own, large as it was.

at the Inquiry Office, but with a like result. The In passing through Crewe, he once more called railway people had heard nothing more about the bag, and as they were not liable for the loss of anything that was in the passenger's own care, it is likely they did not trouble themselves much on the subject. Mr Goulding, travelling by the same train as on the previous Thursday, reached home about the same hour, but only to find that there was no message about the missing will awaiting him. He passed a restless night, and went down to his office betimes on the following morning, to the surprise of the junior clerk, who arrived at the same moment. When Mr Shuttleworth walked in, nearly an hour later, it was only another disappointment for his partner. He had been round to Poynter's the evening before, but the ex-detective had nothing to communicate. Mr Goulding's spirits fell considerably on hearing this, for he had fully expected that the offer of fifty pounds would lead to the restoration of the papers; but he concluded that perhaps the thief was waiting for better terms, and so determined to make the reward a hundred. He paid a visit to Mr Poynter shortly afterwards, to announce his intention and consult; and at this interview the conductor of private inquiries assumed his most profound and knowing air, and favoured the solicitor with a great deal of oracular wisdom, which was taken for what it was worth.

'You see,' he said, 'the party that's got it knows-if he knows anything that it's good for a lot more than fifty. Of course he's aware that he'll have to give it up in the long-run, because he sees my name to the advertisement. I've got my eye on him, so to speak, and I always track these fellows out before I stop.'

'I'm greatly afraid you haven't got your eye on this fellow,' said the solicitor, whose patience was sorely tried by this inflated style of talking. It might have done very well with simple folk, he thought, but ought not to have been assumed towards him, an experienced man of law.

'Well, if you were to send me down to Crewe for a week, I have no doubt it would shorten

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the chase. I have two or three important cases in hand, but I would manage to leave them over to oblige you.'

'No, thank you,' said Mr Goulding, coldly. 'But of course, as I was saying before,' Mr Poynter continued, he knows it's worth a lot more than fifty, and he's holding out for something bigger.'

'Well, we must try whether a hundred will tempt him.'

'Yes, we can try, Mr Goulding. You see, you have your idea of how it was stolen, and I have mine I have mine,' Mr Poynter repeated impressively, shutting his eyes and thrusting his hands into his pockets.

But all this was thrown away on Mr Goulding, who adhered to his determination to simply increase the reward, believing that to be the only plan likely to succeed; although the private inquirer would have been very glad to pocket a few pounds by a wildgoose chase to Crewe.

'Anyhow, it's a good thing you came to me first about it,' the latter continued, as Mr Goulding was leaving. 'It was much better than letting your own name be known.'

The solicitor returned to his office in better spirits, hoping great things from the offer of a hundred pounds; but, though the new advertisements duly appeared the following day, another week slipped by without any result

whatever.

The case was now growing desperate, and as a last resource, it was decided to offer a still more tempting reward of two hundred and fifty pounds. This time, however, a note was appended to the announcement, stating that no further reward would be offered. And now ensued an anxious time for Mr Goulding. Many messages passed between him and Mr Poynter; many discussions took place between the solicitors themselves. Mr Shuttleworth was of opinion that Mr Goulding's fellow-passenger was the culprit; while Mr Goulding thought it was either the woman who opened the carriage-door, or some one who had been standing by at the moment. The more they argued, the more positive Mr Shuttleworth became; in fact, so convinced was he, that he longed to hand a description of the gentleman to the police.

There was one scrap of consolation for them; it was evident the holder of the will had not as yet negotiated with Sir Peter Mossop, as in that case the baronet would probably have bought it in at once and laid claim to the estate; or, if he had been so honourable as to refuse, the document would have been restored to the rightful owners. However, the crisis was reached when one day Messrs Shuttleworth and Goulding were waited on by a Mr Keene-a second-rate London solicitor-who said that he was acting for Mr Crooks of Wrexham, who had asked him to call, on behalf of Sir Peter Mossop, with reference to the will of his deceased relative.

'Perhaps I am taking a liberty,' he said; 'but I have come only to save trouble. Sir Peter understands that the will has not been proved yet, and indeed it would appear that grave doubts might arise as to its validity. Under these circumstances, he is advised to apply for letters of administration as next of kin, if probate be not applied for by you within the next few days;

or if it be, to dispute the will, unless an amicable arrangement can be effected. My instructions now are merely to ask your intentions, if you have no objection to state them.'

Both partners were present at the interview, and neither of them spoke for a few moments after Mr Keene had concluded. The question was indeed one which required a little time for reflection. It was plain that Sir Peter, or his solicitor, suspected that there was something wrong about the will, or that it was not forthcoming; but as to entertaining doubts of its validity, that was only an empty threat, designed to frighten the legatees into buying off the baronet with a share of the estate.

If the latter had really contemplated challenging the will, he-or Mr Crooks for him-would have taken action at once, instead of parleying in this way. Of course Crooks and his client had endeavoured to take them by surprise in getting Mr Keene to call, and not communicating by letter, which would have allowed time to consider the reply; and they thought, no doubt, that the London firm would be entrapped into making some indiscreet admission. But Mr Shuttleworth was a shrewd old fellow, and not to be caught in that way.

'We don't for a moment consider that Mr Mossop's will is open to question,' he said; and, for my own part, I should be sorry if Mr Crooks buoyed up his client with groundless expectations that could only lead to further expense and disappointment.'

'Quite so,' assented Mr Goulding, who was feeling very nervous.

And as to the probate,' Mr Shuttleworth continued, 'we hope to attend to that matter in a day or two, if possible.-That is all the information I can give you, sir,' he added, and bowed Mr Keene out before that gentleman could renew the subject.

When he was gone, Mr Goulding gave a sigh of relief. You got out of that very well,' he observed; but I have grave fears as to how the affair will end.'

'It is a perfect mystery,' said Mr Shuttleworth ; 'for unless we suppose that the thief is expecting a still larger reward, in spite of the announcement that this was final, there is no possible solution of it that I can see. The bag and the will and other papers must be in somebody's possession. If the person is honest, he can easily restore them, for our address is on them all: if he is dishonest, there is the two hundred and fifty pounds to tempt him; or he might try what he could get from Sir Peter, if he knew the circumstances and thought our offer too small.'

'I am afraid we can't hold out much longer, however,' said Mr Goulding, as he set forth on another fruitless journey to Poynter's office.

It may perhaps appear strange that the solici tors had not engaged the services of a Scotland Yard detective. It was not, however, that they undervalued the skill of those officers, but at first they had both felt so confident that the reward would be sufficient to recover the will, that they had not taken any other steps, except of course that Mr Goulding had given information at the Crewe police office. Now that some time had elapsed, to track the thief would be an absolutely hopeless task, for

May 16, 1885.]

they had no tangible clue to go upon. Had a bundle of bank-notes been stolen, there would have been a chance of tracing them by the numbers, because the thief would naturally attempt to circulate them; but a will was worth nothing to any one but the parties concerned. Under the circumstances, they could do nothing but await the course of events.

A few more days passed and Mr Goulding was at his wits' end. He was harassed with letters from Mrs Reddie anxiously asking for news. She had shut up her house at Manchester, and taken her three younger daughters to stay with her at The Firs;' so it seemed as if they were determined to make good use of that residence while they could, even though they should lose the property after all. The Misses Reddie were beginning to fret, their mother said, at the prolonged suspense; while their prospects of being emancipated from poverty (and spinsterhood) no doubt became each day fainter. The melancholy effects of the loss were beginning to be felt even in Mr Goulding's household. Mrs Goulding, who was taken into her husband's confidence about this matter, found him growing morose and irritable, and was not permitted to indulge in her favourite songs, which, he said, jarred on his nerves. The three young Gouldings also shared in the general depression, and were banished to the nursery on the slightest provocation. There were two little girls, aged about eight and six, and a little boy of four. The latter was called Arthur after his father, and had always been much petted; but now he was so persistently snubbed, that one evening he confided to his elder sister his intention of leaving the house, and looking out for another Pa, if his own Pa 'kept on being so nasty.' Altogether, the approaching festive season promised to be dreary enough; but this state of things was not to last for ever.

On the afternoon of Monday, the 5th of December, the senior partner had gone home early, and Mr Goulding was sitting in his private office alone. That very day he had received a letter from Mrs Reddie, stating that, after consalting with her children, she had come to the determination to end the suspense if possible, and make terms with Sir Peter by undertaking not to claim the property in the event of the will turning up afterwards, on condition of his allowing her and her daughters a substantial annuity. Mr Goulding did not like this proposal at all. The baronet did not as yet even know that the will was lost, though he might have suspected it; but to make these overtures to him would be to show their hand. If Sir Peter acted for himself, indeed, there might be a chance of his consenting to a compromise; but he would doubtless be in the hands of Crooks, who was so avaricious that he would be sure to make the most of the opportunity, and give the Reddies nothing. Besides, Mr Goulding felt that it would be too bad if the bulk of the property went to Sir Peter after all, in spite of the testator's wishes, and without making a fight for it. He Lad begun to write a reply to Mrs Reddie, trging her to wait a little longer, when one of the clerks came to say that a gentleman wished to see him.

'Who is he?' Mr Goulding asked.

'He wouldn't give his name, sir; but he said he must see one of the firm.'

'Show him in then,' said the solicitor wearily, as he laid down his pen; and presently the gentleman entered.

He was a tall man, with gray hair and whiskers, but slightly bald. His face was careworn, but refined, and his eyes were clear and kindly-looking. He wore a long, heavy overcoat, and his throat was muffled up to the chin, his coat-collar being also turned up. His age might have been sixty years. He took the chair which Mr Goulding indicated, keeping as much in the shadow as possible; and, after a moment's hesitation, began the conversation with a little nervousness of manner. 'I believe I am speaking to Mr Goulding?' The solicitor bowed.

'Did you not lose a bag lately, with some papers in it?'

Yes, yes!' exclaimed Mr Goulding, turning pale in his eagerness. 'What of it? Do you know where it is?'

'It is quite safe. But I must make one condition, or rather ask one favour of you, and that is, that you will not seek to know my name, or anything beyond what I shall tell you myself.'

"Oh, certainly, certainly!-But is there a will in the bag? Where is it?'

"The bag is here, and the will also; and I thought it best to bring it straight to you,' said the gentleman, with a slight smile, as he produced a paper parcel.

Mr Goulding hastily tore it open, and there, sure enough, was his bag; and in it were various papers and the precious will itself. For a minute he was quite unable to speak; then he seized the gentleman's hand and shook it vigorously.

'My dear sir,' he said, 'you are the most welcome visitor I've had for many a long day! But tell me about it; I can't understand it at all.'

'I will tell you,' said the gentleman, with a touch of sadness in his tone; but I hope you will not repeat more of the story than is necessary. I found your papers in my house only yesterday. The bag was taken-I do not know exactly under what circumstances-but it was taken by my wife.'

"Your wife?'

'Yes. She is provided with every luxury, for I am rich; but she is afflicted with that failing called kleptomania, and this is not the first time it has led to unhappy results. She takes everything she can lay her hands on, I am sorry to say, when she thinks it can be done safely; and I have no doubt she took your bag, though she says she found it. But how did it occur?'

Mr Goulding briefly explained the circumThen the advertisement in the papers is

stances.

yours?'

'Yes.'

'I guessed as much. My wife was travelling at the time with her maid, and had to change at Crewe, so it must have been she who looked into your compartment. I suppose, seeing the bag close to her hand, she took it and concealed it under her cloak without the knowledge of

her attendant.

It happened, fortunately, that I had occasion to open a private drawer of hers yesterday, where I saw the bag; but when I questioned her about it, she said she found it in the train, which, as I feared, was not exactly true. I live more than a hundred miles from London; but I lost no time in coming up to restore it. And now I hope there is nothing missing?'

'It is all right, I am happy to say,' Mr Goulding replied. (He did not mention the thirty shillings, which it appeared the lady had kept.)

Then I will go,' said the gentleman; but I am very sorry if this has caused any serious inconvenience."

'Well, of course it has worried us; but that is past; and I thank you very much for coming so promptly to take a load off my mind.'

Then they shook hands, and the strange gentleman withdrew; but who or what he was the partners never discovered.

Mr Goulding immediately telegraphed to Mrs Reddie, who was of course overjoyed at the news. And now no time was lost about proving the will, which Sir Peter Mossop and his adviser were sensible enough not to oppose. The former, however, wrote to Mrs Reddie to ask for the loan of three hundred pounds, which, in the fullness of her heart, she sent him, and which, in the fullness of his heart, he forgot to repay. Two hundred of it he paid to Crooks, on account of certain bills, and the other hundred covered his losses at cards during the ensuing month.

Mr Poynter, of the Private Inquiry Office, was not altogether pleased at the matter being settled without his intervention; but he reminded Mr Goulding that he always had his own idea of how the will was stolen.

Mrs Reddie and her daughters took up their residence at 'The Firs' permanently. The former liberally carried out Mr Mossop's intentions respecting legacies to the servants, who, under her rule, agreed together better than formerly; besides which, they were now called by their own proper names, instead of the aliases forced on them by their late master. Lastly, harmony reigned once more in the Goulding family; and Master Arthur, having repented of his intention to leave the parental roof and look for another Pa,' received his own original 'Pa' back into favour.

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ELECTRIC LOCOMOTION.

ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

ELECTRIC railways are of very recent origin, as it is only since the invention and perfection of the modern dynamo-electric machine, and its converse the electric motor, that it has become possible to practically work such railways. The essentials of an electric railway are (1) a generator or source of power, such as a steam-engine or water-wheel; (2) a dynamo-electric machine, in which the energy of the coal or water is converted into electricity; (3) a pair of conductors, by which the electricity is conveyed to and fro between the electric motor and dynamo; and (4) an electric motor, in which the electricity is reconverted

into mechanical power, and applied to turn the wheels of the train. An electric railway is thus simply an instance of the transmission of power from a near to a distant point, the medium of transmission being the electric current. Electricity for this purpose may be obtained from coal, mountain streams, tidal power, or any other source of energy. The conductors consist of a 'going' and returning' wire, or other metal conductor, well insulated from one another; and means must be provided for keeping up a constant electrical communication between these conductors and the poles of the motor on the moving train.

A dynamo-electric machine consists of an armature composed of coils of insulated wire mounted on a spindle, and of electro-magnets closely surrounding this armature. The forcible rotation of the armature in the presence of the magnets gives rise to the electric current. Let two such machines have their terminals joined by conductors, and the first machine be driven by some source of power. The current generated in the first machine passes into the second machine, and causes its armature to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the first machine. Thus the current is re-converted into mechanical motion, and the power given out by the second machine will be equal to that given to the first machine, less certain unavoidable losses due to friction and to the heating of the machines and conductors The second machine is in this case called an electric motor.

An electric railway was first exhibited by Dr W. Siemens at the Berlin Exhibition in 1879. The current was conveyed by a central rail to the motor on the moving car, and returned by the two working rails on which the car ran. The line was nine hundred yards long, with a two feet gauge. The success attending this experimental railway led to the laying of the Lichterfelde line in Berlin, in which the working rails were laid on insulating wooden sleepers, one rail acting as the outgoing' circuit, and the other as the return circuit. This line is two thousand five hundred yards long, with a three feet three inch gauge, and is worked by two dynamo-machines developing about twelve horse-power. It has been in constant use since it was opened in May 1881. The electric railway at the Paris Exhibition in 1881 was used to convey passengers to and from the Exhibition, ninety-five thousand persons being carried by it in the space of seven weeks. As some objection was made to the employment of the rails as conductors, on account of the supposed danger to men or animals, overhead conductors were used in this case. These consisted of hollow metallic tubes, suspended from the tops of posts, and having continuous longitudinal slits, contact being made by a metallic bolt drawn through the tubes by flexible cables attached to the car. In at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, in which both the same year, an electric railway was exhibited ductor, and a third insulated rail was used as the the ordinary rails were used as the 'return' con'going' 'conductor. The car was similar to an ordinary tram-car, and carried twenty passengers. In a second electric railway in Berlin, two overhead conductors, nine inches apart, are used, contact being made by a small carriage running on them and attached by flexible cables to the moving car. This system has also been

Journal

adopted on a line seven hundred yards long at the Zankerode Colliery in Germany, and has been working successfully since October 1882. At the Exhibition of Electric Appliances in Chicago the year before last, an electric railway ran around the gallery of the main building, about one-third of a mile in length. In the space of thirteen days, over twenty-six thousand passengers were carried on this railway.

At the International Forestry Exhibition in Edinburgh in 1884, an electric railway was exhibited, and carried many persons. Quite recently, an electric railway four miles in length has been opened connecting the towns of Frankfort and Offenbach. Overhead slit tube conductors suspended from poles are used on this line.

In the north of Ireland, an electric railway between Portrush and Bushmills-a distance of six miles-has been working very satisfactorily for many months past. The two working rails are joined electrically by copper bolts, and form the return' circuit, the current being conveyed to the car by a third rail placed on short insulated standards, and rubbed by a brush attached to the car. The motive-power for this railway is obtained from turbines placed at a fall on the river Bush. (A full account of the line will be found in this Journal for Nov. 17, 1883.) A second line, about three miles in length, is now in course of construction in Ireland. It is being made for the Bessbrook Spinning Company, near Newry, and is expected to be opened this year.

conditions more completely than any other. The percentage of passengers injured while travelling in our old stage-coaches was much greater than in railway travelling; and it may reasonably be hoped that this percentage may be still further reduced, even with a considerable increase over the present rate of speed. An electrically driven train requires no heavy cumbrous locomotive, the train being driven by small motors attached to each pair of wheels. Some of the advantages of such a system are at once apparent. The ponderous locomotive, weighing frequently one half as much as the train of carriages behind it, wastes a proportional amount of power in propelling itself. The entire line with its rails and bridges must be made strong enough to carry safely the weight of the locomotive and to withstand the terrific wear and tear caused by such a huge mass moving at a high speed. If there were no locomotives, railways might be made much lighter, with a great saving both in first cost and maintenance. By driving a train from every pair of wheels, instead of from the driving-wheels of the locomotive alone, it becomes possible to go round curves with greater safety and at a much higher speed than at present; the swaying and jolting are reduced to a minimum ; full speed can be attained in a few seconds instead of several minutes; and much steeper inclines can be surmounted than is now possible. In rounding a curve, a considerable portion of the power of the locomotive is expended in forcing A very interesting experiment in electric rail- the flanges of the wheels against the rails and ways has been in progress at Brighton for some in tending to pull the carriages off the rails. time past, which many of our seaside resorts The principle here involved is precisely similar might with advantage imitate. A line was opened to that in the case of a train provided with a in August 1883, and continued working until continuous brake and one in which the engine January 1884, when it was taken up in order alone is provided with a brake. In the former to alter the gradient for the new road. The case, the train can be brought to rest much more line started opposite the Aquarium and ter- speedily than in the latter. With the lines in minated at the Chain Pier-a distance of about average condition, an ordinary train would run a quarter of a mile. The flanged rails upon down an incline of about one in fifty, if the which the car ran, and which acted also as engine alone were braked; but if the train were electric conductors, were spiked to longitudinal supplied with a continuous brake, it could rest sleepers. These wooden sleepers were simply without slipping on an incline of about one in coated with tar, and laid on the shingle parallel five. Hence is evident the advantage an elecwith the road, the insulation thus obtained trically driven train would have in rapidly being found to be amply sufficient. The dynamo getting up full speed and in surmounting steep used to generate the current was driven by a inclines. An immense saving in first cost of gas-engine. During the six months the line was construction would result from the possibility of open, thirty thousand persons were carried by it. working lines of railway with steeper gradients The new railway starts at the Aquarium, as than is at present possible. before, is continued under the Chain Pier, and terminates at the Free Pier-a distance of nearly a mile. The new car is of very handsome design, and carries eighteen passengers. Since the opening of this line, over two hundred thousand persons have availed themselves of it. Financially, the line has been a great success, and at times the demand for seats has been so great that the accommodation has been quite inadequate, and arrangements have been made for placing additional cars on the line.

In the railways of the future, the chief object to be attained is that a larger number of passengers may travel at a higher rate of speed, with greater safety, and at a less cost than at present. All the above conditions should be simultaneously satisfied by any system which is to supersede our present railways. A system of electric railways would seem to satisfy these

The electric system of propulsion would seem to be admirably adapted for suburban tramways, elevated lines, and lines through tunnels like the Metropolitan Railway. The weight and noise of the engine are got rid of, and the air remains free from the unpleasant products of combustion. The carriages can also be lighted and warmed with manifest convenience from the same conductors from which they derive their motion. As regards the competition of electricity with the locomotive for main lines of railway, it is impossible at present to speak with any degree of certainty. Electric railways up to the present time are on a comparatively small scale; but judging from their undoubted success and from theoretical considerations, future success would appear to be assured. For light lines through difficult country, underground, and elevated lines, there can be no doubt but that the locomotive

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