f
course, that an advertisement in the London papers may meet the eye of
the person who has got the bag, supposing, that is to say, that an
honest man took it by mistake and has kept it." So the following
advertisement was inserted for a week in the principal London papers:--

Five Pounds Reward.--A small, shabby-looking carpet-bag, was lost or
stolen from the Northern Express on its arrival in London at the Saint
Pancras Station, at 3 a.m. December 24th last year. Whoever will
bring this bag to the clerk at the Left-Luggage Office, Saint Pancras
Station, with the contents as he found them, shall receive the above
reward.

Not much to the surprise, though still somewhat to the disappointment,
of brother and sister, no application was made for the reward by the
middle of June, and Bradly was obliged to confess to his sister that,
every effort having now been made, without success, to recover the bag,
he could do no more.

To his great surprise and relief, Jane heard him with a cheerful smile.
"Thomas," she said, "remember the good old saying, `Man's extremity is
God's opportunity.' You told me a while since you were convinced God
was about to clear up this trouble for us, and that you could trace his
guiding hand. Now, somehow or other, my faith, instead of failing, is
daily growing stronger. I'm persuaded, though I can't tell you why,
that we shall have full daylight on this matter, and perhaps before
long."

"The Lord be praised for this," exclaimed her brother. "O my dear Jane,
I've been wrong to doubt him. Yes, when old Jacob gave up all for lost,
and said, `All these things are against me,' it were just the other way;
the road was being made plain and straight for him--he was soon to see
once more his long-lost Joseph. And so it will be now. You believe it,
and I'll believe it, and we'll be looking out in faith and trust."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

FURTHER CONFESSIONS.

Ned Taylor's misspent life came to an end a few weeks after his
confession to Thomas Bradly of his connection with the awful death of
Joe Wright. His internal injuries could not be healed; and, after many
days and nights of terrible suffering, meekly and patiently borne, he
passed away from a world on which he had left no other mark but the scar
of a wasted life. Alas that beings to whom God has given faculties, by
the right use of which they might glorify him on the earth, should pass
away from it, as thousands do, to