The Missing Link

ith sad story. Mr. Crips did not address the lady as an unblushing mendicant, he spoke as a man of some refi

touched-her e

ght in, my poor man. You must tell your story

door of a room and admitted Nicholas to a small apartment fitted up like a study. At a

"whom have we here? Ano

the lady, "his story will touch you as it has touched

ot belong to his tramp's garments an

a strong man whose sorrows have about broken his proud spir

the Rev. James Nippit,

, motioned h

said, "and tel

I found that he had been led into speculation and we were ruined. Not only ruined, but disgraced. The shock killed my mother. I came to Australia. Unwittingly, without a chance of saving myself, I sank and drifted till I found myself a mere tramp. For years I have been a tattered, unclean, despised outcast. Yesterday I heard you preach; I was outside under a window

clergyman looking Nic

" he r

nt. For a moment it was grave, almost reproachful, and then it relaxed into a

tend to be a George Washington. I may ha

said the Rev. Nippit. "Becau

of you," sa

tee that inquired into your case. You were then the son of a Queensland Judge,

y." he said, "a truly delicious morning for a stroll. I thi

se and interposed betwe

ere you are," he

ed his arms, and crossed his legs. "You are very kind," he said. "May

s. You will either submit yourself to my deliberate intention of making a good, clean, respe

d his belief that all men had in them the elements of decency, order and religion. Those elements only needed proper opportunities for development. He purposed giving Nickie the opportun

believe you can reform

I am determined to believe it," said t

"but promise nothing. I don't think you will succeed. Your intenti

it awakened him and talked with him in a firm but kindly spirit on the virtues of honest dealings with one's employer, and the necessity of industry to keep the world wagg

his reverend employer. Nickie was orderly, wakeful and fairly attentive. When the plate came round he put threepence in, but he took a shilling out. It was a useful trick, taught him by an expert in the a

e malefactors out of ten if exerted under fair conditions it was base

conquerable patience. If Nickie was lazy, he talked with him like a brother of the twin virtues, industry and thrift; if he were unwashed, he explained to him that cleanliness was next to godliness: if he seemed to, have gazed

s respectful in his manner, and believed the seed of righteous was sprouting; but Nickie was living comfortably, he was being well fed and well bed

week a small sum, representing his wages, was paid into the Savings Bank, and the deposit was to be transferred to him when he gave proof of complete and perfect regeneration. When asked to account for a bottle

aid, "this is your scheme, not mine. You, as it were, forced me to submit. You said you'd reform me

s Nippit continued experiment

es. The Young Men's Mission had attracted some attention, people were found willing to contribute to the good work, and this fact gave rise to some imposition. U

his Sunday School the Rev. Nippit was

there. He represents himself as one of the leaders of the Young Men's Mission Movem

d, and James soon recognised that the speaker was delivering something very like a sermon of his own, but seasoning it

obate who runs the pub. I have shown you they must be turned from the joys of the 'pushes,' tobacco chewing, and stoushing in offensive Chinamen with bricks, and now I appeal to you for the means of doing things. Money i

ple responded liberally. He returned to his little eminence, and the Rev. James Nippi

his is the reward of

er was Nicholas Crips, garbed in an old suit

Nippit, the founder of our noble much desire to say a few w

l for those villains who make use of the credit the Mission has won for their own infamous purposes." He went on to explain how the Mission was being robbed, and wound up dramat

point the denunciation lost its effect, for Nickie was not at the speaker's side; he had gone. H

when the Rev. James returned home, but