arrived, as usual, a few hours after their man had escaped. But the
climax of incapacity was reached when, as it is alleged, the sweetheart
of the absconding Franti, and daughter of a brother fisherman, eloped
still later, and joined her lover under the very noses of the police.
The attempt of the detectives to excuse themselves at headquarters by
reporting that they were also on the track of an alleged escaped Sydney
Duck was received with the derision and skepticism it deserved, as it
seemed that these worthies mistook the mail steamer, which they should
have boarded to get certain extradition papers, for a coasting steamer."
*****
It was not until four years later that Murano was delighted to recognize
in the husband of his long-lost daughter a very rich cattle-owner in
Southern California, called Jarman; but he never knew that he had been
an escaped convict from Sydney, who had lately received a full pardon
through the instrumentality of divers distinguished people in Australia.
AN ESMERALDA OF ROCKY CANYON
It is to be feared that the hero of this chronicle began life as an
impostor. He was offered to the credulous and sympathetic family of a
San Francisco citizen as a lamb, who, unless bought as a playmate
for the children, would inevitably pass into the butcher's hands.
A combination of refined sensibility and urban ignorance of nature
prevented them from discerning certain glaring facts that betrayed his
caprid origin. So a ribbon was duly tied round his neck, and in pleasing
emulation of the legendary "Mary," he was taken to school by the
confiding children. Here, alas the fraud was discovered, and history was
reversed by his being turned out by the teacher, because he was NOT "a
lamb at school." Nevertheless, the kind-hearted mother of the family
persisted in retaining him, on the plea that he might yet become
"useful." To her husband's feeble suggestion of "gloves," she returned
a scornful negative, and spoke of the weakly infant of a neighbor, who
might later receive nourishment from this providential animal. But even
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