“He went peaceably enough for a while,” explained the aid, “and then he tried to bribe me to let him go. When he found that wouldn’t work he became ugly, and I had to use my club, but he ain’t hurt much.”
His face was bleeding, but Ben Mayberry, with a shock, recognized the prisoner as G. R. Burkhill, the uncle of Dolly Willard.
The capture of the burglars made great excitement in Damietta, and the part taken by Ben Mayberry once more placed his name in everyone’s mouth. It was he who discovered the criminals, and was the direct means of securing the desperado, Dandy Sam, the leader of the notorious gang.
It was a great shock to all, except a few, to find that Burkhill, the brother-in-law of Dolly Willard’s father, was also one of the guilty ones. But there were others (and among them Mr. Willard and Mr. Grandin) who were not surprised in the least. The facts in this singular affair, as they ultimately came to light, were as follows:
George R. Burkhill was the black sheep in a most estimable family, of which Mrs. Willard, the mother of Dolly, was a member. She was the sister of Burkhill, and the only one who clung to the bad brother, pronounced incorrigible by everyone else, even when a small boy. She believed there was some good in him, and, in the face of protests, she labored to bring him to a sense of right. It was through her influence that he was saved from condign punishment for more than one serious offense.
All four of the burglars were duly tried, found guilty, and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years. Rather curiously, both Dandy Sam and Burkhill died during the third year of their imprisonment, and it is safe to say the world was the gainer thereby.
Some few days after the capture of the burglars, came a glowing letter from Dolly, who had gone home to New York, in which she said that her father insisted that Ben should come and make them a visit, and would accept no excuse for refusing.
“I’ll go this time!” exclaimed Ben, knowing he would have no trouble in obtaining permission to take a brief vacation.
And go he did.