The "Dock Rats" of New York Part 76

"Yes," said Vance, "your child is fitted to adorn any station in life; but you must see her and judge for yourself. I will go and tell her the strange revelations that have come from your lips."

Vance proceeded to the place where he had left the girl, and by degrees prepared her for the wonderful announcement. The girl listened to the story calmly, and when the detective had finished his tale, she said:

"I am not surprised; I had hoped some day to know both father and mother, but I am happy in having found a father."

"Will you go to your father?"

"I will."

"When?"

"Now, at once."

The two entered a carriage, and half an hour later father and daughter were clasped in each other's arms.

The father had a little surprise for Vance. He had removed certain little disguise appliances, and when father and daughter stood side by side, a most striking resemblance was apparent.

We will not attempt to describe all that pa.s.sed between father and child, but the facts of their relations.h.i.+p were fully established, and the mystery of the box containing the supposed jewels was explained.

The convict who had committed the child to Mrs. Pearce had given her the box, and had represented that it was filled with costly jewels; but his statement was a lie, and the old lady's imagination had aided her in swelling the value of the contents of the box.

Mr. Selton proved to be a very wealthy man, living in a Western city, and Renie was taken to her grand home.

Meantime, Vance remained in New York to appear as a witness against the band of conspirators, and the result of his labors was the breaking up of one of the best organized smuggling schemes that was ever attempted in America.

When our hero's duties were over, upon invitation he went to pay a visit to Mr. Selton and his daughter, and there's a certain rumor in the air; but as yet we are not permitted to record that another of our heroes has hooked on to one of our heroines; but we will say that the chances very much favor the prospect that when Vance met the "Wild Girl of the Coast" upon that night, he met his future wife.