, 1872-12-25


looked steadfastly into the fire. with her deli
| cate lips compressed and her dark eyebrows
knitted. Suddenly she threw back her hea6
With naughty gesture I knew we'll. ss1ll de
it !" she said half aloud, and then she turned tc
me.
Lucy" che said, in her quick, imperious way
will you go with me downto the river. I must
see the ferryman at once"
enS j The be- fsTsynap" s5yE II repeated in
"Can't you tell for what?" she asked, impa-
tiently. "Money does everything in this world,
and for money I may be able to send O boat
across the river and tell Stuart Carew not TO
crosg."
'tThen you do care for him, after all! " cried
ment.
But the proud, repe1lant look which came over
her face undeceiVed me.
Us there any one for whom I should no: caro
sufficiently to keep him from throwing away his
life for mere caprice OF mine?" she asked,
coldly, I shall see that he builds no false hopes
On what am about to do,-what would do as
readily for Hal Beresford or old Jake the ferry
"Indeed!" said I; and, having no other means
OF expression at my command. I threw as much
sarcastic increduity into that interiection as
possibly could.
7 said nothing more while she opened her
writing-desk and dashed off note. did not
see it, but judged its tenor from the naughty,
flushed face that bent over it. 81 She is taking
the wrong tone with the wrong man." thought,
watching her. q Mischief-more mischief-is
going to come Of this, as sure as two and two
When the note Was finished, she brought forth
a waterproof from the wardrobe. t'Are you
coming, or are you not, Lucy!' she demanded,
as she put this on, after having pinned up her
sweeping al1ken skirt.
's I might as we'll see the comedy or the trag-
edy-Whicheyer it is to be--to the end" said +,
as I rose and likewise brought forth water
proof.
Water-proofe ara certainly the convenient
woman looks alike in them, and, however
Rosalind felt, ] am sure I felt amazingly like
q conspirator aB We made our stealthy way down
the back stairway and out OF the side-door Of the
Lodge. Nobody will misa u.s." my companion
was her 1naid) " to keep our door locked"
We went through the garden, and thence fol-
lowed path ACROSS the felds--why We did not
to imagine-to the cabin of old Jake, the ferry
man. which We reached in condition Of mud
impossible to describe.
Although it was Christmas-evo-the season Of
special negro jollity-we found tho ferryman at
home, sitting on d stool by the fire, grooming to
himself and mending some fshing-nets. He
bore rather snrly character with his fellows,
and was no great favorite among them. Indeed,
the manner in which no turned sharply, almost
angrily, saying, "Who's dar 7" when Rosalind
pushed open the door, Was proof sufficient Of
"It is I, Jako," she answered. III want to
speak to you."
aBeg pardon, mistis," said Jake, rising with
an air which was still q little aurly. II
comin' a'ter NO. and I done tolo EN- I don't
want not'in' to do wid dem nor der Christmas
nudder!"
s'You would like to have something to do with
making some money, though, wouldn't you?"
eaid Rosalind, coming forward into the full glow
of the freight and throwing back her hood.
"Perhaps you would rather he making money
than spending it these Christmas-times," she
added, significantly.
He looked at her with quick glance out
Of his small, deep-set eyes. It WAS evident at
once that "money" was as much talsman
to him as to many far above him in the social
scale.
II likes it as well as anybody when it's honest
and safe"
!" What have come to propose is certainly
honest, though it may not be safe" Eaid Rosa
lind. in her quick, ringing voice. "1n fe"
much will you take to CROSS the river for me- this
evening? Name your own price, and whatever
it is will pay it,"
He did not exhibit any surprise at the propos-
al, but only shook his head III q stolid, dogged
1890 A4ee@Ae *AAN @HA@A~
before.
The rivers too high for crossin', uistis',"
he eaid. ''I to1e your gal that when sou
sent her on the Same arrant but little while
"I don't believe that the river Is too high for
crossing by man who knows all about It" Rosa
lind answered. "The servants at the Lodge say
that You crossed it once in a canoe when it was
quite as high as it is now"
My wife was a-dyin' on the t'other side,
InistiB'." he answered. quietly,
what you hayo done once you can do again,
she said, imperously. "once more, name your
own price will pay any thing; but time is
ssI can't do it, mistis', he said sullenly. "Afy
life is as precious to me as yonrn is to you, and
money wouldn't do me no good after had flung
it away"
'sBut money is worth risk" said she ad-
checks and gltto1ing eyes. Money is toorhh
q risk n she repeated, in tone I shall mover
forget. Then she extended her delicate, white
hand and touched the ragged 1insey Jacket he
this with warm and comfortable clothes that you
could buy house Of your OWL, and land to cul-
tiyate, with what I offer you?" she asked.
sand you will let this chance-this one chance
this one chance in your life-allp from you be-
cause you are afraid to take canoe across thet
river tonight >"
His eyes sank beneath tho glitter Of hers, he
shuffled his feet uneasily, his hands twisted q
Fart OF the fsh1ng-net, which he Still held, ner-
Tously to and fro. The temptation was telling
on him. I, standing in the backgrounds,
watching the scene with feeling almost akin
to horror, Iplainly eaw that.
ttHow much would You be Uillin' fur to give,
n1istis' ?' ho askcd, slowly and huakily, st
length.
..'How much would you bo wiling to tako ?"
asked Rosalind. in reply. "Valuo your own
ife man, and be quick about it! ahan not
haggle oyer your price"
Would you giVe-a hundred dollars 2" he
demanded, in sort Of hushed tone, as if tho
magnitude Of the sum could only be spoken in q
whisper.
But his face-eagerly expectant when he
asked the question-fell suddenly, as Rosalind
laughed in an unmirthfu1 way.
"A hundred dollars!" she repeated. edo
you think I would ask any man to risk his life
for me for thai :? will give you five ti1nes the
sum-fve hundred dollars down--if you viii
take note across the river and deliver it to Mr.
Carew-the gentleman who SWAIN the stream
this morning when he comes back
"I'll go, mistis'," he said. and it was strange
nay, it was awful--to see how his whole face
lighted up with feverish eagerneas, how it's very
muscles seemed working and twitching With
~, +o +ha