The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-09-11

"Caoliti.
And while the widow and her middle.
aged lover discussed the weather, George
took occasion to help Cora get down
half a bushel of red apples from the
garnet, and was unnecessarily long about
it, too.
81 should think you would be
ashamed of yourself, George Merrilton,'
said Cora, dimpling and blushing, and
trying to look very angry, in which she
succeeded but indifferently.
"What for?" audaciously demanded
George. some doesn't get behind the
garnet door with a pretty girl every day
in the year"
"What would Mrs. Peckington say?'
"I dare say SHE'S doing the very same
thing herself down stairs with Jehorum
Simkins."
And Cora burst ont laughing at the
preposterous idea, just as the widow
came for ounce jelly and apple butter,
and to tell Cora to mix up Il batch OF
mullins in the ~twinkling Of an eye, for
n~eighbor Simkips was going to stay to
tea.
After supper Mr.. Simkins took his
leave, with a roguish twinkle of his eye
toward the young people, and Mrs.
Peckington went overtospend the even
ing with Mrs. Dorcas Dottleford, her
pet crony, and Cora sat all alone in the
freight, sewingand signing and think
ing. Fer George Merriltou had gone
home early to secure Mr.. Siml.ins' COM
partnership o part of the way through
the lonely roads, which were already
becoming yelled il snow.
The tall old-fashioned clock in the
angle of the old-fashioned kitchen chin
ney had just struck midnight, when Cora
Dallas was reused from her sleep by
a sheeted form at the foot OF her bed
tall and narrow, clad in white-but no
ghost, nevertheless, but Mrs. Picking
toms self.
What's the matter?" cried Cora,
breathlessly.
my money" gasped the widow,
waving her hands tragicallv IN the air.
But what Of i: -
ats clean gone, stolen, took away -
care you sure?" eagerly demanded
Cora.
"As sure as l am that you're staring
at me now. L felt up chimney for it
the last thing afore l got ready to go to
bed, and-it was gone"
In vain proved all search. Neither
up chimner, 10 down cellar, nor in any
Imaginable or unimaginable corner was
the bag of gold pieces to be found.
"Mrs. Peckington," said Cora, huski-
Iy, sit must have been stolen"
yes" said Mrs. Peckington, whose
lips were now compressed, and there
was something in her manner that Cora
never before noticed, as she called the
white-headed farm-boy, and told him to
run over and ask Farmer Simkins to
step to the Peckington place that morn
ing.
"And You may as well stop for
George Merriiton as you come back"
said she.
When he was gone, she came close
up to Cora Dallas.
"Cora," said she, eve two are alone
together now, and 1 am the last one to
be hard on you confess now, and We'll
see how the matter can be cleared up"
Cora opened wide her brown eyes.
"Confess what 2" she asked, limo
Gently.
"That you took the money; there
was no one else that could have done it.
You were here all alone yesterday even
ing, and / know it was a strong temp
tation to a gal that never had five dol
lars OF her own in the world. Cora,
you're young, child, and L don't believe
you're altogether bad, but Satan Sits
us all as wheat, and"
"Stop !" cried Cora, growing white
and GREATNESS ; "you suspect me-you
think l am a thief ! Mrs. Peckington,
may God forgive you /; forgive you for
your very cruel suspicion"
Mrs. Peckingtou was silent. She
knew not how she could help the i'm
preston which so strongly bore upon
her mind. Who but Cora Dallas could
have taken the missing gold?
NGenrce- Genroa I" pasned the moor