Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-02-27

prised out of all measure at so extra
ordinary q suggestion. SID like to
see the woman that wouldn't Jest jump
at the chance-jest jump at the chance" "
ri dunno" said the old woman,
shaking her head with mournful credu.
lity: "these ere widders are very on
sartin-'specially the young ones-an'
there's no tellin' what they'll do.
Sides, there's that young lawyer, Tom
Harwood. seein' her about good deal.
"Oh, that amounts to nothin', )" said
the Squire complacently. "He boards
at her house, an takes her to meetin'
an singin' school jest out Of polite
ness" @--- -
Mrs. Crandal made no further re-
mark, but proceeded to gather up the
dishes, and the Squire went to his room
to gather himself into his Sunday
clothes.
Hedecided not to call too early upon
the widow, lest she might not be ready
for visitors, and therefore he delayed un-
til the clock struck the hour, of nine;
then tall hat, drab trowsers, blue,
brass -buttoned swallow-tail, "an over
coat-and Squire Butterfeld contained
somewhere within passed out to the
road. 1t was clear, cold, moonlight
night; no one was out on the street,
and the bright homelights from various
windows shone upon face assured and
possessed as he moved along. No
"faint heart" to "win fair lady" did
he carry! Not at all. But with firm,
confident step he passed over the crisp,
well-trodden snow that creaked loudly
under his feet. ..... .-.4...
It was not a very long walk and he
soon reached his destination. The wild
ow's house was small two-story frame,
quite back from the road, and sur
rounded by forest of shrubbery and
fruit trees. From the gate path wound
up to the house under these trees, and
the Squire had to move cautiously, as
the moon gave but faint light through
the foliage.
He reached the house safely, howev-
er, and glanced up at the second story,
the corner room of which was used by
the widow as sitting room. He saw
it was we'll lighted, the window curtains
not yet down, and he was about turn
ing toward the door, when some ONE
q man-came to the window aud looked
out. For the first time the Squire
paused irresolutely. Who was that
man? Was it Grimp-had he got the
start of him after all I? He didn't wish
to see Mr.. Grimp-at least not then
and there. He stepped back little to
get better view, and waited for the
face to appear again, But it did not.
Then he moved around to the end of
the house and looked up at the window
on that side, but with no better result.
If he only knew who the man was;
knew certainly it was not Mr.. Grimp,
he would be satisfied. His eye rested
on the low back kitchen, directly be-
low the end window. If he was only
ON that he could look into the room un-
observed by any one. It could do no
harm, either; and he did so wish to
know who that man vast
The more the Squire thought about
it the more convinced was he that it was
Mr.. Grimp-but then may be it wasn't.
He rould find outi He became more
resolute then, and looked about for
some MD to his purpose. This, after
some search, he found in small ladder,
which he placed against the kitchen
and began to ascend. He got up the
ladder without trouble, but found the
roof so coated with ice that he had to
move with extreme caution. However,
the window was reached at last, and,
looking in, he saw only the widow and
Tom Harwood sitting by the FIRE. -"
"Therew muttered the Squire in
disgust after making this dicovery; ct
never thought of him! Why in Sam
Hill didn't remember he was here, and
saved all this trouble? Nearly spilled
my best clothes, tooY' ,r-.
He turned about and was preparing
to go back, when a movement down in
the shrubbery arrested bis attention and
downward progress at the same time.
For moment or two he remained per-
fectly still; then he peered carefully
over the roofs edge. He saw q man
standing below among the trees, but
who he was the Squire couldn't make
out. HoShsit, whoever he might be.
he seemed to be scanning the front win
dow very closely. Indeed. this view
did not seem to satisfy him, and like
his "illustrious predecessor" he, too,
passed round back of the little kitch-
en-. The Squire became alarmed. He
would be discovered now certainly!
What should he do? Heglanced about
hopelessly until he caught sight of the
chimney-a large, old-fashioned one,
running up from the kitchen close
against and on the outside Of the main
building. With quick movement he
scrambled to his feet into the shadow
Of its deep corner and stood close ageinst
the wall.
"Maybe." he thought, b" the man
will go way pretty soon, confound himF
But the stranger seemed in no hurry
toleave; on the contrary he moved about
few minutes, and then, to the conster-
nation of our friend on the rOof he ho-