The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-11-22

fainting, l sank upon the stepping-stone
Afgure standing in the doorway stopped
and lifted me up.
"Why, Mattel why, how is this, my
lass? / thought you safe in bed"
l withdrew from the embracing
arms; / stood aloof, shivering anC
gasping.
al have been downtown to the sea
| shore"
Sand something has scared the wee
woman" said Jacob, in his most win
some and soothing tone. Well, rest
a bit, rest bit, poor little birdie.'
The sweetness and softness of his
voice as he said these words seemed to
me like that of one who feels the hour
of eternal separation draw near. He
came toward me.
| held up my hands beseechingly.
"DO not come near me now, Jacob.
Oh, not now, for have seen-I have
seen a terrible sight down on the sands.
Stephen Risdale-"
Jacobs face gathered color, his eye
shot fire. "Did he insult you, the vii
IAN r ne SAID.
"He is Dead" answered, sharply
and suddenly.
"Dedd :" repeated Jacob. "Oh, come
away, come away, Matte; the moon
light has made you daft"
81 wish that it had," / cried, bitterly.
"Oh, wish that it had"
Jacob picked up his hat, which lay
upon the shore.
Come, Mattie," he said, let us go
down that way again; it's some i'll
shadow, | doubt, has unsettled your
nerves. Comet"
He took me by the arm, not roughly,
but hastily, and hurried me up the road
at a breathless pace. 1t was not long
before we came to the great shadow of
the rock where 1 had seen the figure
lying. But it was not on the spot where
| had left it. A strange relief, the light
ness from terrible load, came to my
heart-it almost seemed as if | had really
been dreaming.
Jacob laughed. "You fairly scared
me, little woman, he said.
At that moment heard rustling in
the bushes fringing the foot of the rock,
and turning my strained eyes thither, l
saw figure sitting there. 1t made the
blood Jingle in my veins, that sight, for
the dropping recumbent shape was liv-
ing man, at least.
1t was, indeed, Stephen Risdale, and
when Jacob awkwardly but determined
" drew near, we saw that he was
stunned and bruised, that the friA of his
shirt was torn, and the splendid dia-
mond was gone from his breast.
Looking down from the rocks at that
moment saw the broad warped face of
,Jigger Jim. He nodded to me know
ingly, putting his finger to his lips, then
uttering one of his ear-splitting yells,
scrambled out of sight.
"What sort of idiots are all you peo-
pie here" gasped the victim, as the
ape-like figure disappeared, "that you
let crazy dog like that prowl around
without a keeper"
Jacob made some gentle answer. He
was thinking, perhaps, of the hard
words he had spoken that evening. He
touched the injured man tenderly with
his strong hands, and helped him to his
feet.
ave are all idiots, more or less, 1
believe" said Jacob.
Stephen looked about him warily.
" He was coming back to finish the job,
l suppose, if you had not come to the
rescue"
We took Stephen Risdale to our own
house that night and cared for him ten
derby.
1t was long before he fully recovered,
but nursing him was a real pleasure to
me. was full of rejoicing. This man
who might have beck vision of terror
to me all my life, this man we had so
and unwittingly rescued-this
was but a man after all, and not fiend
Sickness cleared away some fog from
his brain, and rendered his mental Wis
ion clearer. He had done wrong; he
was willing to make restitution. That
which is the normal con-
dition of shrewd business man melts
like frost in the fever of illness.
Stephen swore he would have Jigger
shut up from further harm-doing, and
he did so. But the diamond which jig
ger had secreted baffled all search. 1t
was only by long maneuvering and a
craitiness rivaling his own that it was
finally recovered.
One day, with secret trembling (al-
though knew that Jacob and Stephen
were following within calD, 1 allured
him up among the crags overhanging
the water; and there, with frantic ges-
-iculations and inarticulate mouthings
and idiotic shouts of laughter, the jewel
was delivered to my keeping, and l car
RED it home like princess, Jigger Jim
clappiDg his hands with satisfaction to
see it flashing on my breast. He had
stolen the gem for me, poor Jigger, and
was sorry to reward him so treacher-
,usly He had stolen it for me, and
stephen Risdale declared it should be
nine forever.
1t is mine. | see it shining now in a
harvest of plenty from our restored
lcres. see it flashing in Jacobs glad
bright eyes. Stephen Risdale, when he
,ame up this fall, declared ours was the
brightest little place he ever was in.
And well il may be, for there is no
hadow nowhere never will be again
between Jacob and myself-Harper'S
VeekLU.