The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-05-12

y
! There was suppressed sound, ike
chuckle, behind the clockcase, as Deacol
Shermer fumbled about on the she'll fol The
clock key.
"These springs must be out of Older some
how" said the deacon, decislvely. "HoW
scared you look, child! There Amino cause
for bein' scared | don't put much faith IL
your Aunt James old time superstition. NO"
where in TIVE name of ali possessed is the key
| could ha declared left it in the case
isn't il on the shelf, father" said Mary
guilty conscious that IL was snugly repos
in the pocket of her checked gIngham dress
No; nor faint in my pocket, neither. And
down went the deacon, stifly enough, on his
knees, to examine the floor, lest perchance the
MISSING key might have fallen there.
"Well, never knowed anything so strange
in all my life," said he.
at is really strange" faltercd the hypocriti'
cal Mary.
"I'll have regular search tomorrow" said
the deacon. at must be somewhere around
here"
Eyes, 1t must" SAID Mary, TREMENDOUSLY.
"Only," the deacon went on, slowly resum.
ing his scat before the fire, II kind o. don't
like to have the old clock stand still single
night When I wake up, you know, it seems
like il was sort o. talking to me in the still
ness"
The Deacon looked though,tully at the frey
back log. Mary fdgeted uneasily about the
room, Strengthening table covers, setting back
chairs, and thinking
ooh, If he would only 60 TO bed"
AS he sat there, his eyeids began TO droop,
and his head to nod somnoently. Mary's
eyes frightened up with something like
hope.
"Child," he said suddenly, Strengthening
up in the stiff backed char. YOU'D better
go to bed. I'll sit up awhile longer till the
logs burn out"
"But, father, I'm not sleepy"
eco to bed, my child" reiterated the dca-
con, with goodhumored authority that
brooked no oppositon and Mary crept out
of the room, ready TO cry with anxiety and
modification.
"If Tim Will only keep quiet little while
longer" she thought, sitting on the stairs,
while the moon streamed in in chilly splen-
dor. Father sleeps SO soundy-and he is
sure TO go to sleep in his chair could just
steal in and release him just as quietly US pos.
sible"
She sat there, her plump fingers interlaced,
and her eyes fixed dreamily on the floor,
while all the time her ears were strained to
the utmost capacity to catch every sound in
the kitchen beyond Hank! was that the
wall of the wiHd, or was it something, to her
literally nearer and dcarer9 Yes; she could
not be mistaken now it was actually loud
Sa0ro.
Mary rose softly to her fee. with renewed
hope. Noisclessly as n floating SHADOW she
crossed the hall, opened the kitchen door, and
stole across the crcaking floor. The candles
we're burned out, but the shifting luster of the
freight revealed her father nodding before
the fire, with closed eyes and hands hanging
at his sides.
"lIc's certainly asleep" thought she
With a heart that beat quick and fast she
drew the key from her pocket and proceeded
in spite of the nervous trembling OF her fin
gers, 10 put il into the lock. So absorbed
was she that she never noticed the cccessation
of the heavy breathing-never saw the deacon
start suddenly into wakciulncss and look
around him. Love is blind, and 1t is equally
true that he Is deaf The deacon rose W
quickly, with shrewd twinkle in his eyes
and hand fell softly on her arm, possessing
itself quickly OF the key.
LET me help you" SAID the deacon
! Father, II found the KEY faltered Mary
! and
Found the key, ell :" returned the deacon
"Well, that's lucky; and now we can find ou
what's The matter with the clock"
| Mary's heart, thrObbing So wildly mo
ment ago, seemed 10 stand still! as her ia'hc
turned the key and opened The door of III,
clock case
! "Hal-lom exclaimed the deacon, as Mr.
Timothy Marshall tumbled into the room
$50 YOU was the matter with the clock, ell p
"Ycs, sir" SAID Tin, cnmposeCly. 81 hop,
haven't seriously nteriercd with the work
of the clock"
! you've seriously interiered with me-" SAT-
the deacon, waxing indignant. what d,
you mean, sir, by hiding in my house like
| thief;"
Indeed! indeed! father" said Mary, burst
ing into tears, "it wasn't his fault He didn'
want to hide, but put him IN there"
"You did, Ell? And may | ask what for {!
Father" faltered Mary, rather irrelevant
lly, III love him, and-he loves me-"
) as that any reason why he should hide II
1.-THE clock case, Mss"
81 "No-but-fa,herl oh, father can nevc
> marry Mr.. Stanley. He is so soft, and /
5 Mary's tears finished the sentence for he
b The deacon looked down, not unkindly, o
d her bowed head and the tender arm that SUI
ported IL Apparently, "the course OF tru
love- roughly though IL ran, was o7erwheln
anS 81 h's o"h "OIiui y "lsc ai SOnSh's
C its ride
"And so you two young folks really thin
g you love each others said the deacon, med
e tatively.
| 81 love her with all my heart and soal, sir
said Tim Marshall, earnestly. "1'm not re
T know, but can work for her"
i And can work for myself, too, father
Il interpnsed Mary, with eyes that shone liE
/ soitened stars.
And you said yourself, sir" went on Tn