The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-06-22

"lle says it was YOU said one Of the men
At least he nodded yes, when we asked him II
you did it.
Then old master was not right in his
mind said He'd never be against me-
"Atter that heard the whole Master had
paid the men and dismissed Mark. He had
only said: All right, | am tired Of work
and had eaten breakfast there and left in sight
Of all. But had gone; and when they found
that master, who was always up at cochcroW,
did not rise at nine, they opened his door ana
found HIM on the floor senseess-thcy thought
dead at first He had been robbed of his
pockct-book, watch and an old-tashlohed pm
he always wore in his necherchici-the paint
ed head of lady set around with pearls-an
ornament older than his grandfather.
"They found nothing about me, Of course;
but the quarrel and my cut made the case hard
against me. And the master who dying rs
they thought him, had been able to speak at
odd times and said that, to the best Of his be
lief was his assailant 1t was dark to be
sure, but in the struggle he felt that the man
wore a cap and was the only hand who wore
anything but straw hat. Besides he came
from the inner passage and down the stairs,
and did not break in through the door or win
dow as a burglar would have done. And
was the only missing member Of the house
hold. SO | lay in prison with this awful
would live or die, and my greatest grief was
for Peggy.
keep it from her. | begged them, until
she must know it,
"And they were kind and did and letters
were sent to me in prison. 1t was weary
time and the one drop of comfort in it came
with those letters. had five from her when,
at the end of one came this:
"DEAR JACK: | never hide anything from
!,
I'd never do, but Just to let you know that
keep no secrets to myself, must tell you what
has happened.
"'Our master has hired man, lazy fellow,
that dsliked at first sight, Mark Hulker by
name, and what should he do but take notion
to me, ,r pretend to do so, trying his best to
sit up with me after work hours and following
me about wherever go of a holiday. Then he
tries to make me like him by telling me how
rich he is. -Four hundred dollars he has laid
by, he says, and has gold watch like gen
tlemaA. The other Sunday was dressed for
church and up he walks.
Why Peggy says he you've no pin to-
your collar'
"'Said | 4 can't afford money for fincry'
"Then says he; Now how lucky it is that
| have one to give YOU and he pulls pin
from his pocket
"Jack, couldn't help lookngat it. TWAS
II ladys portrait with hair all white-though
she was so young-likc an old woman's; he
said it was powdered, as they did it in olden
| times and PINK dress-and then all about ii
was tiny stones-and altogether no bigger than
Il quarter altogether How he came by such Il
thing, goodness knows But of course |
wouldn't have 1t.
"'Says he: Now Go take it Peggy. / want
to keep company with you, and now you know
| the truth
$50 says l. I want neither your company
nor your presents, and please remember that
hereafter
ait was rough, know, but hate him so.
And was none too rude, for he bothers me
yet as much rs ever. Though you know if he
were ever so good and handsome am always
your own Peggy, and think of no one else"
when | read that you could have knocked
me down with feather. The pm was the one
the old farmer had lost knew, and 1t was
Mark who was the thief, and who had tried to
murder him.
II sent for the lawyer who was on my side
and who had all along believed me limo.
cent, and gave him the letter.
Its old masters PIN said. What shall
do, sir|
And he said; You can do nothing my
poor fellow, but wait and hope. have clue
now, and I'll follow it,
what he did. He went down to the place
where Peggy lived, and took her of danger
Of eavcsdroppers and told her all that had hap.
pcned. The girl trembled and wept but she
spoke out:
"lIcs innocent she said I'd not believe
him guilty if an angel told me he was
and the lawyer said out of his heart, though
she was IL serving lass:
"'lIcs worthy of you, Peggy Grey, | do be-
lIeve, and that is saying good deal
"Thcn he asked her about the pin, and the
two had long talk It ended in Peggy burst
ing into tears and promising TO do anything
and everything he asked if he would tell me
why she did it.
"lle told me afterwards, and il was hard work
for little Peggy with her honest heart Bless
her She turned herself around and made a
different creature of herself She tried TO make
Mark lIulkcr believe that she had been coquet-
ting all the while, and-oh, how she cried
when she told me that she let him put his arm
around her waist and kiss her. One night my
good lawyer and two other men were shut up
in the pantry with Peggys master, and She
dressed in her best was waiting for Mark
lIulkcr.
That night she had promised Mark TO take
his pin, and if he proved he had the money he
Dragged of, promise 10 marry HIM, and Mark
came rs merry as could be, and Il little the
worse for liquor
"'Now, lass said he, "A promise is prom
Use. There's the money TO count and the watch
To look at, and the pin To wear. Now you'll
have me-
And just then the pantry door opened be
hind HIM, and heavy hand camo down on his
shoulder.
"'Wc'il have you, my fine fellow said a
voice, and there and then they arrested him ;
for the money and the watch and the pin were
old masters and one who knew, his son
James, was there with the detective.
"llc gave up all hope from that minute, and
confessed everything. How he had made up /
his mind 70 rob old master that evening be-
fore he was dismissed. How he had seen me
climb out of the window, and 50 dressed in
clothes like mine, and made his plans To throw