Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-12-13

back, sitting IN his armchair, ana gaSped
once or twice, and ! was all alonc-quite,
quite alone. After that people came and
looked at the place. and the Thornleys among
them and was a little moping beggar, not
knowing which way TO turn, and the Thorn
leys offered to keep me for maid of-all- work
for food and clothing. There was nothing
else for me to do, and the ncighbors said it
was II providence; but since then l have
struck for higher wages, and now | have day
dreams when ] get enough money ] mean
to go away to school, even if I'm old as the
hills, and then maybe l can do something
nicer than 10 churn and cook for my daily
bread"
And you have saved somethingy
"a hundred dollars Already
Baxter smiled. And when do you expect
to have enough to set out and seek your for
tune y
"Do you think il will take very long - she
asked anxiouslv. "Shall be too oldr"
II should think not" he returned, still
smiling to himself
This was not the first walk Baxter and Pol
ly had taken together, neither was this the
last confidence rcposcd in each other.
"You two do seem to have an everlasting
lot of talk together commented Hannah,
land Polly amt no talkor neither; and
what's queer, you always come TO full stop
Nlltll u bbug thltufh "a W gbhs Aoil' iAtA'l
Just oyertakou them on the highway. as it
happened, though usually Miss Ilannah's in
terruptions were not owing to chance. No
sooner did she see them stroiiug of together
after work was over than she slipped out the
siul-room door with uudiguihcd haste, took
u short-cut through the woods, and joined
them as if She were returning from neigh
boris.
You'd oughter not take to tiamping round
the country so much with Baxter she adj
vis,d Polly on one occasion folks will be
gin to talk about you
Talk about mol What can they say
asked Polly.
They'll say Baxters making a fool of you
and they won't be far wrong"
why should he wish to make a fool of
me = persisted Polly, the tears gathering in
her eyes. why should lac take the troub-
le 7"
1T amt no trouble-it's amusing. You're
an easy victim, | reckon
After that Polly made an excuse when Bax-
ter asked leave TO 60 with her on an errand,
or begged her to step outside on fine twi-
lights and listen to the whip-poor-wills she
had always a stint to fini,h the bread to mix,
the milk to set, or some homcly duty to de
tain her. An older woman than Polly would
Lave seen that Miss Hannah herself had set
her heart upon Baxter, followed him about
Ike his shadow. courted him with sweet
meats, and hattcred him within an inch of
his life "Baxicrs that cute about place,
its pity he wasn't born twins she used to
declare
Though he be tramp Thornl,y would
add
Bat it was loves labor lost Her Aattcr-
les fell upon uuheeding cars, a She was not
slow to discover. BY painful degrees her
l. =. a.. 4 4 j
tions changed, as the case became hopeless,
from love to hatred she seemed to echo the
poets assertion:
''To love you was pleasant enough,
Bat oh lis delicious to bate you'll!
Neither was Polly'5 existence made more
agreeable Just at this time. Hannah amGst-
ment was to thwart Baxter in his loye-mak-
ing, to send him wild goose chase OF \ mile
or two in the wrong direction, to put STUN
bling blocks in the way. But she did not
stop here she suggested TO Ihornley's slow
mind the possibility of an clopenont, of du-
ty'neg,ecttd ''aloug Of spoOnng upon Polly.
DO we know any thing about Baxter? Did
he have recommendation Z" she darkly in
sinuuted. Didn't caution you against TAX
ing him in: If you lose any thing through
him and Polly, don't lay it to my door, that's
all"
Him and Polly" ga,pod Thornley,. "Bax-
ter"
Hannah had hit the mark at last Bless
ings brighten Us they tax their flight Pol
ly might have lived Mt Thornl farm for Il
century, and Thornley never found out that
she was dcarer to him than Hannah, TIL some
one els. should threaten to claim her After
that Baxter could do nothing to please him
he lay in wait aud watch. 4 the lovers rs "A cat
watches mouse, and worried them rs cru
ely.
One evening Miss Hannah entered the
room where Polly was sitting in the twilight.
Plotting mischief | reckon" she said.
"Arc you fond Of darkness, Polly, cause your
deeds are eyily Strike light, girl I'd a
roll Of crisp bank -bills in my hand an hour
ago square Emery paid his butter bill this
afternoon; l put 'em in my gown pocket
wErn Hiram called me to turn the grin stone
and they're gone, Now you needn't tell
me they're gone without hands"
There's been no pickpocket here, Miss
Hannah
Amt there d? When you take folks in out
Of the highway, without no accommodation,
how do you know what their habits Is ; TO
b. sure, | didn't suspect no one Of having
stole 'em out OF my pocket; there's II hole III
it I'd forgot about it and naturally them
bills must have dropped out between here
and the barn but Hiram aud me has hunted
the place over and again, and it stands TO
reason they couldn't have travelled further
without hands"
Mercy" cried Polly. How much was
thero?'
"A whole hundred dollars, miss aud if it
amt forth coming, somebody'n smart for
it."
''You don't think that took your money,
Miss Hannah Z"
l.,,N Il
there's Baxter"
Baxter"
''Yes, indeed What do you or I know
about the fellow? :"
II know he wouldn't do it,
"Hell have to prove it. I'll have him up
before the court, sure rs You live"
Polly could hardly keep her anger from
flaming into audacious words; the bare sus
picion was blow to her. She believed in
Baxter thoroughly; though an angel had ac-
cused him, yet would she hayeu uphcldhim. But
how often have the innocent suffered how
often has injustice triumphed over justice
To be suspected merely was an irreparable
injury, she thought. Baxter might lose his
good name, his work might be sent to prs-
on-every thing might go against him, aud
he had nobody but her for defense. As 1t
happened, he had gone down to the village
to get the mail and do some chores, and while
Hannah invoighed and Polly defended a
small boy Knocked at the door to bring the
pleasing news that "Mr, Baxter the fellow
as works for old Thornley,, give me quarter
to run up and let you know he wouldn't be to
home tonight, and maybe not tomorrow
neither, as he'd been called away suddng
like along of letter"
"There!" calculated Hannah, Il hope
you're convinced. He's absconded. I'll have
the law after him sure as his names Baxter,
which dare say it amt"
'WerG your bills new greenbacksI and did
YOU take the numbers :" asked Polly.
CRISP and fresh as new cabbage leaves
and as for the numbers, they were fves and
tens Just as it happened"
1--WE must have another good search before
you accuse any one"
"Only them that hides can find"
Aud Polly spared no pains; every minute
that she could secure from her duties was
spent in the search but when the second