Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-01-30

quarter OF an hour, winch na0 calky-
lated might be the end of our acquain-
| lance.
''The sooner you're rid of this fellow,
the better" he went on. Gle might
have robbed and murdered you in the
street, and nobody the wiser-only l
come down it once an hour"
"Wot a liar" l exclaimed; and then
l seized my advantage here: He can
tell good one, he can," added; why,
we've been here since one o'clock.
Who's going to believe what you say"
"WelI, l say this-that you come
down the wrong turning purposely.
There's no good saying you don't know
your way about these parts, because
you do-and / shall book the case and
take your number. It's bad case, and
you'll be summoned in the morning"
said the Bobby.
Summon and be"
Don't answer bim!-oh! don't look
so wicked as that" cried Mary, "you
haven't done any harm-you'ye been
all that's kind and thoughtful, and you
couldn't help the accident. And he
shan't say a word against you, Mr..
Pledge, while | can be your witness"
cord bless you, young woman" |
burst forth. 1 couldn't help it, but the
tears came up into my eyes, for the
first time in all my claimants life.
ooh. If you haven't anything to say
against him-if you're satisfed-thats
different thiDg-but he is a bad 'un,
and its lucky I've come round to help
you"
"He's not q bad one" cried Mary,
with her pretty face all aglow in my
defence.
Think of that now-in MY defence!
'And what are you squatting in that
cab for?" said the perliceman, turning
upon her suddenly, like the wiper that
hewas. ''If you've been setting there
since twelve you ought to be ashamed
of yourself. with Circumambient Ter
race the first turning the right"
"Whatp cried Mary.
''Wot!" cried |.
"The first turning to the right-just
round the corner-Oh! you know well
enough" said the pericemanto me.
Here come in-and help me to carry
the box-if you're man and a brother
and let us have the young woman out
of this mess"
"Tn keep an eye on the box, till you
send somebody round to fetch it" said
the perliceman.
"No-I won't leave it with you" said
Mary, very firmly, II can't trust you
That's my box, and | won't lose sight Of
it."
"Pm sure he WON'T run away with it, ,
I said.
This was ironical-for two ofus could
have hardly managed that-but the
man frightened up as at a compil-
ment.
'plI help you," he said, and he did
when Mary had, got out of the cab
And a rare tough job it was. hauling
down that frozen box-we both got hot
and red and very much strained over
it, and it came away all of a run down
hill at last, and drove one Of its iron
corners through the perliceman's he'll
met, and shaved off three big buttons
from his uniform.
1t was six o'clock when our little party
of three went up the front steps of Lau.
ristina House, very little house in Cir
cumambient Terrace, and knocked a.
the front door, We didn't expect to be
let in easy at that hour, but the door
opened at once, and an old lady quite
dressed, and with a night cap on, stood
in the passage holding candle in hel
hand.
ooh! you have come" she said, az
mild as milk itself; 81 thought the
trains would be little late on Boxing
Night"
That old gal must have been an ange
in disguise, | thought at first, but she
had only been fast asleep in her chair
all night, sitting up for her new servant
who did not know the time.
eff you please, Mrs. Botherton, the
cab broke down, and" began Mary
eyes, yes; tell me tomorrow SHE
said, more snappishly, You're letting
all the cold into the house. Pay the
cabman, and come in, do.
ooh, dear, I don't know how to pay
you-for everything" said Mary, be
wildered like as she took out her little
purse
The fares arf a crown, and yor
might spring a siXpence more. as it's {
bad night, and if I've been civil, nut
tered.
"Ahl that's what the man said at the
railway station, but"
The fare is about half-a-crown," sale
the perliceman. 81 wouldn't give hin
more, Miss; it's his own fault if HI
comes out with shaky cab.
But" began Mary again, he has
been SO good and kind and thoughtful
he has So
"I'll make my bill out, and call to
morrow" said, huskily, "Id rather
not take any money now, please"
And I didn't. l turned away, but she
called me back.
Every well. Think over what [ owe
you, Mr.. Pledge, and please shake
hands with me, and let me thank you.
"NO-nOt nOW-tO-mOrrOW."
| shook hands, and she said-odC
enough that was, too, to say it
"You're not a bad one, as he thinks
and / never will believe it,
"Thankee-thankee."
I went away, and the tomorrow
never saw me in Circumambient Ter
race. Nor the next day, nor the day
after, nor the week after those days MOI
; the month after that week. | didn'
want to see her ust then, and as l wa:
: just then, and I didn't want her money
[ was not going to take three shillingS
: from Mary Daykin-somehow likeC
TO think, and was proud to think, thai
L had been of help to her without a bi
of money for it. After all had done
nothing but break down in back slum
and keep her there miserable for hours
so the pride was took out of me by de
grees, and / was left to wonder how she
was getting on, and whether she had