Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-01-30


CHAPTER II.
The days were beginning to shorten.
love the cleaning, and was not sorry TO vel
come the soft dusk wee bit earlier each day.
Baby liked it, too, l think for twilight
makes idle fingers, and l had moro time to
toss him up and down. and listen TO the mer.
~ music Of his crows Of pleasure. However
sad and anxious at other times, always man.
aged to cheer up when baby made his ap-
pearancc in my sitting room and, oh, what
comfort 1 found in the touch Of his velvet
soft cheek cuddled up against mine, and his
little pink -pamed hands clinging round my
finger!
Well, one day, or rather afternoon, as the
shadows were lengthening out and robin
was piping the first notes Of his plaintive
eveu-song, | sat alone in my co2y morning
room.
My mother q call her thus because, in my
creed, Johns belongings were mine, too }
had been ailing for day or two. The strain
Of anxious, loving thought for her son had
told upon that fragile frame, wearing it as
the sharp sword wears the scabbard.
For our troubles were black around us AZ
ever.
"lf | had dealt unfairly by a single man in
my employ, / would own to the wrong and
make reparution," my darling said. Some
hands have just cause to complain Of the
masters mine have none. will not bulge
one inch
1t seems to me that am telling my story
in q strange, desultory fashion, but cannot
help it give you the memories Of those
days as they rise one by one before me.
The illness of Mrs. Otway kept her a pris-
oner to her own home, and day by day went
- 4 l.. a. t.lIr - -, 4
of scarce aught else Women who are leal
and true can give sweet store of comfort to
each other in time of trouble by community
of sympathy, even If they be but close friends
how much more, then, could we two, to each
of whom the man upon whose head sorrow
had fallen was the best and dearest
Baby, ON the day of which l now write,
and from which seem ever wandering in de
evious pathways Of thought. had seen fit to
take his sleep at an unwonted hour so
was alone in the deepening twilight for once.
The house WAS very still Just then, for the
servants were at their tea, and thick green
baized door shut off their premises from the
rest of the rooms 1t was 30 quiet that
through the open window | could hear Las
sic whinny softly in her stable across the
yard so quiet that the sound of my own
name, spoken hurredy and almost in a whis-
to tear the mantle of silence that was brood
ing over the early autumn evening
Mistress Otway Mistress Otway :" said
the voice for Gods sake COON round TO {
door and let me in. I'm nigh dropping"
In moment l had reached the porch,
opened the door, and was half. supporting,
half-leading a figure 30 ghostly, so death like
that it might almost have been taken for Il
visitant from the spirit-wolld.
1t was Jim Stevens's wife "a woman hag-
gard and fevor-wRsted, and whom | had seen
only the day before lying weak and wan, with
her two.days-old baby by her side.
Lizzie :" cried as she staggered into my
room, and still holding my arm in a wild,
convulsive grasp, gasped out something |
could not understand, ARE you mad 7"
"Ay, almost" she whispered, raising her
fever-bright eyes to mine. and wiping the
sweat from her poor thin face with a corner
of her shawl. Listen, lady," she went on
''if they miss me from my bed, and jim
learns as I've COON oop here, I'm dead wo-
man he'll brak every boan in my body, as
sure as theers a God above; but ! dunnot
care. No'ye bin good friendto me, and the
like o me, and woant see yo' made "A wild
der and yer little one fatherless.'
The words struck me like blows, Telling me
where ] stood with their terrible force.
On my knees, with my head in that poor
creatures lap, ] wrestled with papg so aw-
full that az | write about it now, after long
years, il seems to rive my heart again.
Nay, said Lizzie, lifting my bowed head
with her poor, shaking hands; ''yo munna
greet-yo mum be strong and hale-fOr the
sake O. him ns loves yo'. II summat amt
done he'll be carried whoam to yo' dead this
meet. wi bullet j. his breast"
My God, my God - l cried, staggering to
my feet "help me-!
"Ay, say Amen to that, lady" said Liz
zie catching my hand and pressing it against
her bosom. "Yo've helpt others; happen
God 'ull mind that now and help yo'."
What can | doy Tell me-tell me the
whole truth, Lizzie. See, I'm strong and
hale now God has helped me already. He
has put courage into my heart.
Thou II need it, my lass, said Lizzie
forgetting in her eager trouble all barriers Of
class, for pain, the great leveler, set us for
the nonce side by side, just two sorrowing
timorous women, and nothing more Its
Jim as is at t bottom o. it all-mAy God for
give me for speakin' agen my mon, Mistress
Otway-I wudna, but it's to hinder murder
bein' done, and afore l tell thee, wilt swear
that ne'er a word shall pass thy lips TO hurt
himS He's bad mon, know but for a.
that he's my mon-and it's hard for ony wo-
man 10 speak up agen her mon
In sorest anguish of impRtience | wrung my
hands the one in the other and, with lips as
white as Lizzie's own, swore the oath she
craved for.
Then she told me all the shameful story.
The foreign workmen whom $50 report had
i) John had decided to employ were on their
way to the North there was no chance now
Of bringing the owner of OtwAy Mills on his
knees. The furnace of hate, heated seven
times with the fuel of drink, seethed like a
mighty cauldron. Jim stirred it with bitter.
angry words. He had been at fault more
than once, and at last dismissed; he had
wrongs to revenge, he said-they all had.
Thus the evil tongue tried to stir up strife
but only one or two other turbulent spirits
like himself would be led into plotting
against the master These then had laid a
foul plot-the plot that poor, faithful Lizzie
had left her bed Of weakness and pain to warn
me of.
"You know" she said ''the big wood
wheer T. two roads meet, half way 'twixt
here and t. mills Well, they're to watch for
him passing by theer on his black horse, and,
oh, my lady, the shot 'ull COON from behind
the trees"
"When-when p almost shrieked
''To-neet," she whispered hoarsely, as
though she feared the very walls would tell
Jim of her great treachery There's no
tonne to lose. Thee must go theesel' they'n
know summats up if any other body goes
by. Which o the roads does the meester
COON by ?" she added with a sudden look of
dread in her eyes that was miTrored in my
own.
Sometime one, sometimes the other" l
walled. "Oh, l cannot tell which :"
Its hard on thee" she said with wonder
ful, pitiful lovingness How wilt thou knNw
which way to gang?"
"How, indeedy"
"One-two-t -three-four," rang out tho
little clock upon the bracket by the window.
We both started, and Lizzie gathered her
shawl about her.
Il must gang my way" she said, her head
dropping on her breast.
But she fingered moment more, holding
my hand close, and peering eagerly into my
face.
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