Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-10-01


"Oh market days always a bustling day
one forgets half ones business, or has no
time to do it. Anyway, / thought I'd go il
this afternoon.
81 should like to 20 with you, James,"
Mr.. Harbury received the impulsive wisl
with blank look, and had no ready answer
at hand.
81 want to buy new silk gown and to or
! der best cap, and ever so many other things
| Yes l will go with you James, 1 wont be
five minutes getting ready"
'But-Dnah Ann-not to-day. can't take
| you this afternoon. You shall go tomorrow,
! instead"
wig cant you take me ?"
Business" he shortly replied And, his gig
| being just then brought round, White Bess in
the shafts, he got into it without more ado
and drove away calling out goodbye to his
| wife.
"I'll be even with you, Mr.. James, " nodded
She
The sun was setting when he drove in again
and round to the stable yard. Leaving his
horse and gig with Evan, he was crossing to
the house when his attention was caught by a
huge volume of black smoke putting out OF
the chimney Of a narrow building that was
formerly made to serve as brew-house and
wash-house, until the larger one was built.
4ho ~ was Oul VI ubb uONs WIS uOl, III lhGlt
used for any purpose whatever, or entered by
anybody from months end to months end,
MIR. Harbury naturally thought of fire. He
rushed to it like a madman.
In the fireplace under the furnace fire
blazed away, upon which more coal had re-
Gently been thrown. Whittier than death,
James Harbury made one frantic move toward
it, while n yell of what really seemed like
terror broke from him. Another yell sue
ceeded, and still another then he collapsed
utterly, and fell upon low wooden stool in
wild despair.
Good heavens" !" exclaimed Dinah Ann,
who had been stopping over some blankets in
the far corner what in tho world is the mat
ter Is it spasms, James? Let me run for
the camphor."
"Camphor, indeed" exclaimed the unhap-
py man. Bring poison, rather. Poison.
You've ruined me-"
Hes off his head" was her pitiable sug-
gestion. Let me rub you, James. Where
is the pain2 In the chest ?"
He flung his arms around in all directions,
so that she could not get to his chest, or to
any other part of him. "Who lighted this
fire 2" he gasped.
"Phnbe lighted it. l ordered her The
flue in the proper wash-house has taken to
smoking frightfully. The blankets are to be
washed tomorrow and will be put in soak to-
night. But what is the fire to you, James,
that you should be put out about it ?"
Its everything to me" he family answer
ed. Five hundred pounds have been burned
up in it,"
Rising from the stool-and Dinah Ann
wondered the creaky old thing had not come
down with his weight-he hastened indoors,
sat down by the table and buried his head up
on it. She found him SO, his face hidden in
his hands.
Now, James, you just tell me what all this
means-if you are not quite out of your senses.
Come intend to know"
'Yes, you may know it now, he said, lift
ing his face in his despair 81 had placed
in the fireplace of that old furnace, in my old
green pocket-book $500 in bank notes. And
they are burnt! They are burnt, Dinah
Ann !"
Dnah Ann paused. 'whoro did the notes
come from p
From your brother-to me. long while
ago-years before l knew you-I lent friend
over e4O0 He ran away with it to Australia,
and lost my money, and set him down as q
rogue. But he is not so dishonest as l thought
him he has made his fortune out there and
is back again, in London now, and last week
he transmitted the debt and interest to your
brother for me, five hundred pounds.
brought the notes home the night Harry drove
me here"
'And now just tell me- James, how you
could think of putting bank notes into such
place as furnace e-hole 2"
Il did it for safety Nobody ever went in
there and the furnace was never used"
Safety Was there not your bureau, up
stairs in the bedroom 2"
"IhdtS never locked"
'Why, it's alawys locked"
Anyway, the key is never taken out of
it,"
"Ah, see what it is-you were afraid
should see the money and want to spend it..
"And SO you would, Dinah Anna sum
like that coming unexpectedly" he meekly
rejoined. "Bonnets and frills, and fresh
chairs aud tables-you'd not have known
where to stop"
"Well, must say, James, you have been
rightly served for your want of confidence.
No husband ever has q concealment from his
wife, if she is a good wife, but he is sure to
be paid out. 1t is a loss though, five hundred
pounds !"
He groaned. "My business in Northam
this afternoon was to consult with your broth
er about good investment for it,"
Whats this ?" asked she, placing before
him the identical green case, with the bank
notes inside it. James gasped.
"Dinah Ann! My dear Dinah Ann !"
"Ah, it's my dear Dinah Ann now-and
where would you bo without me? have
given you good fright, however. Don't you
conceal thing from me again, James"
81 don't think l will he said. "How has
it all come about?"
why, have just been playing a little as
well as you. l was at the gate last Thursday
night, and heard what you said to Harry as
you got out of the gig. 1t excited my sus-
picions and my curiosity"
''But what did say 2" asked the farmer,
really not remembering between the excite
ment Of the past misery and the present hap
piness.
"'Not a word, mind, TO Dinah Ann. Not a
word, for your life, mind, to Dinah Ann"
The ATgosy.