Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-05-05

ooh, ] couldn't sleep at all. Mrs.
Nash told me that I must go the first
thing in the merning, and L felt SO
badly"
81 shouldn't think you would want to
stay with woman like that"
"But it's so dreadful to have nowhere
to 90 to- And besides" She stopped
abruptly, with look Like terror i'll her
eyes.
"Have you no friends, then ?" asked
John.
emo" The tone was very reserved;
but reserve could hardly fail to melt
under SO s1lnshiny q presence as John
Boyd's, and before the long days ride
was done he had won from her the main
facts of her story.
Lucy Dill was her name. Her mother
had married for the second time when
Lucy was twelve years old, and three
years ago, when the girl was barely tif-
teen, had died, leaving her to the pro-
lection of her stepfather
"She didn't know what sort of man
he was, said Lucy. "And he he wasn't
that kind of man when she was alive.
[ was too young to notice much, and
mother always put herself between him
and me when things went wrong.
After she died it was dreadful. Elkins
| that's his son-came home to live.
He never lived there before, and-and
he
Wanted to marry you?"
eyes and his father said [ must.
| But J. am afraid of him-of them both.
And people began to come to the house
bad people, not good-and began to
suspect things. "
"What kind of things?"
1t was not easy to get an answer to
this question. In fact, the terrified and
inexperienced girl had hardly dared to
formulate her own fears; but John
| gathered the idea that coming or other
unlawful practices were going on, and
Lucy, only half comprehending, had I'M
derstood enough to startle and brighten
her into making her escape. She had
effected this by night six weeks before,
and her great dread was of being dis
covered and forced to go back. John
treasured her as well rs he could.
"You'u be just as safe at the farm as
if you were in an iron safe, he protest
ed
But, spite of his assurances, the lurk-
ing terror never left Lucy's eyes, though
weeks sped safely by and nothing oc-
CURED to alarm her. Every sudden
noise made her start the sight of
strange figure on the road blanched her
roses to paleness. Except for this fear
fulness, she proved an excellent "help"
In all ways, quick, neat-fingered sweet
! to,,,.,nroI OH po,.1o,o l.
ever the farm had got on without her,
and John in his secret heart wondered
also. 1t never should be without her
again-on that he was firmly resolved.
"Lucy," he said one day, three months
after she became his inmate, "Tm tired
of seeing you Jump and culver and scut-
tie up stairs whenever the peddlar or the
ragman comes along. It's bad for you,
and it worries me almost to death. Now,
| there's just one way thatll make all safe,
and set your mind at ease, and that is,
| that you just marry me out of hand, and
give me the right to protect you. Once
my wife, I shouldn't care if your step
father and all the gang came after you;
let them lay a finger on you at their
peril, while I'm alive and have the right
to interfere. Will you, Lucy? It's the
best thing to be done, trust my word for
it. Idon't mean to pretend that I'm
doing it for your sake entirely" added
John, with a broad smile, a" for l amt I
want you for my own sake the worst
way, but both ways it will be a gain; 80,
unless you have something against me,
say eyes, Lucy, and we'll have the par
son over tomorrow, and make all safe.
Will you, Lucy? ?"
ooh, how could [ have anything
against you?" replied Lucy, with the
sweetest blush
"Well," declared John, moment
after, as he raised his head from his first
long lovers kiss, "now [ forgive Mrs.
Nash ~