Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-30

and argument on his side, but that a
because he does not calculate properly
on those queer bitches and crOtchets Of
human nature, which have no relation
10 justice and fair dealing, and are unaf-
fected by argument. Mrs. Nash proved
imperviOus 10 Johns choicest appeals.
Her mind was made up; she q ddidn't
want 70 hear more on the subject "
finally, her temper rising, what business
was II Of his, she demanded, what help
she kept, II she kept any help at all'P
He'd got his pocket-boOk; accounts
we're squared between them; there was
no further call, 80 far as she could see,
why he should meddle with her con
Germs. The upshot Of the interview was
that John flew out Of the kitchen with
his face as red as fire, tackled his horses,
threw valise and feed-bags into the
wagon, flung the amount Of his reckon
ing on the table, and, addressing Lucy,
who, pale and terrified, stood, bundle
in hand, prepared for flight, called out
"Now, then, my good girl, you've
lost one place by my fault, and I'm
darned II / don't offer you another.
VIII you jump into my wagon, and 20
home with meP My old woman's been
talking this long piece back Of getting
smart girl 70 help along when she's laid
up with the rheumatics; so you're Just
the one we want. She'll treat you
fairly enough, I'll be bound, and you
shall have whatever you were getting
here. And II you behave yourself,
you'll be well used, not turned out Of
doors for nothing; I'll engage 10 that
II fauft thn tvaw ffr, L., orrys ~. t.fo nth n
vindictive look at the landlady, who
stood rigidly planted in the doorway.
" We don't set ap to be extra Chris
tians, but there's little honesty and de-
cency left among us, which is more than
can be said Of all places. Well, what
do you sayP Yes or no. There's my
hand on it, II it's yes"
He held out his broad palm. Lucy
hesitated, but for moment only.
Yes, 1 WILL" she said. ''I've no.
where else TO 20, and you seem kind"
Another moment, and they we're driv-
ing off together down the maple-shaded
road, whose yellow and crimson boughs
danced overhead against " October's
bright blue weather" There were
peace and calming in the fresh stiffness
of the early day. Gradually little
color stole into Lucy's pale cheeks, and
Johns hot mood gave place to wonted
good humor and cheer.
You've had no breakfast, III bet, -
he said, with a smile. "And no more
have 1. was so mad with that woman
that couldn't swallow mouthful, but
now begin to feel sharp enough.
Wen stop at the next tavern. South
sa1- III
Can you hold out till thenPn
Oh yes, indeed" with a grateful
look out Of her blue eyes.
Johns tone grew more and more
friendly.
Gwen have something hot and
hearty there" he said. "You look
pale. 1 guess you didn't sleep any too
much last night"
"Oh, couldn't sleep at all. Mrs.
Nash told me that 1 must 60 the first
thing in the morning, and l felt SO
badly"
81 shouldn't think you would want to
stay with a woman like that"
"But it's so dreadful to have nowhere
to 90 to. And besides" She stopped
abruptly, with look like terror in her
eyes.
Have you no friends, thenP" asked
John.
"No." The tone was very reserved ;
but reserve could hardly fail to melt
under so sunshiny a 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
fifteen, had died, leaving her to the pro
lection of her step-father.
"She didn't know what sort of man
he was," said Lucy. "And 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 twas dreadful. Ellzins-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 l must.
But l was afraid of him-of them both.
And people began to come to the house
bad people, not good-and 1 began to
suspect things"
"What kind of thingsP'
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 an
derstood enough to startle and frighten
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
reassured her as well as he could.
"You'll be just as safe at the farm as
if you were in an iron SAFE" he pro-
tested.
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 a
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-fngered, sweet
tempered. Old Barbara wondered how
ever the farm had got on without her,
| anu JOnn III MS S6cIeJ uchlb HOnuoIeu
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,
"I'm tired of seeing you jump and
quiver and scuttle up stairs whenever
the peddler or the ragman comes along.
It's bad for you, and it worries me
almost to death. Now there's just one
way that'll make all safe, and set your
mind at ease, and that is, that you