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

exonerate the poor girl who, as he now
remembered with self-reproach, must
have passed painful day under the
stigma of undeserved suspicion.
The heat was yielding to evening
freshness, and he urged his horse, i'm
patient to set matters straight; but,
with his best endeavor, it was after
eleven before he at last drew rein in
front of Nash's hotel. He was expected,
that was evident, for lights were burn
ing. and both Nash and his wife hur-
ried out to meet him, wearing faces of
lugubrious length, which only in part
changed to cheerfulness when they heard
of the recovery of the wallet.
"There, what did 1 tell you?" cried
the husband. "Havent / been a-saying
and a-saying all day that likely as not
this scare would turn out allfo nothing {?
And you wouldn't listen to a word, but
Just kept on to that poor thing inside
there, and she's nothing to blame all the
time. I declare, it's too bad the way
women act to each other-and folks call
ing them the softer sexr A man would
be ashamed to be SO hard. Well, do tell!
and SO the money was a-lying there in the
dust all the time Well I'm mighty
glad, for your sake and ours too. Go
right in. sir, and wife IL give you some
supper. I'll see to the horse"
Mrs. Nash waited on the meal in grim
silence. She seemed only half relolced
at the denonement.
Its mighty queer" she remarked,
as she set the last dish on the table. 81
don't feel as if we'd got to the bottom of
it yet. Why didn't Lucy deny more
positive?"
"But she did, ssid John, between
two mouthfuls; "she said she hadn't
got it.
"Why, of course she said as much as
that. You didn't expect her to say that
she had got it, did you?'' reioined the
landlady, with a fine scOrn. But she
didn't speak up violent aud bold, as you'd
expect an innocent girl would.
"But she was innocent all the time,
you know"
81 amt so over sure about that, " re-
piled Mrs. Nash, with a shake of her
head. cts queer business.
Hurrying out to the barn next morn
ing in the best of spirits, low signing
sob called Johns attention to q bench
outside the kitchen door, where sat q
figure crrrmpled up In forlorn little
heap, i'll which he recognized the pretty
maid of the day before. She wore her
bonnet, and bundle lay before her.
Her face was hidden on her arms, which
were crossed on the back of the bench.
"Why, what's the matter ?" said John,
turning back.
The girl looked up with start. 81
beg your pardon" she faltered. "I'm
just going. 1 didn't mean to stay SO
long"
"Going? Where?
81 don't know where" she said, de-
jectedly. "Td try for another place,
only there doesn't seem much chance of
getting one without any recommend"
EDO you mean to say that they are
sending you away from here?"
"Yes"
'But in the name of goodness, whv?"
81 don't know Mrs. Nash says she
are suspected of stealing" The blue
eyes filled again as she spoke, and she
hid her face.
"By George L never. heard of such
injustice in my life,' shouted John.
CHOW, Lucy, if that's your name, you
just sit still where you are. Don't stir
or move till I come back. I'll see Mrs.
Nash. I'll put things right.
To put things right seems easy enough
to a strong, hearty man, with justice and
argument on his side, but that is because
he does not calculate properly on those
queer bitches and crotchets of human
nature, especially woman nature, which
have no relation to justice and fair deal
ing, and are unaffected by argument,
Mrs. Nash proved impervious to Johns
choicest appeals. Her mind was made
up; she "didn't want to hear no more
on the subject" finally, her temper ris-
ing, what business was it of his, she de-
manded, what help she kept, or if she
kept any help at all? He'd gothis pock-
ct book back; accounts were squared be-
tween them; there was no further call,
SO far as she could see why he should
NEEDLE with her concerns. 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-bag into the wagon, flung the amount
of his reckoning on the table, and ad-
dressing Lucy, who, pale and terrified,
stood, bundle In hand, prepared for
flight, called out:
CHOW, then, my good girl, you've lost
one place by my fault, and I'm blamed
if [ don't offer you another. VIII you
Jump into my wagon, and go home with
me? Ny old woman's been talking this
long piece back of getting a smart girl
to help along when she's laid up with the
rheIlmaticS. so vO11' re inst tha one wa
want. She'll treat you fairly enough,
I'll be bound, and you shall have what
ever you were getting here. And if you
behave yourself you'll be well used, not
turned ont of doors for nothing, Til en-
gage to that; it isn't the way up in our
parts" with vindictive look at the land
lady, who stood rigidly planted in the
doorway. eve don't set up to be extra
Christians, but there's a little honesty
and decency left among us, whichis more
than can be said for all places. Well,
what do you say? Yes or no. There's
NV hand on IT. If IT'S vos -