Litchfield enquirer., 1881-05-26

SOme1oW got ther member, SIT Thomas. The schoolmaster and the literary tailor ewho had S9th tried to ''get #" Sir, ,Ih9@asa9d hae even the successful Geofge who" had been having some qualms of conscience for having stripped his brother of business, again harden ed his heart against him. ..
 But, job or no job, either the Government contract was very unproftable or John was become great miser. He contrived to work the mill without any assistance, he even al- lowed his daughter Kitty to go as maid into Squire Harding's family (some were ''particu- larly" told he insisted on her going ); his jolly figure shrank to gaunt skeleton his trousers attracted passing notice, from the transparent tenuity of one part and the thick, clumsy patching of another and whenever he turned up in public (which now was seldom his man. ner was truculent and suspicious. From all which (since it could not but be that the Gov ernment paid him, it was readily concluded John was miserable hunks" There was another thing which lent color to this view: he never now tried to ''do out" his brother at sales; when he appeared at them he would fdget here and there on the skirts of the crowd feeling and fumbling in his pockets, and if Pottlethwaite appealed to him for bid he would seem to wake up and stand irresolute moment, and then would shake his head and stride away.
 ''He got some sense at last," said old Cocker. 'He wean't throw away nae mair brass"
 Yet his balance at the bank Gas the clerk let friends know in con6dence) did not increase on the contrary, 1t was gradually growing less But that was at once taken as excellent evidence of the miserly instinct working in him, which craves and lusts for the nightly lingering of the precious gold; he was of course, hoarding away his large savings some where about the mill, and he intended, bit by bit, to withdraw what the bank held of his and add it to the clinking, shining pile
 But that Government contract was surely an unusually long one. Winter had softened into Spring, Spring had frightened and settled into Summer, and Summer deepened and swelled' into Autumn, and still the gaunt fig ure of John, with his gaunt horse and loaded cart, was met of an evening coming and going on the Barford road still, whenever you might pass the mill, the water rushed and splashed, the wheel turned and dripped, and the hoppers clattered. The door, indeed, was never seen open now, not even it's upper half, in the old sociable way, and no one would think of putting his nose into the miser's den and asking how he was. It is not to be won- dered at that feeling of something mysteri- ous in all this should arise and spread. Sober canny men began to shake their heads and purse their lips when talking of big John It was agreed that it was not to the credit of an honest, respectable township like Fulford that John should be allowed to continue unques- tioned his secret uefarious traffic." (These last were the words of the tailor, with a taste for literature
 'Ah, now, be aisy," said Dr. Mahoney one night as the miller was being thus discussed in the old inn parlor-"be aisy. The old Tol l1s,, Oh yes, it's true he shuts himself up. Now, now because mans lost his flesh don't ye go for to taKe his skin ]"
 When the Doctor had gone out switching his boot with his riding whip, much disgust was expressed at his defense of ct aud mi ser." Some one on the back bench spoke up and said he knew why ''t' Doctor be so foand O aud John" Being pressed tor an explan- at ion, he said, ''Doctor be sweet on t'lass. An, bull seen um ! an't'lass'n haze all tn aud mans brass as he hides away in stock ings an rat-holes."
 ''Ah, be that it ?" The wise topers at once found this an explanation of great deal, and made it an incentive to action For might it not well be that Mahoney was in the miler's secrets, and was sharing-eh ? Ecod why should they not go down to the mill one night while the miller was out on the Barford road, and enter and see what games he was up to And hunt out a rat or two from the holes" suggested one, "Cod, yes !''
 Now it had chanced that the Doctor on leav- ing the parlor had turned into the bar-''just hot whisky me darlin', wid bit O lemon" and, being suspicious that ths topers night talk of him when he was gone, had, with wink to the landlady, applied his ear to 8 convenient hole in the pine board partition from which knot had been pushed. Of course he heard all that passed.
 Just sayin' the plisantest things about hour humble servant" he whispered to the landlady. "But don't tell lem heard" and with that he swallowed his whisky and went off suck ing the "bit O lemon"
 It was quite true he was in love with trim little Kitty. Even while she was c thin pale faced girl, slaving about her fathers house, he had fingered to talk with her. But. after she had been some months in Squire Harding's g house, he had met her, had stared, blushed, and instantly taken fire with love. The poor ly dressed dressed slip of girl, who had left the mill, was hardly recognizable in this fresh, graceful young woman. So now he was very much alarmed by what he had overheard in the inn, not only on account of hissweetheart's father but on his own. These valiant topers might set out on their expedition the very next night-drunk probably-t0 hunt O rGt or tooo ! He knew what that meant, and he fear ed for, like every tight-minded young man who has his way to make in the world, while he loved his 'sweet Kitty 80 dearly, so dear ly," he by no means despised her probable dowry, which he, like every one else, be- lieved to be bestowed in stockings and rat- holes." Mahoney's medical practice made him quick to act in emergency. He stood a moment at the gateway of the Inn, and look ed up and down the street. The grocer was putting up his shutters; it was halt-past sev- en- it would be dark in less than two hours. Yes he could do it. He ran up the yard.
 "Jim m!-Oh, there you are. Get the mare out No, no; she's tired-the other" .
 Saddle, Sir ?"
 No, beggar, no-of course not. The gig" |"
 In twenty minutes he was at Squire Hard ing's side door. A quarter of an hour later he was dashing along with Kitty by his side, by the cross-road to the mill
 The Doctor, after tying up the horse to the dusky yew, paused and looked at Kitty. He had not told her that half his purpose in con- ing to tie mill was to ask her fathers sanction to their engagement and now the air of the place seemed to damp his ardor. The only sound was the monotonous spill of the ''waste- water" The great wheel looked sodden and moldy. The cart stood prOpped in the tum. ble-down shed. It was full of sacks had the miller just returned, or was he just about to set out? They went to the house door, and tried It, and knocked. No answer They went to the mill door; it was also locked, and no sound came in reply to repeated knock ing. An. the little shutter-window was un- fastened ; should he, Mahoney asked, enter that way and then open the door for Kitty ? Perhaps something had happened to her father. In any case both were curious to see what it was the mill had been so busy with fer months. Soon they were both in the mill. They looked about them in the dim llght. Strange! A mere damp fustiness of smell; none of that warm fragrant odor of flour and meal Tn which mills are generally embalmed! Mahoney pushed open the shutters all round. * * Not a single sack; not grain of wheat not even feury festoon of dust on wall or roof! They looked at each other in silent amazement; not 8 rat squeaked the floor, the platforms. the hoppers were swept utterly empty and bare. A common impulse sent them out to look into the sacks in the