Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-12

foyHes Oifectlys There mas been N accident
there: the new story has fallen in"
Fastening with them round the corner Of
Horn Lane, she came upon Miss Triple, escorted
by the rector, with whom shs was gaily con-
versing.
u. NY ass ear, Miss e.yss.. ..ia n. rlppl., .d-
"What is the matter, Miss Gayfera" asked Mr..
Jordan. 'Can help your"
Just then small boy came running BY, and
thinking he might be useful to run erands,
Aunt Agatha impounded him BY clutching the
collar of his jacket, q piece Of his ear, and
handful Of bis hair, holding him in firm grasp
while she explained to the rector briefly what
had happened.
You may as well come" she added, Though
don't know you can do anything. Better q
lame foot than none"
And without further parley she hurried on.
MISS Triple, who chung to the rector's arm,
and with soft inyincibility declined either to
hurry her steps or to be left to herself, 80 in
peded his motion that Aunt Agatha, with her
followers was out of sight in no time When
at last he came up half dragging the shrinking
and reluctant Miss Triple, whose strong objec-
ton to imperilling either her person or her
millinery quite overmastered her curiosity, she
heard Aunt Agatha's voice ringing out from
the dusty confusion with anything but compli-
mentary exhortatiOns to her recruits, who were
pushing irresolute at the entrance
"Dont you go in, Miss Agatha-now don't
you," shouting one Of the men, s'That amt
safe, really"
"You cowardly looms" said my aunt ''wouId
you let the woman die without help?'
"Dont go. Frank" said Miss Triple 'eYeu
hear it is not safe, and you'll get your coat all
over dust"
Mr.. Jordan firmly but not urgently, removed
her grasp.
"Where there is danger and distress. there is
the parsons place" said he. and in another
moment he had followed Aunt Agatha the men
titnidy initiating his example, and leaving Miss
Triple alone with little job Chalk. of whom she
did not condescend to take any notice.
The rlckety building was q mere heap of
RUNS Some village wiseacre had superimposed
on latin and plaster basement brick upper
story. This angie of the building had fall en- in
| aud In its fall had dragged with it older Dor
tons OF the house, SO that now timbers were
siopng in all directions, and what had not ac-
tualiy fallen seemed totterng to its fall Amid
this dangerous debris Aunt Agatha was making
her way. when some of the boldest of those who
were following her started back with q shout of
alarm. thin blue smoke, followed by hungry,
demonstrating tongues of fame. was apparent.
and even Mr.. Jordan and Aunt Agatha who
were now side by side, paused for an instant on
seeing these evidences OF peril The hesitation
which was but momentary. did not survive the
stified sound of moaning that broke upon the
ear.
|. But Aunt Agatha was no longer allowed to
take the command. The soft cOoing voice to
which she had at times listened with something
akin to contempt could assume the tone of com
mand, and. strong as she was. and ''masterful''
as all the village folks said, Aunt Agatha was
woman IN her heart, leaning with 9laGness and
submission on stronger will than her own.
You will wait here" said Mr. Jordan. ''fOr a
few moments. l Will call you if YOU can be of
heip: and then, with keen rapid glance sweep
ing those who were present, he singled out a
robust young man. and in voice that might
nave led soldiers on to battle, said: Howard
you come with me.''
The young fellow obeyed as a matter of
course. and then ensued short pause of pain
full suspense. Presently Howard reanpeared
with flushed and frightened expression. but
evidently putting strong restraint upon him
self.
''stallybrass and Ward, you be to come with
me, Miss Agatha. you be to watt
But Bob HOward's voice had not the magic of
Mr.. J ordan's. and she would wait no longer.
Pushing her way through the ruins and the
smoke with those that had been summoned into
what had been Miss Payne's little parior. she
pressed her lips tightly together, and the color
fed her face as she saw the motioniess form of
her old enemy stretched on a couch there, aud
standing by the side of it the rector. blood
streaming from wound on his head his coat
torn, and one arm hanging lfstless by his side
Some falling bricks and timber had struck him
and had disabled the arm. and lest his appear-
ance should excite alarm he had sent Bob How
ard with the message for help and a strict in
junction to say nothing beyond what he had
been told
than hurt, was moved beyond Che reach of peril:
and was conveyed to Aunt Agatha's cottage.
accompanied by the wounded rector Aunt
Agatha's foresight had already summoned good
Dr. Holmes to the place, and hurTying as fast
as his lame foot would permit he reached the
cottage almost at the same time as the caval-
cade: Miss Triple, indignant that her cousin
should have deserted her for ''that woman"
had not awaited the issue of the inyestiga-
tions.
Dr Do
sustained very severe shock from fright; but
to be free from bodily damage The rector's
arm was broken. but the wound on the head
was only skin Deep aud not much more serious
than the torn coat.
From that time, Tor many months Aunt
Agathas house became Miss Payne's home. and
her hostess tended her with all the solicitude of
daughter. great poet has told us that 1.-The
learned eye Is still the loving one aud it so
happened that in this unwearied tendance and
mlnistration Aunt Agatha discovered not a few
unsupported virtues in the fact, wheezy, puffy
old soul, and something like genuine attach
ment sprung up between them.
very constant attendant was the Rev
Frank Jordan. Even when his arm was still
very painful. and he might well have been ex-
cused had he abstained from visiting a parish
oner who was in no imminent danger his solicit
tude about Miss Payne was remarkable. In
spite OF the severity of winter SHOWS and frosts,
his arm secured by splints and bandapes. he
would come, and sit for a whole ten minutes
with Miss Payne, and for whole hours talking
with Aunt Agatha about the pa
tents symptoms
But the SHOWS melted on the high hills, and
the brooks, swollen with their muddy tribute.
chartered noisily down the slopes. and snow
drops and crOcuses. dafOdils and vielets
bioonied again, and in due course the breath OF
the blush roses in the garden was waited into
the cottage.
And then people in the village said and
laughed at each other as they said it. that Miss
Triple was going to give up Barham House
and to leave Hlderstock. She had indscreetly
spoken to some bosom friends Of her approach
Tag marriage with the rector, and before the
chrysanthemums had opened out their ragged
beauties to the next autumn sun 1t became
known that Mr.. Jordons consent had
never been asked for this arrangement, and that
the parson had with good success, asked that
remarkably disagreeable woman to be his
bride.
Miss Triple reflected, however, with some
complacency that the living was very poor
one, and that Miss Gayfer's fortune, for all her
ridiculous pride, was barely enough for her to
live on in decency.s But even in this she fell
into her besetting sin of premature talk; for
when poor old Miss Payne died year or so
hat Oh, 1nT%f Eo~ ,o1c