Morris tribune., 1881-07-07

doll; and oh. Liz"-with estate enjoy
ment-"the clothes comes off and ont"
Lizzie laughed.
And who is she, Polly? 1t sounds like a
fairy story. I believe that you are little
Cinderella living here by the fire, and hav-
ing some ugly old godmother to visit you
while l am away"
t"Old and ugly" cried Polly. 81 wish
that you could have seen her.-Great brown
eyes and yellow hair, yellower as mine,
and the beautifullest bonnet! Why, she is
come all the way from Germany, Liz! She
is MI. Arthur's wife"
Lizzie turned deathly pale and sat down
as if stunned.
shutting, unsteady step sounded out
side: the door opened and old man en-
tered, accompanied by Luke Hutton.
Both men took their seats near the fire,
and Lizzie detected at once the smell of
liquor.
With sickening sense of shame she
turned from her father to Polly
Come, darling, I will carry you to bed
you can take all your pretty toys with you,
and you must be up bright and early, for
to-merrowis fair-day, you know, and if you
are at the window you can see the folks 60
ing BY"
She tried to smile bravely, as the little
cripple clasped both hands round her
neck.
Luke arose and clumsily opened the
door for her.
AS Lizzie came back for Pollys toys, he
whispered:
Don't think to make fool of me, with
the sly ways. A woman as allows mar
ried man to see her home, and kiss her, amt
too good even for Luke Hutton"
How long Luke Hutton and her father
sat there she never knew. She fell asleep
waiting and listening for them to part.
Morning dawns for her at last; dawns,
but brings no brightness to her darkened
life. What is it that makes her life SO
heavy that she can scarcely bear to wake
and face the morning light?-It is not her
father nor Polly; these are old griefs made
enduraple through long habit. This pain
is bitter, poignant, piercing!her heart cruel
ly as she wakes into consciousness. All,
she remembers, now? 1t is Arthur Roll
lestons wife!
She repeats the words over and over,
with the remembrance of that kiss still up
on her lips, and then, God forgive her
longs, with longing unutterable, for an
other word, another caress from him ere he
leaves her forever!
She bushes, and the next moment hates
herself for her folly, rises hastily, dresses
Polly, and goes into the next room to find
her father gone.
A heavy day for her. She wonders with
binding tears, if all holi lays are as wretch
ed, The merry voices and loud laughter
in the streets come to her as mockery and
her voice ehokes as she tries to join Polly
IN hymn.
The door opens, and Arthur Rolleston
entels.
At the sound of his voice Lizzie rises
hastily.
Unmindful of Polly, he walks straight up
to her. looks deep into her dark eyes, and
bending, is about to press another kiss mp.
on her lips, when, like haunted thing
she pushes past him and escapes. He
smiles amusedly, sits down by Polly. and
transports the child to the seventh heaven
with his fairy stories and his account OF
the fine shows in the fair.
He waits in vain for Lizzie, and at length
kisses Polly and goes.
Polly is in bed OF last. The day is near
ly ovcr, The fddlers have ceased theil
playing III the old trvern near by, and they
stand at the open window, looking ont Al
the moon lighted, deserted street.
father approaching the house.
The latter's step was unsteady, and Liz.
zie, with bitter shame in her heart, enters
the next room and locks the door.
A few moments later she heard mutter.
ed oath and the words:
II am glad the lass is in bed. She is al.
ways moithering me with her pious airs"
Hush!7 She'll hsar thee" whispered the
more cautious Luke.
well, wot if she does? Amt I agoin' IL
make rich lady of her? Will she blame
me? Not when If show her these"
He held out some bank notes, and jinglet
bag of silver, triumphantly.
| Lizzie had her eye at the key-hole ant
shivered as she caught of the none y in he
fathers hands.
"Hould the jaw" warned Luke, 'ant
not word or we are Jagged. Mind, no
| one word, Or
He finished his sentence with a blood
curdling oath, slammed the door and ral
out
Lizzie came out before her father like al
avenging angel and placed hand on tn
| money.
"What are you doing with this, father?
cts no harm. lass. Luke says as i
wasn't. I would ma haze took it but in al
hour or two it would a. been worth naught
They would "a been as poor as if had NJ
took it.
"Where did you get it father?"
From Mr.. Rollestons Office, Liz
don't be telling on me, GIRL" he whis
pered. Don't be a. ruin ing your ownfa.
| Their"
With resolute, set face, LIZZIE tied on he
hat, threw her shawl about her, and will
the precious bundle hurried silent ant
breathless through the dark streets.
1t only took few moments to reach tn
factory, run up these steps and try th
door.
It did not surprise her to find it open
She knew who had been here before her.
How dark it looked inside, but she flew
up the long stairs, entered the Office door
knelt down in the moonlight before tn
large safe.
The front had been burst open, and tier
lay books and papers in confusion on tn
floor. with trembling fingers she replaced
the money, put back books and papers ant
tried to close the battered front.
A faint cry in the streets below cause'
her to pause. She had been SO intent up
on her work she had never noted, but nov
q perfect Babel of voices reached her dead
|
on the still night air.
4 Her first thought was the books. Strange
ly enough she thought, in that moment
more of Arthur Rollestons fortune thai
she did of her own awful peril.
With her arms full Of the contents Of tn
safe, sle ran to the window. and sdroppe
them to the crowd below.
Then she turned to save herself, but to
! late. She felt faint and giddy as she walk
ed, and, cropping blindly for help, fell sense
less upon the Office floor.
"Merciful powers!" groaned q man in th
crowd, "have pity upon her. 1t was wo
man in the Office, and alone! AS sure as
live, lads, it was Lizzie Leigh! seen he
face" fEfEa}
A slight young man came swiftly throug
the crowd ct his words.
ju, AS he reached the burning buildin
strong men tried to hold him back, but
with mighty effort, he burst from ther
and leaped up the flaming staircase.
aowlong he was gone! How long
seemed to those anxious watchers beneath
and yet it was scarcely minute ere b
stood in window on the second fool
holding woman's form closely to hi
breast.