, 1884-07-25

md dropped the ladder. Shorty was with
her in a moment. They passed through tbs
school room into the teachers sleeping apart
inent- sal did not look al the msn; the excite
fnsnt of the adventure made the theft more at
traetive 10 her than all Others had been. She
found the caSh-box and exultantly ciaspsd it
to her breast.
~Thou shalt. not ~steal-Torgive those who
sin against thee" murmnrsd the teacher in
HIS sleep. EFtg..
Shorty clapped his hand on Sails mouth
and stihed the cry she WINS about TO utter.
Ho graspsd bar and quickly dragged her
from the room
When they returned 70 the window he re-
leased her.
~Yelp now, ye pup, an I'll go back an cut
his throat"
Sal stood back as e TO lot him descend frst.
mot much, ye deyil-you go first. 1 amt
gnin' to leave yer here to yell"
Sal crawled toward the ground. Shorty
followed, the frail ladder swinging and
threatening to break. Hurry down, We
cat, said Shorty, when they were about mid
way between the window and earth. Below
stood Granny Smith and Dan; above her
Shorty with his brightly cleaning knife.
Her time had come; she would not steal
from the only being that had ever spoken Il
kind word TO her. Before her intent could
bs understood she had run up to Shorty,
wrenched the knife from his hand, and cut
one side Of the rope ladder. @Help! murderl
thieves" she creamed.
The instinct Of ssif-preservation caused her
TO cling to the ladder, but the weigh being
thrown on ono hook alone it tore through the
wood Of the sill aud-a groan, a Grassland
Shorty and Sal lay on the street. he SHY
cred, seemed to choke and gurgle. Shorty
was before a higher Judge than ever passed
Sentence on him on earth.
lThs noise had attracted a few belated way
farers, and a moment later the schoolmaster
came out with n lantern.
IWhat is the matterF' He saw the bodies.
Are they badly hurtf1
Some one answered, "Shippenville thieves.
Good for them. Why. here's Looney Sal-got
her deserts at last"
sob, no: L am sure she did not intend any
wrong" said the teacher as he lifted her lit
tie head. She looked at him with n smile,
and when his expression assured her that she
would be believed, gasped, Teacher - L
wouldn't hook nothin,-from-yer-yer Is
good to me-"
Don't speak, poor child. know you
would not He looked upon her suffering,
quivering form. M
I'D like ter go ter school, she breathed.
He took her into his arms and carried her into
tho same classroom into which she had in
trudod but a few days before.
Had we not better send for q surgeon
asked one Of the good-natured neighbors
whom the noise had attracted.
Too late, my friend said the teacher;
Hthe end Is approaching"
! Sal sighed. Immediately tho young mans
voice, strong and full, rose in the hymn Of
praise that the class had sung the morning
that Sal first went to school. She family
sung the melody with him, and toward the
end OF the song her voice grew fainter and
fainter until It was reduced to a more
whisper.
@Sarah-poor child" The young man bent
over her as he nnxiously called her. She
opened her eyes and smiled at him.
More singin'," she gasped. He complied
with her request In q choked voice. And as
the glimmering dawn came ia through the
window the bruised little body moved no
more. In silence the teacher arose and rev.
erently brushed back the matted locks from
poor Sails little face, which smiled peacefully
In death