The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-04-17

And with these words he lald three
golden guineas on the table before her.
Still she said nothing-but watched his
c~ountenance with her lips apart.
"Tell ye what" said Tom, that's the
money. Is that the man."
IL don't know yet, till | see his eyes"
In the meantime the conversation went
on below.
II borrowed these pieces from a
friend" continued the man, as if in an
swer to the look she bent on him; "a
friend, L tell you, l might have had
more, but I would take only three.
They are enough to carry us to Liver
pool, and once there, we are sure Of a
passage to the west"
"Once in the west, the world is be-
fore us, l can work, Mary. We r
young-a poor man has no chance here,
but we can go to America with fresh
hopes-"
@And a good c~onscience?" said the
woman in a whisper like Lady Mac
beth's. The mar was silent. At last
he seemed to grow angry at the steadi-
ness of her gaze.
"Why do you look at me in that man
ner? 1 tell you we shall start to-mor-
row."
"And the money!" said the wo-
man?"
II will send it back to my friend from
whom I borrowed it out of my first
earnings. I took only three in case it
should incommode him to lend nae
more"
II must see that friend myself" said
Mary, before I touch the money"
Tell We what! Is it the man?" asked
Tom. Hush" I said; "let us listen"
II recognized afriend of mine in n
of the clerks in the Melfeld bank. I
give you my word, I got the coins from
him"
"Tell ye what. He confesses," said
Tom. "Let us spring on him by sur
prise-an ugly rufian as l ever saw"
And with that sum-" he continued,
see what we can do. 1t will relieve us
from our distress, which has come upon
us-Mary, you know I speak the truth
in this-from no other fault of mine than
too much confidence in a treacherous
friend. [ can't see you starve. / can't
see the baby reduced from comfort
able keeping to lie on straw at the end
of a barn like this. I can't do it
won'tl" he went on; getting more i'm
FASHIONED in his words.
"At whatever cost, / will give you a
chance of comfort and independence"
"And peace of mind?" replied Mary.
ooh, William, I must tell you what ter
rible fears have been in my heart all
this dreary night, during your absence;
I have read and prayed and turned for
comfort to heaven"
"Oh, William, give the money back
to your friend-I say nothing about the
loan-take it back; / can't look at it.
Let us ~starve, let us die, if it must be
so-but take the money away" Tom
Ruddle gently put down the cock of his
pistol, and ran the sleeve of his coat
across his eyes.
"Let us trust, William" the woman
went on, "and deliverance will be
found. The weather is very cold" she
added. "There seems to be no visible
hope; but l cannot altogether despair
at this time of the year. This barnis
not more humble than the manger in
Bethlehem, which / have been reading
about all night" At this moment a
great clang of bell pealed from the old
church tower it was &C near that It'shook
the rafters on which we sat and filled all
the room with the sharp, ringing sound.
"Harkln cried the man, startled.
whats that?" "Its Christmas morn
ing" said the woman. "Ah, William,
Williaml what a different spirit we
should welcome it with; in what a diff
ferent spirit we have welcomed it, and
many and many a happy timel"
He listened for a moment or two to
the bells, then he sank on his knees
and put his head on her lap, and there
was perfect silence except the Christ
mas music.
"Tell We what" said Tom, II remem-
Der we always sung a hymn at this hour
in my fathers house."
@Let us be of; / wouldn't disturb these
people for a thousand ~guineas."
Some little noise was made by our
preparations to descend. The man
looked up while the woman still con
tinued absorbed in prayer. Ny head
was just on a level of the wall. Our
eyes met. They were the same that
had flashed SO wildly when the pistol
was fred from the gig. We continued
our descent.
The man rose quietly from his knees
and put his finger to his lips. When
we got down stairs he was waiting for
Us at the door. Not before her" he
said.
II would spare her the sight, if ]
could"
IT am guilty Of the robbery, but /
wouldn't have harmed you, sir. The
pistol went OFF the moment / put my
hand upon 1t. For Gods sake, tell her
Of il gently when you take me away