The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-30

NuiiiaBos
And not until then did jamie perceive that
tall, half-grown lad lurking behind the
porch rails was waiting to speak with
her.
"Who are you?" said jamie, briskly.
"What do you want? No, we haven't any
old clothes. If you really want work you
had better go on to the new buildings; about
mile up the road. dare say they
can fad something for you to do
there"
The lad mumbled out something, whether
thanks or otherwise jamie coul d not dscrm-
mate, and left
Our heroine, slipping on her hat and bolt
ing the front door, ran across the back mea-
dows to Ralph Parsons carpenter shop,
some quarter of a mile away by the wood
path.
81 want few shingles" }" said she, "and
pound of shingle nails"
"What forP" said Ralph.
mo matter" calmly retorted jamie.
She nodded good-by and hurried away
under the canopy of row of pink apple
blossoms.
Ralph looked admiringly after her and
said
''She's regular clipper of a girl, that
jamie Barrl If ever l become able to
support wife, that will be the one I'd
chose.n
Light as thistledown, jamie hurried
back with her precious bundle of shing-
les, and the pound of nails in her
pocket.
'Now I'll show him whether can mend
the roof or not, " said She as with ham
mer added to hor stock in trade, she ascend
ed to the garret and climbed an odd little
ladder that led out through a rusty trap door
to the steep roof
The slant was abrupt, the old shingles
were wet with the recent rain and slippery
with green moss incrustations.
But jamie Barr was not one lightly to be
discouraged, and presently she found her,
self neatly balanced, with her feet braced
against the broad gutter, one elbow leaning
on the roof, and the other hand busily tear
ing away the old shingles and replacing
them deftly with overlapping rows of new,
fragrant wood.
The click of the hammer, the ring OF the
nails was like music in her ears.
Suddenly, however, as she sat perched
like squirrel on the santing roof, the
sound of voices struck on her ear. She paus-
cd to listen.
"Three diamond rings! heard her say
to herself. In the left hand drawer of
some bureau" said the same accents which
half an hour ago had asked her for chari-
ty. Sand no one but women in the
house."
"Are you sure of that?" said deeper
voice.
'Yes, plum sure" was the answer.
'And l wouldn't wonder if there vera other
things to pick up"
"Come on then" said the other one; "and
step lively.
''The door is bolted, is it? Wait minute
I've got little joker here as would start
any staples this side of Denver.
jamie had listened in breathless horror.
In an instant, as it were, she comprehended
the full danger that menaced Mrs. Lepell's S
treasured gems-the three diamond rings
that the boarder had once told her were
worth thousands of dollars. Aud here she
was alone and helpless.
Hurridly she turned over the crisis In her
mind.
Ifshc were to re-enter the house by the
same way in which she had left it, she must
certainly meet the ruflians, and any resist.
ance which she could offer wonldlbe speedily
overpowered.
jamie Barr was not one to hesitate very
long.
While the thoughts yet careered through
her brain, she sprang from the caves into
the blooming bough of the great cherry tree
which grew so close to the house that its
branches scraped the roof on windy March
days.
1t was hazardous thing for any one tc
do who was not swift of limb and accurate
of eye; but Jane alghted, like cat, in the
fork ofthe tree, climbed lightly down until
she reached its lower 'bough, aud thence
leaped breathlessly to the ground, springing
swiftly across the meadows to Ralph Par
sons carpenter shop.
"Janie, what is itP''
Ralph Parson himself rose up out o.
the green hedges directly across hel
path.
~ was prinlSing al the loo cold spring, >
he sad, "when ! heard your footsteps
What is it?''
She told him as we'll as she could for ex
element and breathlessness,