, 1886-03-19

leu Will IAG ~ uuuCl Liz
arm.
stop, you ~blackguardly thief Stop, l
say" hoarsely shouted his father, running
up from where he had been looking after
some rabbits. But the son turned in ter
ror and fied-not far, however, for a new
conner appeared on the scene. Willie
Allan, true to his appointment with Kitty,
though he hardly expected to see her,
emerged from the wood.
"Hulloai" he said. placing himself in
front OF the runaway. whats ups"
"Fell him dead" yelled Adam.
"Let him go,p said Kitty, but so softly
that her lover could not make out what
she said.
you'd better turn back he said to
Aleck, but the fugitive, brought to bay,
was desperate,
Let me be-" he said, "or III stab you
drawing a claspknife from his pocket.
you scoundrelF' cried the other, I'm a
white heat, would you commit murderl'
Willie was credited with possessing
more science" than any other man in
Blackford, and where will you find good
boxing, II not in Northumberland He
made a feint, and the vengeful blade OF
his adversary glittered in a momentary
streak of moonlight, but to no purpose,
for a side leap carried its object out Of
lth1hf aha YIN AiAAt u ltll-luAAbtl
like a horses kick just above the right
eye Of his opponent, who fell all his
length on the snow, and in a thrice was
Invested of his knife, which the conqueror
threw contemptuously into the brook.
Get up and fight like a man, he said,
but Aleck was beaten.
Adam was in ~ecstacies.
you've stopped a bit % ugly work, I'm
thinking" said Adam, upon whom the
full extent of the crime began to dawn, as
he dimly recognized the shape, size and
weight Of bis money box in the clouded,
uncertain light. "These two have been
trying to rob me-"
"Neverlr said Willie. kitty. you
wouldn't do that"
"Come up and make sure" said Adam.
With that they all began silently to re-
trace their steps, only Kitty slipped away
in front as IL TO avoid embarrassing ques-
tions. Willie was very thoughtful. lust
as they were coming TO the door he said to
Adam in a low, troubled voice, which he
tried to make indi fferent:
Look here, Adam, you haven't lost
anything by that row, and there isn't
much use in exposing her, is there'"
"No," was the reply; "but since they're
so fond I'll make them marry and set up
house by themselves"
q NM NAI1 NhG llAnth
where Aleck, all shivering with his bath,
deposited the box on the floor. A cheer
ful freight Showed Kitty, not, as might
have been expected, with abashed ounte-
nance and the demeanor of a culprit
awaiting justice, but with heightened
color and sparkling eyes-far BONNER
than ever, as her old lover could not help
thinking"
There's YOU true blood she said to
Adam, but pointing to his son, and this
has been a fine nights work for him. 1t
began by robbing you that's don't so much
for him; then the sweetheart that liked
him so well as to run away with him he
left on the wrong sid of the burn: and
then to draw his knife on an honest mani
You'll never seek to make me wed him
now"
"That you shall, you shameless hussy,"
broke out her uncle. you're not ft for
Allan, and I'm sure from what I've seen
this night he wouldn't look at a thief"
"No, | couldn't do that" said Willie;
but there's no need for me here and
with a sad m regretful countenance he
was about to leave when he was stopped
by a burst Of mischievous laughter from
the impenitent, but bewitching culprit.
"It's Bets box, she said.
"Bet's boxl7 said Aleck; and Bets boxl"
echoed Adam and Willie.
AYE, Bets box, laid Kitty.
Sure enough it's not my box, ~ said the
uncle, dragging it into the light; its the
same size, but not the color. But what
ever is making 1t so heavyY"
That was soon discovered. The red
headed servant girl came forward with a
smile on her gaping mouth hat suggested
the part she had taken in the trick.
There's a stone of shot, she said, and
there's the horseshoes from the backyard,
and there's the rusty keys that used to lie
in the stable, and here's my old petticoats
stuffed in to keep them from jingling,
and" she added, "the weights and the
fatironl'
@By Georgef' said Willie, che must have
meant to start a pack. Would you have
stabbed me to save that dirtin
Ale didn't know whatit was" answered
Kitty for him. Il just wanted to try his
mettle, so l put this box in the room Of
the other one, and it's back in its place
now, neither touched nor opened"
"I'm glad O. that, lass" said the old
publican, and though there was not much
in the words, there was a something in
the voice that mad them sink deep. at
would have been a bad day for me when
/ found you turning against me. But
Willie, lad, II you wan TO catch this skit-
fish FLY, you'd better be quick. Down
TO the minister's you go tomorrow and
get your names asked; aud as for you,
you lubberly sumph, after making a fool
Of yourself like that, what's to come Of
your"
MARRY him to Bet" suggested Kitty.
"The very ticket returned her uncle.
VIII you have him, Betty
AYE, that l WILL" said the laconic
maid.
You'll go down to the minister's as
well, then, - said Adam to Aleck. "And
now, lass, bring us a drop o. that brandy,
and put the kettle on and bring the sugar,
and Wen christen the bargain"
So a few weeks afterward there were
two weddings in Blackford, and when the
lads Of the village "ropedH Willie Allan,
he gave them a whole half-sovereign TO
drink, and was, therefore, allowed TO en-
ter the croft house with a thunderstorm
OF cheers; but when they did the same
thing to Aleck, he morosely cut the
o p with a knife, and hat is why he has
been 50 unlucky ever since; for II you VIII
go to Blackford now you will hnd the
croft house to be the n~eatest, prettiest,
incest house there, while ever since old
Adams death, which happened many
years z the Red Lion has been so
squalid and dirty and ~disreputable that
the marquis has serious thoughts OF tax
ing away the license and turning il into a
butchers shop.-Adopted from Long
u..rfa NFnrartna