St. Landry democrat., 1886-06-05

bearing Dulky paFCel anu u leIteI
This is underpaid, ma'am," said
the landlady, laying the parcel on the
table, ''and the postman says there's
tenpence on it
Lorrimer drew a shilling from his
waistcoat pocket.
''There, there, my good woman; don't
interrupt us again, if you please He
walked to the window and looked out
upon the street. ''Pray look at your
letters, Mrs. Tregarthen, and excuse
me for being here at ALL
He saw that she had glanced anx
iously at the parcel, which looked as if
it inclosed box of some sort. She
obeyed him without word, and he
heard every movement she made as she
uncorded the packet. Then he heard
the tearing of the envelope about the
letter, and the rustic of the paper as it
shook in her hand. There was nothing
to look at in the street except NANCY
cat, who stalked town sparrow and
missed the bird by a hair s-breath when
she made her final spring. 1t began to
strike Lorrimer that Mrs. Tregarthen
was long while silent, and when, at
last, he turned round, he raised yell
of dismay, for the poor lady had fallen
back upon the bed, and lay there in a
dead faint, with the baby still in her
lap. She looked so thin and pale and
quiet as she lay there, that the man
ager, who was a bachelor, and knew
nothing of women and their weak
nesses, took her for dead, and rushed
to the door with tremulous call for
the landlady. That good creature dis
patched him for brandy, and, he being
gone, she proceeded very calmly to ex-
anime the contents of the packet and
the letter. The packet contained
prodigious quantity of manuscript and
nothing else. From the letter the land
lady gathered (she could just ready
that Messrs. Bilge & Barker regretted
that they could not see their way to the
publication Of. A step ON the stair
warned her of the visitors return.
"Look up, there's dear creatur,"
said the landlady, in audible solicitude.
"Ah, that's it, my pore darlin'. You'll
be nicely by and by
Lorrimer sweated with anxiety while
the landlady poured few drops of
brandy through the patients lips, but
in few minutes Mrs Tregarthen be-
gan to move and moan, and to click
her teeth together, and then he was
ordered from the room, and paced to
and fro upon the fragmentary oilcloth
in the hall for the space of half an hour.
How is she?' he asked in whis-
per, when the woman at last came
down stairs.
''She's had a good cry, poor DEAR
said the landlady, breathing neat |
brandy at him; land now I've per-
suaded her to lie down She'd better
not be disturbed for hour or two"
'sOf course not. Of course not" said |
Lorrimer, fidgeting with his watch |
chain. '.She has been very hard up I'm |
afraid
loves me three pound thirteen shil-
lin and sixpence for rent" returned |
the landlady, 'sand being but a pore
myself, though with feeling
heart, l could not deny her nothing, |
and candies of a night extravagant.
Lorrimer was unhinged by the events
Of the morning, and, for the moment
he was half inclined to satisfy the land
lady's claim upon the spot; but, not
having taken final leave of his bust
ness senses, he decided against that
course.
whatever the lady owes" he said,
shall be paid" He drew his purse
rom his pocket, and the landlady's
ayes glistened: ''Get her." he said,
slowly and thoughtfully, with a half
sovereign between his thumb and finger
-''get her something nice and tempt
ng and nourishing against the time
The wakes. No. Never mind, I won't
irouble you, I'll get it myself, and
BRING it round in two hours time
He was gone, and the landlady was
taring after him with the look the lean
lat had cast after the plump escaping
parrow while before.
Lorrimer was driven to Oxford street,
md on the way he used much terrible
language without particular applica-
ion. He had pity enough to fill him
0 the brim, and curious bewilderment
nough, and (when it could beat out
he others) managerial enterprise in
lated him. For each of these profane
seemed to furnish the only
and the managers speech
you'd have been appropriate to a deep
yed villain bent on murder. He
allied the carriage at a shop-door,
lighted, entered and bought iellies
nd preserves, drove farther and bought
7ine, drove farther and bought fruit, a
ODDLY pile, and double-handful of
weet-smelling country blossoms.
Course me!' said Lorrimer, as be sat
4 the hackney-carriage and surveyed
nese purchases-"I'l1w win the iade's
cart. I'll make her act. I'll make her
D grateful that she can't refuse me.'' j
A brilliant idea struck him, and he
rrested the coach once more. He en-