Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-04

however, and on hearing that he had par
ticular business with her, promised to be
down in ten minutes. So the colonel
strolled up and down the dreary little
garden, with its stagnant puddles In de-
pressed corners and it sragged regiment OF
barren cabbage stalks.
The cottage door opened while he stood
at gaze above the cabbage stalks, and ne
was admitted to the Jaker abode. Mrs.
Jaker's toilet was of the briefest, and the
colonel could not help suspectlng that she
had slept in her gown. swarm OF
healthy, handsome children, all in the
last stage of rags and dirt, were squatting
and scrambling about the wide hearth,
which had evidently belonged to the farm
house kitchen. The few sticks OF furnl-
ture were all in ruinous condition, and
it was not without careful selection that
Mrs. Jaker found chair which she could
venture to offer to her guest. When ne
had seated himself she knelt on the hearth
and lighted fire of sticks and turf, which
made cheerful flare of light amidst the
grayness of the morning. While she was
doing this she turned her head now and
then and looked timidly and interroga-
lively at the colonel. She was scared by
the appearance of stranger at this I'M
wonted hour; but she was accustomed to
be visited from time to time by the gen
try" who came to demonstrate with her
upon her own and her husbands mlSdO-
ings.
"You had a stranger here last night,
Mrs. Jaker," began the colonel,
"Yes, sir, there was person here"
Exactly. l know all about him and
what passed. You have not heard the
last of that person and his inquiries. 1t
would have been wiser if you had told
him the truth about that money which is
to pay your husbands passage to Canada
and set you all up in a new country. 1t is
nice little fortune for man like Jaker
to drop into 1t ought to buy him pretty
little farm out yonder."
Mrs. Jaker paled at his speech, and a
frightened look came into those mild eyes
of hers, eyes which were apt to mislead
strangers as to her character.
"Fortune, SIR" she faltered. "My poor
husband had nothing but the e10 he won
at the races"
"Indeedi Then how came he to spend
nearly e10 with the old woman at the
shop9 That would leave him very little
for his passage money"
Hereupon Mrs Jaker, with tears in her
eyes, called upon the heavens and those
who dwell therein to witness her truth.
She had told the strange gentleman who
called last night the truth, and nothing
but the truth. If her husband had more
money than those 10 sovereigns won for
him by the horse True Blue-which was
Wiltshire-bred horse and well beknown to
him, or Jaker would never have backed
him-she knew it not.
"Come, now, Mrs Jaker, this is all very
foolish" said the colonel, in friendly
tone. Suppose were to tell you that the
person you saw last night is coming again
this morning, and that in all probability
he will take you off to prison. A man in
Jaker's statia1 doesn't come by e40O in
bank notes without people asking ques-
tons, and as Jaker has made off it will be
for you to answer those questions"
AS the colonel uttered those words
"e400," he looked straight into Mrs.
Jaker's face; and every line in that face,
hardened as the woman was by long ex-
perience in lying, told him that the shot
had gone home. Sir Adams bank notes
had by some means or other fallen into
Jaker's hands
81 am here as your FRIEND" said the
colonel. "The man you saw last night is
nemDer OF the ponce, ana you nave
nothing to hope for from him. l am here
to help you, if l can. A sum of f400
was stolen from Sir Allan Darne's house
last Tuesday night, and some of the money
has been traced to your husbands posses
sion How did he come by it? Was it he
who shot Sir Allan?"
mo, sir, no." and again Mrs. Jaker
called upon the Almighty to witness her
her truth
Continued to- n,orrotc.