The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-01-04

Iampnler." ne almost RaSpeu. IL u
Stockhaml' Mr.. Lamphier's voice
was alarmingly near. " want that box
of spices opened Immediately.
Mr.. Lamphier's head projected itself
over the counter. He glared down at
the startled pair beneath it,"
John looked at Lottie. There was a
daring light in his eyes.
I'll come this evening"
He formed the words inaudibly with
his lips, and hurried away.
Mr.. Lamphier slapped the package
of rice on the counter, frowningly.
Lottie brushed off her dress, read
iusted her veil, extracted piece of
citron from jar and nibbled at it and
went out with parting smile for John
Stockham.
If Lottie put on her best dress and
her prettiest ruchings and her silver
hair-pin and bracelets that evening
after her father had eaten his supper
and gone back to the store, and if
somebody knocked at the kitchen door
about eight, and if the kitchen re-
sounded for two hours thereafter with
pleasant chat and harmless bandinage
and light-hearted laughter-if these
things occurred surely it was nobody's
business.
81 don't need to tell you how I've
enjoyed the evening, Miss Lamphier,"
said John Stockham, earnestly, as he
rose at last, lingeringly. 81 know l
shouldn't have come; butt couldn't
help it, and can't be sorry did,"
"Certainly not" said Lottie, with
pretty warmth.
" should like to come again." John
pursued; "but of course this isn't the
way"
q don't care-so nowl said Lottie,
stoutly. eff pa will be so unreason-
able, l don't know what else we can
Goodness, what is that, Mr.. Stockham?"
She shifted the air apprehensively.
John shifted, too.
"It's smoked" he declared.
Mercy where?" cried Lotte.
Well have to investigate" said
John, taking up the lamp.
They went into the back entry. 1t
was blue with smoke. Lottie gave a
little scream.
Something's afre," said John
Stockham. "Don't be alarmed, Miss
Lamphier, he added, solicitously.
He opened the wood-house door.
They were choked by the rush of smoke
and hot air. Their startled gaze re-
vealed one side of the wood-house alive
with licking, darting flames.
John Stockham's practical mind
worked quickly
Where's the sink, Miss Lamphier?"
he demanded, "and pail-two
if possible. Well have to work to stop
it. It's got good start"
They did work. They rushed to and
fro with heavy pals of water, half
blinded by the smoke, hot from the
flames, dripping with spilled water.
AT the end of confused fifteen min
utes they sat down, exhausted and
dizzy, in the doorway and surveyed the
scene.
burned black. AT one point the flames
had burst through and the moonlight
came streaming in.
1t shOne on the recumbent form of a
redfaced, blowsy and obviously inebri-
ated tramp, sleeping peacefully on a
pile of kindling-wood. 1t shone on a
dirty clay pipe thrust into little
mound of shavings, which still smoul-
dered. 1t shone, furthermore, on Mr..
Lamphier, standing in the wood-house
door and staring in.
Lottie was more than equal to the &C.
casion. She was not person to let a
golden opportunity escape her.
She rushed over to her father and
clasped both hands around his arms
with tragic little shrek.
ooh, pa!'' she cried, "just look
Just think what you've escaped The
house would have been burned down
in another minute-in one minute-all
burned down! Mr.. Stockham has
saved it. If he hadn't been here and
we hadn't smelled smoke and come out
there, found the wood-house all ablaze
and worked like anything to put it out,
just think what would have happened
1t was that horrid tramp. He'd got in
here somehow and gone to sleep
smoking, and his horrid pipe had set
things afire. Pm so glad Mr.. Stock
man was here-ain't you, pa, dear?"
Mr.. Lamphier looked at his daughter
and at John Stockham and at the
backened wall and at the serenely-
slumbering tramp.
"Ah, yes!" he responded. cit was
fortunate you happened along, Stock
ham,"
There was a tinge of irony in his
tone and some grimness in his smile
but Lottie did not mind that-nor did
John Stockham.
They realized that by a fortunate
turn of events Mr.. Lamphier was de.
feated and made to appreciate and adj
nit the fact.
They cared little for the burned
beams; they were not conscious of
their dripping clothes; the slumberine
tramp seemed to be an angel in dis
guise.
"Well, it's the way to do,n Lottie
declared, few weeks later, when she
and John Stockham were safely en-
gagged and Mr.. Lamphier had given
them his blessing and intimated that
he'd thought of taking partner, and
that John might possibly do; sits the
way to do. If we'd just stood back as
meek as mice and waited for pa to
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