Democratic messenger., 1888-09-01

brown complexioncd stranger certainly
had come no nearer than the door.sill.
"Thcn what has become Of my gold.
piece?" said Uncle BENJAMIN.
at am sure ! cannot tell" fluttere,l
Ellie, her heart giving u sudden throb as
she rocollecied the two intervals of her
absence, once for the glass Of milk, and
once for the piece OF blackberry pie.
During those intervals what might not
have happened!
"I'll go upstairs and look in the bureau
drawers" said Uncle Benjamin. Il am
perfectly certain that the money was here
in my coat.pocket; but still"
lie hastened up the narrow, wooden
stairway, and Ellie, spurred on by a new
inspirat on caught her muslin-wreatlied
hat from the table, and darted down
land that lcd across the brook, and
through patch Of woods TO the high.
road beyond.
"If take the short cut over Dcnnison's
Hill" she thoughti:I can catch him even
yet. The thief. the ungrateful poltroon..
To drink the milk and eat the blackberry.
pie, and then TO ser9c me sOw
She coursed through the fragrant mass.
cs OF sweet fern, across ;hickets Of low.
growing hucklebcrry bushes, all purplcd
over with fruit, under the shade Of solemn.
old pine trees, and past herds 81 grazing
cattle, who lifted their heads 10 look at
her as she passed.
But when at last, brcathlcss and pant.
ing, she reached the low stone wall that
separated Uncle Bcnjamin's farm from the
main road, she rcapcd her reward.
There, only n few PAGES away, the tall,
brown skinned stranger sat on stone,
tanning himself with the wide brim Of his
straw hat, and reading the pages ofa tiny
duodccim6N olume.
Like young deer, Ellie Tier skipped
over the wall and seized his arm.
"Oh, you wicked, wicked mar! - she
cried, gasping for breath. Aren't you
ashamed Of yourself. Give me back the
money tina, you stole this instant! Oh,
don't stare u, me ms il you didn't under.
stand what | say. You do understand! |!
You are thief! You have returned my
kindness with the bases, ingmtitudc"
The man looked ut Ellie as If lie be-
licvcd her 10 have gone suddenly mad.
Really" said he. "all this is perfectly
incomr rrehcnsiblc To me-
Ellic uttered scornful laugh.
YOU will please he 30 good as TO come
back to the house with me" SAID she
vigorsusly, retaining her hold Of his
sleeve, "and Uncle benjamin will search
you"
search me For WHAT
AS il sou didn't know :" rctortch Ellc'
curling her pretty upper lip.
The brown.complexioncd stranger was
tall, broad shoulders, with thcws and sin
cws like those of gladi,or.
Miss Tier was something under five
fee, in height, and rcsolute turkcy.gob. b.
bier could have put her TO flight "A, ten
seconds warning. But nevertheless, he
followed her us mcekly ms il H. had been
feeble prisoner in the grasp Of giant
constable.
Il don't know what il Is all about"
said he, "hut If you say go with you, go j,
is"
Ellie deigned him no answer. Arsu-
meat, she felt, could only injurc the dig
nifty which formed her chief strength.
And 50 they proceeded in silence across
the green pasiurc.lot through the sylvan
woods up to Uncle Bcnjamincs back
door.
That worthy soul was drawing II bucket
of clear, cold water from the well 10
mois,en his parclicl throat.
Ills hair was rumplct; great beads OF
Precipitation stood on his forehead. Evi.
IDENTIFY up To this time his search had been
iruitlcss.
And at the same moment there was
raitling of wheels. and Mrs. Parsons, Fl.
lies aunt, drove her little rcd pony around
to the rear, and jumped out of the low
wagon.
Mother" bawlcd The farmer. who Ind
not yet caught sight OF the ill.assortcd
pair ,oiling up the ascent behind the
gnarly apple-trccs, have you seen tha,
,cn.dollar gold. piece that Ebcnclcr Par
ley paid me Yesterday: lett II in the
pocket of my alaracky Goa, when took
II OH and"
YES, know you did - said Mrs. Par.
sons, briskly. And an awful place il
Was To leave Il In. saw il there myself
when ! brushed the dust oil your alapacky
coat, and took Il out and put il In the
top left hand drawer of the pine desk In
spare chamber. meant Ia have told you
of il before | went. hut somehow It Sip.
ped my mind"
"Jc.rusalcm r'grunicd Mr.. Parsons Il
never was 50 glad Of anything in all my
life |"
Ellie. from behind the orchard wall,
had overheard every word of this coloquy.
She let go the sleeve of her captive
"oh,l am 81 sorry falIerl she.
PLEASE forgive me IL thought"
"You thought had stolen this missing
treasure" said her companion, his lips
relaxing into an involuntary smile "Wcll
under the circumstances il was not such
an unnatural conclusion. Only, young
lady. let this hc lesson 10 you not To
Judge too hastily hereafter
lie bowed. raised his hut from his head
and vanished under the leafy canopy Of
the old apple trees
And the next Tuesday evening. when
Ellie went Ia the second of the Course Of
I.yceum Lectures In the village with her
uncle and aunt, she recognized In the
speaker of the evening her anonymous
friend who had appreciated the blackberry
Die 80 thoroughly.