Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-01-18

crease. Matters were daily growing worse
instead OF better, and clanorous trades
people were continually dunning at the
garden gate.
What was to be done? George Atwoot
seemed utterly callOus as To the state Of
their affairs he never attempted to write
now.
what is the use?" he remarked to his
wife. any luck is dead out. l cant get
story taken even when | do write one.
The publishers are overdone with all sorts
of people who write for nothing harris
tiers and wellto-do idle's who are only too
glad to pay for the pleasure of seeing
themselves In print. How can poor
beggar like myself earn anything"
But pc pie do earn money at II,
George" persisted Blanche Atwood; II
know that some of the magazines pay very
WE'LL"
''iou know. That's just like woman.
How on earth do you know l am quite
weary of the whole thing and If some
thing don I turn up soon. ="
There, don't give way, George dear;
keep up brave heart, darling! You know
that there is no trouble which would not
share with you. You are all the world to
me- and as long as you are we'll and strong
We may yet hope to have happier days.
Let ne think IL | cannot do something TO
help us in our diiculties. 1t takes wom-
ans brain To plot, you know, George 'she
added playfully.
And there never was cleverer one
than you. Blanche" he answered, with
almost the old tender ring in his voice as
he spoke. "You always bear up, dear; 1t
is | who am a selfish brute"
Hush, George" she cried; IL will not
have you call my husband names He
would have been quite we'll of and happy
ii he had not been such silly old hoy as
to marry certain penniless girl. There,
now-we will say no more about it. You
run off to your club, and | wi | see what |
can do
IAN right, oil girl though it puzzles
me to think what on can do to help us, y
he said kindly, and kissing her as he
spoke.
"And, George DEAR" she added, as he
was alb ut to leave the room, would you
IN nd my saying something to you? You
won be angry, will YOU
Angry? OF course not, What is it?''
Il d. so dislike that Captain Sturgis
coming here so often. He is always drop
ping in now at odd times and sending
me parcels of books and flowers"
''lIe means it well enough. declared
George Atwood, though he knitted his
brows, and h S thoughts were in direct OPP
position to his speech. Il don't want 10
quarrel with him, Blanche. In fact,
can t-and that all about IL. y
"You-you owe him money, George"
"ies-confound h mp he blurtei out
Now YOU know the whole secre of il. |
hate him ten thousand times m ore than
YOU can imagine He has never never
been-rude To you, III nche
Rude? oh no quite the contrary. 1t
is his extreme pleaSantness | so much
object to, What can he find Up here n
this little 'hurban house 10 amuse him?
Why dues he not seek the society o. rich
men like hmselt?"
''Ha-perhaps there is an attraction
said Atwo d gloomlly. The more TOOL
he is"
"May tell Elizabeth 10 say am not
at home when next he calls asked his
wi e.
mo; would sooner that you did not"
replied Atwood. wait till / am free
from him. and tlen we will drop him al
together. wish Lad never known him. "
'Oh, so do l. I eorge"' cried Blanche
Atwood. -. cannot tell you why but he
seems to ne To be- our evil genius, and
Il uItdu OF SOllt lTOuDit comes over me
whenever hear his footstep in the hall "
Shortly after George left the house Mrs.
Atwood called out To Ii abeth that SIC
was also going out; and, having hastily
put on her outdoor garments, she started
OF upon her erran.
Walking rapidly as far as oxford street,
she began to slacken her speed, and look
ed atentively at the shops as she passed.
Presently she pa sed before silver
smith 8, where card In the window an
noun ed the fact that old gold. silver and
Jewtlry, II cMer., were there purchased.
Hesitating, she walked past the shop;
then, as IT suddenly summoning up her
courage, she retraced her steps and enter
ed il.
in quarter OF an hour or so she came
out and her a liant face showed that she
had succeeded in her oh ect, whatever
it NAV have been. Then she hurriedly
made her way home.
pom her return she was surprised To
find Mary olaue awaiting her.
= hy, Mary dear, she exclaimed,
''yo1 ae getting quite stranger
YOU har ly ever come near us: and as for
Jack we never see anything of him at all. "
i, about Jack that have come to
Ia to you. said Mary Delaney. II am
SO hlTdlu mat lie Is III some tTOuDIe--"
''ln trouble? loor Jack! am so sor
ry, replied Mrs. Atwood. Come, sit
down and tell me all out II. We are so
fond Of Jack.
1T is all through those horrid societies
to which he belongs" began Mary. ="
am sure of it-you know what extreme
views he holds He is out late every
night; and. oh, Mrs. Atwood he looks so
III and worn that | am &c tain there Is
something on his mind! And do you
Know. she contin ed, lowering her voice
a most 70 whisper the house iswatched
1.-The house is watched! onsense.
Mary. Why, who in the world would
watch it?"
1.-The police will tell you why
think so. SOME nights ago | noticed a
man lettering about the road outside.
Feeling nervous. | went out and peeped
through the grating IN the garden door.
saw him plainly as he stood beneath the
shadow OF house opposite. For over an
hour he remained there. occasionally
walking slowly past and looking u at our
ind ft.r A.. N Ia..,