Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-05-10

grizzly"
"Your father amt come home vet,
s'pose" said Best, on the threshold.
"He isn't coming home tonight, salt
Hannah. ''Ho's gone to Wolf Holloy
to see about hiring man for the spriu,
work." 1f
''Not coming homo tonight"
Hannah shook her head.
Best stood moment with prcocca
pied eyes and contracted brows, then il,
departed.
Hannah went on cooking supper
little Natty, after indulging himself
with prolonged stare at the shaggy
thing in the bedroom, returned to hi,
sums in arithmetic, and the eager
audience at Stokes's store were sorcly
discounted.
The stage driver was not communion.
tive at the best of times, and Billy Best
allowed the host of loungers TO believe
that the grizzly had been shipped off by
wagon at the cross roads below, direct
to Parkersdale.
"Wal, that is too mean" said Zenas
Powell. 81 never seen grizzly"
While Leandcr Stokes. disappointed
in his hopes of money making. relieved
his mind by putting an extra penny on
the next pound of cheese. which he sold
to little girl, and selling the second
grade of shag tobacco at first grade
prices to two red-shirted miners.
When o'clock came, Hannah Perry
went quietly to her room, as usual.
Sister," said Natty, team leave the
door between our two rooms open2 /,
somehow, can't help thinking of that
stuffed bear"
"But the bear can't hurt us, Natty."
"No; but his glass eyes shone so, aud
he looked so fierce!"
"Thats nonsense, Natty," said the
brave little elder sister, But if you like,
I'll so down and and lock tho door on
kitchen side"
"Not yet, Hannah, ".pleaded the child.
I'D rather you'd stay here. Wait until
after I'm asleep.
"What n little goose it IS" said Han
nah, laughing.
But she sat some time Mt the glass
putting her hair into crimping pins, and
then read her nightly chapter, so that
Natty's even, regular breathing at last
convinced her that lie had forgotten all
his apprchensions in slumbcr.
II don't think it's really necessary for
me to go down. thought she. ''But
still, since promised Natty-"
And taking the candlcstick in her
hand, she glidcd noisclcssly down the
stars.
10 her surprise the kitchen, which she
had left dark and silent, was lighted
from the bedroom, whose door was a jar.
man sat on the side of Unlc Silas's
bed. ravenously eating bread and meat.
Beside him stood Billy Best. with a flat,
wicIcr covered bottle in his hand.
AT the sound of Hannah's footsteps
they both started.
The strange man would have made for
the door, but Best detained MIN.
stop" said he, in suppressed voice.
Don't be afraid. She's gamc-gamc to
the backbone. You've found out our SC
crct, Hannah he added, but we aren't
afraid to trust you. It's Royal Bensley,
the dcfaultcr-thc best friend lpvc rot
IN the world, barring no man, and the
worst used. The bank president was in
the scheme, and half the mealy -mouthed
directors; and the minute things went
wrong. they all backed out, and left him
to suiier, single handed, for it. But he
won't, not If can get him safe across
the Canada line, CHI, old boy? Yes" (as
he saw Hannah's startled glance turn to-
ward the heap of fur in the corner),
that's the way he came all packed
around with hay, ana no breathing
place but the hole in the beasts red
mouth, and ono or two mir. holes we
made where nobody would suspect what
they were for. And II pretty hard segc
he's had of it, too, poor fellow. And
now, my girl, is the time to show your
pluck, and know you've got plenty of
it. Trust everything to me; only keep
silent. Go bnck to bed, and leave me
to manage"
Without II word of remonstrance.
Hannah obeycd.
Once back in the drowsy atmosphere
OF little Natty's serene breathing. il
seemed ms if the scenc down stairs must
have been the fragment of fevered
dream. But the sound of mu Il ed steps,
the occasional murmur of suppressed
voices, the careful opening and closing
OF windows below, forbade this conclu-
sion.
Not wiak did Hannah Perry sleep
all that April night. She lay there wide
awake, listening and wondering, her
heart beating at fevered pace, while
she repeated. ever and anon, to herself:
" ~ i'S'e 10 thCic. Cuu TRUST w Ill
Best
Soon after midnight, however, the
furtive noises subsidized into silence; and
when in the morning Hannah descended
with Natty trotting close at her heels,
the farmhouse kitchen bore no signs of
lust nights invasion.
Sister" said Natty, "can peep in
at the grizzly? just once before 1 60
to school2r
YES" said Hannah. cpl open the
door for YOU"
There, to her amazcment, was the
grizzly bear. upright in his corner,
giassy-e eyed and portly as ever.
Amt he funnym chucl1led Natty,
poking his finger into the fur sides OF
the creature, and wondering how he
ever could have been so timid of him the
night before.
And Hannah looked at the grizzly as
II she half believed the whole thing was
vision Of the night.
Natty was off to school when Billy
Best and his express wagon arrived to
claim the grim, furcoated hostage.
eyes, l know" said he, answering
the mute questions put by Hannah's
eyes; "but it's simple enough when