Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-22

trouble herer quivered Phoebe.
'tNonsense," said Gurley. Hell not dare
to harm any one. If he had been going to
shoot he would have done it at once"
"a pistolp shouted the master. "Pn
take it from him if he fiourishes any such
contraband article under nay eye"
"He's very angry" said Phoebe 81 knew
he would be and that's why / wanted to
come here instead of staying at Holmes.
He might have got into the house then,
without knocking. And 1 was afraid he
would follow us in the woods. did cheat
him about the money. When put my hand
in the drawer there was sealed envelope
full of blank paper which fixed once, think
ing about Thane, but scarcely believing
could ever use it. He knew / kept my
money so; and the moment my hand touched
it 1 took that instead Of the hundred dollars.
I wish I'd given iG to him now.''
81 begin to understand the transaction"
said Gurley, land Bess' part in it. But if he
tries to storm this house the garrison out
numbers him. They both look as if we had
a painted savage at bay, Mr.. Barker"
At the door another demand was made for
admission, but this time timid and fumbling.
unlike the bold knock Thane gave.
painted savage or unpainted," respond
ed the master, starting, "this unruly rascal
shall feel discipline"
''Oh, Mr. Barkerr' besought Phoebe.
"Ogre, dear" said his wife, apparently in
the act of expanding her large persoa to
place before him, ''the man will shoot"
"Let me open the door, said Gurley.
'Iopen my own door, sir" Interposed the
master.
''Now, you scoundrel, what do you want
this timel"
He made heavy dash at the person on
the step, recovering himself with difficulty.
Sfe
clean-shaven excepting his upper lip; that
his clothes were black, fine and old-fash-
Toned; and though he held his tall hat in
one hand as he recoiled from the masters
onset, the hat had evidently been lifted be-
fore the door opened and his recoil meant
surprise.
''Oh" Mr.. Barker snarled suspiciously.
"Good evening, good evening, sir. Good
evening"
The stranger made some response in
nasal blur Of words, concluding with an
eager question.
Mr.. Barker turned toward the other In
mates, his fierceness cooled to the tempera-
tNre of combativeness.
sis this man speaking Latin with the con-
iinental pronunciation, Gurley, or is it
Welsh9"
''Step in, sir,n invited Mrs. Barker.
"Ogre! perhaps the door better be shut"
1.-THE door will not be Shut" responded
her husband, ''until this man can intelligibly
state his business"
at is Painter. Good evening, Mr..
Painter" said Gurley.
Painter, seeing Phoebe, stepped upon the
sill with an exclamation.
During the rest of her life, when she tried
to set the action of the next five minutes in
its true light, and to see the facts as they
occurred by the clock instead Of through the
medium of terror which had no regard for
time, she thought Mrs. Barker exclaimed
that the other man was behind this one
that Painter turned, saw Thane and seized
him; then they struggled together without
apparent reason; that she ran and hid her
face in the lounge pillow; and a shot, the
voices OF Gurley and the master, and the
bounding steps of some one running away
all mingled together.
Mrs. Barker looked CHASTITY when Painter
was Laid on the lounge. Phoebe herself sat
a moment on the floor beside the lounge.
She heard Gurley ride of for a physician
and officers of justice,
Afterwards she waited by the kitchen
stove while Mr.. Barker and his wife attend.
ed to the wounded man. There was no fire
in the stove, but she could see the hearth
shine through the open sitting-room door,
and count bricks along the front Of the
chimney.
Here Mrs. Barker brought her bit OF
paper and in agitation told her that Painter
wrote it and sent it. She bent toward the
distant freight to make out the characters,
and noticed that though traced by an I'M
steady hand they were clear and beautiful.
At first merely the name James Fawcett
attracted her; then she walked to the fire.
place intent only on reading what was
written, and it was: "You are my child
james Fawcett.n a."
''Nol' said Phoebe, turning toward the
wounded man and questioning him with
negatives ''Nos No2"
One Of Mrs. Barker's quilts covered him
up TO the armpits. He was looking at
Phoebe with wide open and agonized blue
eyes. His sensitive lower face she saw was
like the portrait in the Fawcett library.
''Now she repeated, twisting the paper in
her fingers, 'Ia'
He nodded his head, and besought her by
a gesture to come nearer. In his hands
were pencil and paper tablets which Mrs
Barker had taken out of his pocket for him.
He was shot through the body, and the
doctor, brought later by Gurley, could do
little more for him than had already been
done, "a
AIR. Barker sat near his patients feet, Tug
gedly silent and stern as if Justice were gath
ering all forces in him. His wife held light,
resting her elbow in her palm, and looked
anxiously from Phoebe to the wounded man.
She stood behind his head and let her lamp
shine on his tablets. Sometime during the
confusion circuit had been walked. Phoebe
remembered hearing his mother command
his return to bed.
As Painter beckoned again Phoebe went
to him, not reluctant but unconvinced, and
rested on the floor looking at him.
His hand flew from side to side of his tab
lets, and when he gave them to her Mrs.
Barker moved a step to shift the light.
IF tried to talk" he said on paper, "you
could not understand my voice. My deform-
ity still mortifies me so can not bear to
display it before my child. used to talk
thus to your mother. We had long, silent con-
versations, sitting side by side. Her name was
Phoebe. You are her over again, little ex-
banded. Do you remember when YOU
brought me the maple sugarl''
Instead of replying aloud Phoebe took
his pencil and wrote; W
"Yes. But why have you been away from
me alwaysm
He put swiftly down, "hecause thought
aV,w