Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-24

will, to be sure there's no sense in your going
with no hing but th9 clothes you stand
up ~. But why not see your aunt and say
the same to her as you've said to me2
because could not endure to look at her, !"
answered Chris, shortly. "Come, Martha, il
you are going to help me at all, you must do
It at once" And taking the old woman by
the arm, she led her back to the house and
upstairs.
The reason which Chris assigned for her
surreptitious flight was genuine enough, SO
far as it went; for she had an overpowering
repugnance to the idea of facing Peters muir
deress but it was not her only reason. Miss
Ramsden probably had legal power, and GER
tainly had practical power, to detain her; she
might even, If the worst came to the worst,
call in the police and cause public scandal.
Whereas, If she were separated from her
niece by the whole length of France, negotia-
lions would have to be conducted through
Mr.. James Compton, who would be less diff
cult to deal with. Chris hastily consulted q
continental Bradshaw" while Martha, with
many subdued groans, was stufhng her
clothes into her trunks, and found that she
would have no chance Of catching the direct
mail to Paris. It would, however, be quite
possible for her to take the Southampton
and Havre route, thus leaving London an
hour later; oelly it would be necessary, even
30, to use the utmost dispatch.
Unfortunately, Martha would not and could
not be hurried. Every few minutes she stopped
packing, threw herself back, sitting upon
her heels, and calculated: Oh, my dear, l
durstn't do it II really durstn't" and it was
only by alternate entreaties and menaces
that she could be induced to resume her laborS.
What gave Chris even more anxiety than the
lukewarmness of her fellow-conspirator was
that Miss Ramsden's bedroom was next door,
and that boxes can not be moved nor drawers
opened without some noise. And, sure
enough, when they had nearly completed their
operations there came three loud thumps
upon the partition wall which caused them to
start and exchange affrighted glances.
"There pexclaimed Martha sinking despair
ingly into a chair, "that settles it Go to her
I must, and what in this world I'm to say to
her"
Listen to me, Martha" interrupted Chris,
taking the woman by the shoulders and look
ing straight into her eyes; ''I have heard you
tell Aunt Rebecca lbs before now, and know
that you can tell them very well. You will go
to her now, and you will say just what comes
into your head, except the truth; only you
are not to be away more than five minutes.
If you stand by me will reward you hand
somely as soon as I can, bnt if you betray
me"
"Oh, laws, child" broke in Martha, don't
talk to me about rewardsl Goodness knows
Il isn't reward wantl"
or another. I am only girl, but am despe-
rate; and by far the safest thing you can do
IL to obey me-"
Thus cautioned, Martha tottered out Of the
room, and Chris, having hastily locked her
boxes, sat down and waited during the long
est five minutes that she had ever spent in
hUr life Nevertheless, the allotted time had
barely expired when his emissary returned,
wearing an air of mingled contrition and tri-
umph.
"Wellp" asked Chris. expectantly.
"Well," answered Martha, " she don't sus-
poet nothin'. There! 1t did go against me to
deceive her. and she so poreiy too. But I
KEEP sayin' to myself: IT'S for the sake of
others, not for your own, that you're carryin'
on In this scanderlous way, and may be that'll
be took into account Mortal bad she says
she is; and to be sure she do look it. Bin
ringin' that bell for the last 'alf hour says
she and then she fapcisa5 she heard me movin'