Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-06-28
and replacing them deity with over

tapping rows of new, fragrant wood.
The click of the hammer, the ring
of the nails was like music in her ears.
Suddenly, however, as she sat perched
like a squirrel on the slanting roof, the
sound of voices struck her ear. She
paused to listen.
"Three diamond rings! | heard her
say SO herself. In the left hand drawer
of some bureau" said the same accents
which half an hour ago had asked her
for charity. "And no n but a woman
in the house."
"Sure of that ?" said a deeper voice.
eyes, plum sure" was the answer
"And / wouldn't wonder if there were
other things for the picking up"
"Come on, them" said the other one;
"and step lively. We can't stand here
jawing all day. The door is bolted, is
it Wait a minute I've got a little
joker here as would start any staples
this side of Denver"
jamie had listened in breathless hor-
ror. In an instant, as it were, she
comprehended the full danger that
menaced Mrs. Lepell's treasured gems
the three diamond rings that the
boarder had once told her were worth
thousands of dollars. And here she
was alone and helpless
Hurriedly she turned over the crisis
in her mind. If she were to re-enter
the house by the same way in which
she had left it, she must certainly meet
the ruffians, and any resistance which
she could offer would be speedily over
powered.
jamie Barr was not one to hesitate
long. While the thoughts yet careered
through her brain. she sprang from
the caves into the blooming boughs of
the great cherry tree which grew so
close to the house that its branches
scraped the roof on windy March
days.
1t was a hazardous thing for any
one to do who was not swift of limb
and accurate of eye but jamie alighted
like a cat in the fork of the tree,
climbed lightly down until she reached
its lower Dough, and thence leaped
breathlessly to the ground, springing
swiftly across the meadows to Ralph
Parsons carpenter shop.
"Janie, what is it ?"
Ralph Parsons himself rose up out
of the green hedges, directly across her
path.
II was drinking at the ice cold
spring." he said, "when l heard your
footsteps. What is it ?"
She told him as well as she could for
excitement and breathlessness.
Come" she cried. "Oh, do make
haste"
He paused only to blow a small
willow whistle which hung on his steel
watch guard.
"This will bring my workmen," he
said. cts a signal we have agreed
upon, among ourselves, for just such
au emergency as this. You and Jones,
jamie, shall go around to the back
door, Hall and Robbins will watch the
front, and I'll go up and settle the
fellows"
jamie glanced with shy admiration
into his set, determined face. After
all, it was something to be a man.
The little campaign was skillfully
conducted. The two thieves were taken
red-handed, the diamond rings were
delivered into jamie Bars keeping
and the r~uffians were dragged to the
nearest Jail.
"Oh, Ralph" said Jennie, when all
the little crowd was gone, show can |
ever thank you ?"
"He smiled"
"By letting me put on those shingles
for YOU" said he.
II can't said Jane, laughing and
blushing. "They are put on already.
But I'll promise you my next job of
carpentering.
"Will you let me be your carpenter
always, jamie ?" he asked. "Will you
promise one day to be my wife !"
The words had risen almost involun-
tarily to his lips as he held her hand
in his-the words he so longed yet
dreaded to speak.
And jamie hung her head and
colored like a carnation, and said "she
would see"
And Ralph Parsons knew that he
had won the day.
Mrs. Barr and the boarder were
alike amazed when they returned
home.
"Our jamie to circumvent a gang of
burglars !" said the proud mother.
40 save my three diamond rings!"
Historically cried Mrs. Lepell.
"But that isn't all | have done,
MOTHER said jamie, laughing. Il
have shingled the roof. And | have
promised to marry Ralph Parsons next
Spring. Upon the whole, | think it
has been rather an eventful day,
mother, don't you?