The morning call., 1890-07-16
THE NEST.
[CoNTINUED.l

DTaytCQ luteruOSeQ. III duh EOpulltSs duu lily
tailor my wardrobe Is in excellent condition,
and will not want renewing Tor some time TO
come"
very shabby at the elbows The man quite
shrugged lis shoulders when he saw 1t, and
scarcely thought II worth his willie 10 name
price for it,"
'Coniound his impudence Why, gave two
pounds-ten tor that coat al the end Of the winter
and have merely laid il aside because II is too
heavy for this weather. 1t Is as good as new
I'll fetch il and show you"
But Edle chung 10 HIM aud her mute distress
revealed that he had not heard the worst.
"YUu-yOu don't mean 10 say That you let the
rascal carry II of? What did lie give you for II ?"
Those pelal gonums Gu The howerstand'' she
falteied, iueiuly.
Those scalv things, not worth couple OF
shiIilngs! Then you have been cheated most
"it was very ugIyl~ she pleaded al never
liked you IN it'll DIDN'T Indeed"
lis there anything else wear ttat dlspleases
your eye?' asked Conrad, ironically. III SO
name ii, that may lock 1t up, and save It from ON
the hands OF such scoundrels; for The future III
thank you TO consult me before you make raids
on my wardrobe"
Edie wept so plofuseIy, and was so sincerely
pentenr, that she soon won her pardon; nay,
Conrad even whispered promise before he left
her IN the morning never 10 make any mochlng
alnslOns 10 The brown coat.
Yet Edie was mol quite In her usual spirits
when he came home TO dinner. These country
tfadeSpeOple were so horribly independent. she
complained. The butcher had demurfed, on The
score OF the distance, when Hannah wanted
half a pound of suet: and there could be no
custard with The gooseUerry tart, because the
people at the farm wanted the milu for fatteniug
calf, and their eggs for ting couple OF hens
AS for the iishmVnEer, he wac so eXtortionate
as well as irregular III his calls, That prudent
Hannah thought II would be advisable 10 do with
OUT SOles and whiting, except when MI Drayton
could bring some from town.
AT which suggestion MIR. DrAyton pulled long
face. The lanes lie had TO traverse were not
shady ones, and, with a June sun peltlng down
on his head, he found his umbrella aud news
Ht,sa. laI rarsi
with.
Why should we not have COW OF our own?"
demanded Edie. " have a siusham dress mat
l could easily convert into The prettiest OF Pa
tience' costumes. l would milk the patient
creature myself; we should be able 10 eat our
own butter, aud If the Toulouse were painted
green. could keep her in that"
We could" assented Conrad, with the
trifiing Inconvenience that size would be such
tight fiji as 10 necessitaie either backing her IN,
aud making two holes In the door Tor her horns,
oil dragging her out by her tail. No, EdIe,
don't think your plan Is feasible one. As we
have elected TO live twelve miles from the great
mari of everything. we must make The best or
the country and its-what shall l call them-in-
convenience"
81 think, for lie future, l shall buy my goose
berries instead of p!ucking them" said Edie rue
fully surveying her scratched hands. but
would not give up our dear little cottage for all
the advantages London holds toilh-"
Aud now" size added, do come and look at
my purchases. Such gentlemanly man called
upon ME to-day"
Not this time. My visitor Is the agent OF
London publisher, who knowing how difficult 1t
Is for residents IN these out-of-the-way places TO
get hold OF new WORKS, sends them few for in
spectlon; aud have purchased an encyclopaedia,
dear Conrad, for hannah's use as well as my
own. 1t is a book OF reference that ought to be
in every family, and Is d perfect treasury oil
How well you remember what that clever
gentleman told your said Conrad, QuiZzlcaliy
Pray what did You give for your wonderful vol
ume?"
fusely. 1haye been reading Hannah what IL tells
about the agarcus; and though she prefers the
English name OF mushroom, she was obliged 10
acknowledge ii Is very interesting.
90 But rather costly. isn't il?'
Costly! four shilngs for all that Iniorma-
tion?" And Edle opened her brown eyes.
This work will consist Of about forty monthly
by this paper, which / see you have signed, you
have bound yourself TO take The whole"
Are you quite, quite suIe?" she asked, IN
great dismay. Il thought ii was simply au ac-
acknowledgement that had become purchaser.
am sure lie gave me reason TO think so; but Tor
that | would not have consented TO take natural
history for you, though l thought you would be
delighted with 1t and the 'Pil-Pil-PilgIim's
Progress because II would be such nice Sunday
reading for myself: What dreadful cheats there
are in the wold-I hate them all, do"
While Ede sobbed so violently It was imposs-
Bile to scOd her; but size was forbidden 10 admit
or hold parey with any more gentemanly men,
no matter what prelext they made for calling.
She kept this Injunction IN her mind for
selections OF the latest and most fashionable
materials offered 10 her by no lever than three
packmen who stopped at her gdtei nor would
she let the gypsy inside II VINO mysteriously
offered 10 Tell her forum. for tile price OF loaf
of bread; but when gray bearded. inflrm old
man called 10 invite Mr.. dayton to take part In
a concert al "our town hail. Edie felt hatlered,
and begged him 10 walk ill.,
- Thanks, my dear young lady," he answered,
feebly, Il shall be glad 10 rest a while, tue walk
Is almost TOO much for me; but l am repaid by
the sight of your beautiful little home. This Is
Potts Villa is It nOtY
d" believe lie owner gave it his own name"
Edie replied; but we call 1t the Nest"
a. Very preliy-very appropriate" said the old
gentleman, his gaze slowly travelling around tile
tastefully furnished and sunny parlOr. "HOw
delightful IL Is 10 see the young happy ! wish
felt well enough to walk round your charming
gafdrn."
In her heart Ede felt thankful that lie did not
for IN spite of wedding aud watering and rakng
II still locked sadly bare, SO she deXterOusly
changed the subject and made Inquiries respect
ing the concert.
"Ay husband never has sung In public, but he
has an excellent barytone voice, AMI If IL is IN
the interests OF some charitable purpose | dare
say l can induce MIN to consent"
Thanks, madam, very mauy thanks; Will
leave you this laper to look over and perhaps
call again When Mi. DraytOn Is al home; but Just
now feel SO weak, so faint"
And then lie leaned back IN his chair and
begged for water Ede flew 10 tecn IL; but had
scarcely quilted the room, when, remembering
that wine might be more efficacous, she ran
back 10 get decanier OUT OF the chtoner.
q NeI Eltdt CUuSleIUdllUU, Tue UUfin ola man
was just in tile act OF detaching from a hook
over the mantelpiece CoDTad's gold watch. which
he bad left at home Willie Edie's at the
wateh-maker's with broken spTIng.
AS her cry OF angry surprise broke upon the
silence, he lhiust Tue watch Into his pocket, and,
seeing his retreat by The door cut oil, made for
the window.
He had thrown up the sash and was halfway
down the garden before she recovered herself
sufficiently 10 scream for help. But who was to
hear her? Hannah was shut In one OF the bed
rooms scTubbiEg and no one else was near save
man and a boy plowlng IN field On the other
side of the hedge.
The thief, ali lis weakness forgotten, turned
into the lane aud took The route toward the Town,
kde casping her hands In despair as he van
lshed from her sight What would Conrad say?
He priced thai watch all the more because ii had
been presented 70 him for act of herOisn.
How should sha tell him 1t had been stolen?
Ii lie were but at home to follow that dreadful
man, aud either wreSt his booty Il ON him or
hand him over TO the police
NretGh that he is, be shall not per' ex-
claimed Edle, with sob. 81 will follow him: |
WILL will"
Already her plans were made. Flying through
The kitchen and snafcbing up HannalIs bonnet
aud gray shawl as she went, the excited little
vile ran dewn he kitchen garden, crept through
hole in the ience, and then, fixing her eyes on
distant point crossed the fields IN as
straight line as The intervening hedges aud
dltches permitted.
Fortunately the latter were dry the former
full OF gaps, and she met with other Interrupt
lions. She had remembered that the lane curved
aud zigzaged as country roads are wont TO do,
anu tnaI .ne tIach She was making Tor Derself
must give her a considerable advantage over any
person who pursued the beaten one.
When, Dreathless with running. she slid down
bank into the lane, nile or more from her
home, the man she was pursuing was not hun
dred yards ahead, and, having by sundry back
ward glances Rssu ed himself that lie was not be-
ing pursued. had already dropped into a jog.trot
pace OF security.
Ede had the prudence not 10 attem; t to lessen
the distance between them, but TO be content
with keeping him IN sight. satisfied that II he did
look back he could not recognize her in The
black bonnet and WOODEN shawl she had now
d0nued.
On went the thief. coOlly taking out Conrad's
watch when he came In sight of church clock
10 ascertain whether II was keeping good time.
Eole longed TO rush forward aud snatch IL from
MIN, out he was big and powerful ana there was
no one near who she could call upon TO aid her.
ana now lie had reached The entrance to the
town, and paused as II Undecided whether TO
take the right-hand road leading TO the market
place, or the turning that led TO The railway
Stallion.