Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-03-14
BUTLER PA. FRIDAY. MARCH IA, 1890.

You are very kind, said Noble. I'm
afraid am giving you trouble
Not q bit Of i, replied Smith. II got
you into this fl X through the horse dying
I'm bound to see you ont oft
Noble laughed.
The old man aat down near the table to
which he summoned his guest when the
meal was ready; and shortly young man
came in, nodded and took his seat.
my son, stranger" said Smith, as he
did SO. Rnt all Mobiles efforts to make
talk were fruitless, and soon after supper
he decided to go to bed.
"All right Early to bed is said to be
good for folks, remarked the elder man.
He lighted candle, and preceded his
guest up stairs. \ hammock swung be
tween two beams; a couple of blankets
and pillow were arranged in it. The
broken window let in the damp night air.
Eunchcs Of herbs and ropes Of onions
dangleJ from the hooks in the beams
sleep we'll said the old man and de-
scended the stairs again.
Noble placed his portmantcau under the
pillow Of the hammock and sat down on
an old box. He was vcxed by not having
reached the mines that night, for his mis-
sion was to bring a sum of money, which
Mellish had borrowed at easy interest, to
tide-aver a season of trouble.
1t was in small bills, and the men were
to have been paid from it at sunset. It's
delay might cause something like riot.
1t was not his fault, but it was annoying,
all the same.
"Tho best thing l can do is to sleep and
forget it, he said, and had pulled off his
cravat and collar, when a whisper fell upon
his ear;
Come here" said yoice--"come TO
the window" and he saw, appearing mys-
teriously at the broken pane. the girls
brown iace and great, dccr-like eyes.
Come softly" she said come quick"
lie went to her She had climbed upon
u shed beneath the window, and stood
with her chin on a level with the sill
We'll, Middy," he said, fancying this
only another outcome Of lack of good
sense, there you are, ehi'
"Yes, I'm here said the girl il whis.
per Lift The sash and put your head
out"
He obeyed.
Il want you to come down and go with
me. "Tll show you where the MelIiahes
live. Come / want you to-
IN go in the morning, MILDLY" said
Noble.
Morning, said the girl, 'will be too
late. I'm not foolish I'm talking sense.
Your name is Noble, isn't TT"
Yes" said the young man.
you've got II lot of money in that bag -
said the girl
"'What makes you think so'" asked No
bic, carelessly
I've heard them talking about you
said the glrl-'uncle and Sam"
"oh, they're mistaken, MILDLY said No
bic, carelessly.
Mr.. Noble" said the girl. I'm risking
my life to tell you this. Uncle and Sam
are all I've got, and many dishonest
IiluE Nt Itttiur ihit HisAhfH iii' 'ith "
think OF, I've held my tongue about. But
this Is the first murder they've planned to
to do"
Murder gasped Noble.
They know all about you, said MILDLY.
'Last week they robbed the mail; they've
done that before; but this time they got
letter from you, and know just what
you've got there" and she named the
sum correctly. ''fhen uncle got your tel
cgram, offering to take it To the Mellishes.
SO he knew that you were coming-Mr
Mellish didn't. There was no accident;
the horse isn't dead; that was all Il trick;
Sam took him home. 1t was just to get
you here. After awhile uncle will come
mp to give you some hot drink-it's full of
laudanunl--- don't take it pretend 10.
When you are sound asleep sam and un
Gle mean to Kill yon, and bury you. and
keep the money There! swear it."
Great heaven! is it possibleH" gasped
Noble.
"Oh, my God, it Isl" sighed MILDLY. Pre-
tend to drink the stuff; then, when he is
gone, climb out of the wiHdow; I'll wait
for you below. viii youf'
eyes" said Noble.
lie stared at her, half beliiying her, half
fancying her mad, and, with a motion of
her hand, she disappeared from the win
dow.
\ moment more and Smith came mp
stairs, with n steaming glass in his hand.
\ night cap, stranger he said.
THANK you said Noble. ''Just what
1 was wishing for. Can you give me some
thing to make my pillow higher I can't
sleep with my head low"
Smith grunted and went to the farther
corner, where some old garments hung.
As he turned his back Noble emptied the
glass ont Of the window.
''The right kind of stuff" he said
'Thank you."
Then Smith went down the stairs, and
on the instant Noble with his portmanteau
slung over his shoulder was out upon the
shed. A lie dropped to the ground girl )
hand caught his wrist and he was hurried
away toward road which lay like gray
ribbon amid the darkness of rock and
stunted bush.
Not a word was spoken, not moment
was lost At last the roaring Of rapid
stream was heard, and they crossed a
bridge.
After that the stunted pines grew thick
cr the road ascended, . few houses APP
pearedi largo one of some pretentions, in
the windows of which lights were glowing,
was visible upon an elevation.
That's Mellshs" said the girl. go
and ring the bell aud get in as quick as
you can"
She uttered this between quick gasps,
for the pace had been too rapid for wo-
man, and she was spent.
"And you-you must come with me
you can't 90 back to those wrctchcs" No
bic said
"Wrctches!" repeated the girl why
they're not wretches. Fnele'a an honest
man, Sans another I've been stufling
you with lies stranger, to get rid of you.
! didn't want you bothering round. I've
made a fool of you-I just like to fool city
fellows. Nobody was going to hurt you.
Good night, you goosy- gander!'
She was off, laughing AS she ran, and
N.hlo ,,,lLgnI ~, n, tho hnua.a in "a ct of