The Forrest City times., 1891-07-31
md loosened the working parts ofthe

| Dciu over the ludCIlltlt, StuuylIlS lV. l noticed that she touched with her white fingers sllthe grimy parts, until her hands were soiled.
 ''It is by no means so complicated as revolver" she said.
 1 made no comment as put the working parts together. She was very silent, working necessarily on some coarse material she had brought with | her-I sat near her teaching her what l to do. She worked on until it was past noon.
 "Is it not time now to eat some thing?"
 Ut is" I replied; twill madam par take of my simple meal?"
 | Madam! l am Eliza-and you say your name is Mary, shall be very glad to share your food with you, if you will let me. If you have not enough for two, l will go out and buy what is wanted What shall it be? l dare say l can shop better than you. Will you lend me your shawl, yourfurs and your overshoes?"
 Before l could say g word she had them all on. Then she laughed for the first time and courtesied to me. l cried in great glee, "our copartnership begins from today. lam to be capital and you brains. Little sister, good-by : l shall not be gone more than quar- ter of an hour.'
 1 was so astonished as to be speech less. In trice she was back, loaded down with packages. She had loaf of bread, piece of cheese, a pct of preserves, breast of smoked goose and some salted cucumbers. 'l got a samOvar, but 1t was too heavy for me to carry. The man bought it of will bring it here at once. It is secondhand, but as good asnew. l see you have teapot. My only two extravagances were some good soap and a pound of the best tea. Come, let us eat. 1 can arrange anything l am to wait on you"
 In a day I learned to love that woman. All the naughty, proud man. her was gone. She waited on me. She was up first in the morning. She was always busy. The porter of the house evidently mistook her for one of the two girls who had been in the employ of the sewing-machine company for one or the other of them had often been in my room. Some small extra compensation was given him for the new lodger. She never spoke save in English, and her coming to me had been so mysterious that I felt quite certain the porter was entirely ignor- ant of her condition.
 | Certainly 1t worried me a great deal. More than once l ventured to ask for an explanation, but Eliza would place her hand on my mouth so that my speech was interrupted It distressed me to see how had she worked, for Il felt sure that this new life was hurting her. 1 could see that from her pallor. If anything more than another made me feel sorry, 1t was for her beautiful hands. She seemed to take infinite pains in spelling them.
 '"They are filthy she would say, "and still think 1 care for them more tkan l should. If 1 could only get a thick, red rough skin on them!"
 As she said, the owner of the shop was only to glad to sell a machine. Eliza furnished the money Work came to us Tn mysterious way left downstairs with the porter. By ! who made dresses for the Court ladies, sent for me and gave me work. As what we had to do was well sewed, and we were always prompt, in less than three weeks ewere doing a good business. My companion, save for the daily purchases made in the inn mediate eneighborhood, never went out. No one called on her; she never receiv- ed letter A few days over the month had passed, when one morning as l was running up seam in a piece of cloth, my needle struck something. It was piece of paper.
 1t is for. me, Sister Mary" said l Eliza.
 She took the bit of paper, held 1t to the stove, appeared to read something and then opened the stove door and burned it. l did not question her. She worked on cheerfully all day. chatting on different subjects.
 That night, when we were in bed taking me in her arms, she said:
 Poor Mary, your troubles, your anxieties are now over. Tomorrow early, apply for your passport, It will cost you to go from here to ILolluOuf Sty IoO WISH lJ touil have been more, but you will have altogether f300, which after deducting your traveling expenses will leave you some money to begin your life with again. For me-who has learned to love a singularly honest and simple minded woman-you shall have this ring" and she slipped on my finger a ring. But don't wearlt; the diamond might betray me. So far, Mary, you have run no risk; but next week you might be ruined forever. for you have harbored--"
 was speechless with terror.
 "Only woman," she continued, "whose own life-or the life of any one else who stood in her way-she would care no more of taking than a cook would of wringing chicken s neck Do not be shocked, Mary. 1 shall sleep as sweetly tonight as if death did not threaten me. My story, as far as relates to you, is soon told. It became necessary for me month ago to disappear. The simplest chance in the world threw you in my way. Had you been of any other na- tionality than English would never have trusted you. You might go out, Mary and sell me. Judas-like tor a sum of money which would make you rich for life.
 clung convulsively to her and oade her be quiet.
 Through my veins, child, there runs the best blood in Russia, but