Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-03-02
TOMS MONEY.

Every night OF her nearly thirty years OF
existence this pretty little person had
stopped on her knees, before saying her
prayers, and had investigated the space be-
meath her bed; had then peered beneath the
dark recess Of the dressing case, and hay
Ing looked in the deep drawer of the bureau
and into the closet, she fastened her door,
and felt as secure as a snail in a she'll AS
she never, in this particular business,
seemed to have any confidence ia Mr..
Laughton, in spite Of the fact that she ad-
mired him and adored him, neither his
presence nor his absence ever made any
variation in the performance. She had
gone through the motions, however, 50
long time that they had come to be in a
manner perfunctory, and the start she
received ON this night Of which speak
made her prayers quite impossible
What was she to dog She, coward par
eminence, known to be the most timorous
Of the whole family, and here she was now.
the two maids away in the little wing,
locked cut by the main house, alone with
burglar, and not another being nearer
than the works, half mile off.
How did this man know that she was
without any help here2 How did he hap
pen to be aware that Toms money was all
in the house? If that. money was taken,
nobody would believe the story. Tom
would be cashiered, he never could live
through the disgrace, he would die Of a
broken heart and she of another What
a mischance for her to be left with the
whole thing in her hands, her little, weak
trembling hands-Tom's honor, his good
name and his success, their fortune, the
welfare Of the whole family, the livelihood
of all the men, the safety of the enterprisel
What made Tom risk things so?
1t was worse than any loss of money to
have such a wretch as this SO near one, so
shudderingly, SO awfully near, to be so
close as this to the bottomless pit itself
Light and electricity are swift, but
thought is swifter In the fraction Of a
second Mrs Laughton was on her feet, and
before a pendulum could have more than
swung backward she took the light brass
bedstead and sent it rolling away from her
with all her might and main, leaving the
creature uncovered. He lay easily ON one
side, a stout little club in his hand, some
weapons cleaning in his belt
You look pretty, don't you, said she
Perhaps this was as much Of a shock to
the man as his appearance had been to her.
Get up, said she. I'D be a man if
was man. Get up. Pm not going to hurt
YOU
The idea Of this little fairy queen Of
woman, almost small enough to have
stepped out Of rain lily, hurting him
But 1t was so different from what he had
been awaiting that it startled him. He
was on his feet now, towering over her
NO" said he grudiy; II don't suppose
you're going TO hurt me. And / am not
going to hurt you If you hand over that
money"
What money! opening her eyes with
a wide sort Of establishment.
"Comel None Of your lip want that
moneyw
why haven't any money! Oh, yes,
have, to be sure. butt
Il thought you'd remember it,, said the
man, with grin.
But | want itr' she exclaimed.
Il want it, tool said he.
ooh, it wouldn't do you any good, . she
reasoned. Fifteen dollars. And it's all
the money I've got in the world"
Il don't want no fifteen dollars said the
man, "and don't want none Of your chin
ming want the money your husbands
going to pay off WITH
"Oh, Toms money!" in quite a tone OF
relief. "Oh, ! haven't anything 10 do with
Toms money. If you can get any money
out Of Tom it's more than / can do"
Yes, see, you little hen sparrer,n his
eyes coming back to her from a survey OF
the room, "that you've got Toms money
in the house here and would like to throw
me of the scentl"
If had, " said she, you'd only get it
across my dead bodyln
Come, said he again, I've had enough
Of your slack"--
YOU'RE not very polite, " she said with
something like pout
People in my line amt" he answered
grimly II want that money! I'd rather
come by it peaceable,n he growled, ''but
if
well, you can take it, Of course, you're
the stronger. But ] told you before, it's
all have, and I've very particular use for
it. You just sit DOWN. she cried, indi-
eating a chair with the air Of really hav-
ing been alone so long in these desolate
regions as to be glad Of having some one
to talk to, and throwing herself into the
big one opposite, because, in truth, she
could not stand up another moment.
There 1t is, said she, fright under
your hand all the time. You won't have
to rip up the mattress for it, or rummage
the clothes press, or hunt through the
broken crockery on the top shelves Of the
kitchen cupboard" she ran on, as if she
were delighted to hear the sound Of her
own voice and couldn't talk fast enough.
~ always leave my purse on the dressing
case, though Tom has told me time and
again il wasn't safe. But out hereo-
stop" Numbered the man "If you
know enough to stop Stopi or I'll cut
your cursed tongue out That's not what
/ Wnnt thougb III tnta IL Tf,ya t,ld ,4a,,
time and again that l want the paymas~
ter's money. I'll put daylight through
that little false heart OF yours il you don't
give it 70 me without five more wordsn-
And I've told you just as often that I've
nothing TO do with the paymaster's
money" and with the great limpid tears
overlooking her blue eyes Rose Laughton
knew that the face she turned up at him
was enough to melt the strongest heart 20.
ing.
''Do you mean TO tell me-" said he.
evidently wavering, and possibly inclined
TO doubt if after all she were not telling
the truth.
- don't mean to tell you anythingp she
cried. you won't believe a word I say,
aud ! never had any one doubt my word
before. hate TO have you take that IF
teen dollars, though. You never would in
the world if you knew how much selfde-
nial it standsfor.
Every time l think would like an ice
cream out here in this wilderness pve
made Tom give me the price Of one. You
won't find anything but ribbons there
And when I've felt as If / should so wild If
couldn't have box Of Huyler's candy