Connecticut western news., 1891-12-03
THE EGG STEALER.

when Miss Marty Lear heard her broth CTS boat grate on the narrow beach be- low the garden, and set the knives and glasses straight while she listened for the rattle of the garden gate.
 A stunted line of hazel ran along the foot of the garden and prevented all view of the landing place from the kitchen window. But above the hazels glimpse, at high tide, of the intervening river, or, toward low water mark, of the mudbanks shining in the sun.
 It was Miss Lear's custom to look much on this landscape from this win dow; had, in fact, been her custom for close upon forty years. And this even- ing. when the latch clicked at length, and her brother in his market suit came slouching up the path that broke the parallels of garden stuff, her gaze rested all the while upon the line of gray water.
 Nor, when he entered the kitchen and hitched bis hat upon the pegSagainst the wall-where its brim accurately fitted q sort of dull halo in the whitewash-did he appear to want any welcome from her. He was a long jawed man of six
 
 ty-one: and they understood each other, having kept this small and desolate farm together for twenty years-since thei1 fathers death.
 There was cold pasty ready on the table. and the jug of cider that Job Lear regularly emptied at supper. These sug- gested no questions, and the pair sat down to eat in silence. It was only while holding his plate for second helping of the pasty that Job spoke with a full mouth. "Who dye reckon ran against today down in Troy?' Miss Marty cut the slice without troubling to say that she had not an idea. "Why, that fellow Amos Trudgeon," /" he went on. "Yes"
 "'Pears to me you disremembers 'en- son of old Jane Trudgeon that used to live cross the water; him that stole our eggs. long back, when father was Twin. '" .'I remember"
 II thought you must. Why, you gave evidence, to be sure. Be dashed! now come to mind, if you wasn't the first to wake us up an say you heard man cryin out down 'pon the mud"
 "Iss, 1 was."
 ''An saved his life, though you did get 'en two months in jail by it. Up to arm pits, he was, an not two minutes to live, when we hauled 'en out an found he'd been stealth our eggs. He inquired after | you today.
 "Did hep
 "Iss, 'How's Miss Marty says he. | 'Agein rapidly says I. The nerve that some folks have! Comes up to me cool as my lord and holds out his hand. I'd mind to say Eggs to 'en, it so an noyed me; but hadn the heart. Iris an old tale after all that feat O his."
 1.-Two an forty year. come seventeenth O July next. Did he say any more?"
 "Iss-wanted to know if you was married"
 | "Oh, my dear God" Job laid down knife and fork with the edges resting on his plate, and with g lump of pasty in one cheek looked al his sister Before he could speak she broke out again:
 "He was my lover."
 "Mar-ty"-
 "I swear to you, Job-here across thil table-he was my lover; an ruined en He was the only man, 'cept you al father, that ever kissed me; an 1 be trayed len. As the Lord iveth, stoot in the box an swore away his name tt save mine. An what's more, he made me-"
 Mar
 .Don't hinder me, Job-it's truth Tn tellin ee. His people were a low lot. al father d have hided me if he'd know But we used to meet in the orchard most every night. Amos d row acros in his boat, an back agen. For the Lord sixty, an no harm done; an now evil al goods the same to me-"
 "Go on."
 "Well, the last night he came over twas low tide. I was waitin for en i, the orchard; an he would have me tel father and you, and wouldn'. 1 reckon We quarreled over it so long his boa got left high in the mud. Anyways, b left me in wrath, an stood there by tn gate in the dark longin for 'en to com back. But the time went on, an did'l hear his oars pullin away, though lis tenin with all my ears.
 "An then I heard terrible sound, low sort of breathin, but fierce, an some thing worse, a suck-suckin of the mu below, an ran down. There he was above his knees in it, half way betwee firm ground and his boat. For all hi fghtin he heard me and whispers out ( the dark:
 "'Little girl, it's got me. Hush! don shout
 "'Can't you get outY I whispere back.
 "'No, I'm afraid "sI'll run an call father an Job.' "'Hush! Be you mazed? Do yo want to let 'em know?
 "sBut it'll kill you, dear, won't it? , "'Likely it will,' said he. Then afte a while of battlin with it he whispe, agen, Little girl, don't want to di' \ Death is a cold end. But 1 reckon W , can manage to save me an your name { well. Run up to the henhouse an brin me as many eggs as you can hnd-an don't ax questions. Be quick; can kee up for awhile.'
 1T didn't know what he meant, b, ran up for my life. could tell pret1 we'll how to find dozen or more in u !! dark by gropin about, and in three mi 7 utes had gathered 'em in the lap O IT dress, and run down agen. could ju spy him-a dark blot out on the mud. ".How manyY he asked, his vol '' hoarse as 8 rocks.
 "'About a dozen.'
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