The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-05-02

uduSuttT sue caught tue ItscltI-
blance as quickly as her mother had,
although she had no recollection OF her
father and only knew how he looked by
having tamiliarized herself with his
face in the big photograph. Baker, OH
his side, did not fail to mark a similari-
ty between the daughters features and
his own, but, seeing that the widow was
looking at him inquiringly and expect
antly, il occurred to him to ask her if
she still considered him reproduction
of her departed husband.
More than ever, said the widow,
land when | look on you an Etiie,
standing there together, | kin scarcely
believe that you amt brother and sis
ter
When bedtime came, Barker was con-
Quoted TO a chamber leading off from
the room where the widow kept her
safe and account books. He went off to
sleep very easily in spite of the fact
that he was incased in strange night
shirt, one of the late lamented' :, and,
if he had not been disturbed, would
have continued sleeping till morning.
As ii was, he was awakened a little after
midnight by noise in the next room.
Listening, he heard what seemed to be
blows upon some hard substance. In
stantly he thought of the safe. The
next instant he slid quietly out of bed
and started upon a tour of investigation.
He moved noiselessly toward the door
connecting his room with the outer
chamber, and stood upon the threshold
a number of seconds, watching what
was transpiring in the outer room, be-
fore the persons who were working
there were aware of his presence. He
saw two men, one of whom was gray
whlskered and apparently % years old.
engaged with hammer and chisel upon
the safe. The gravy hiskered man was
the first to take cognlZance of Barker,
and he no sooner saw him than, with a
loud shrek, he threw down his tools
and started on run for the door leading
into the hall.
Quick Joe ~ he called back to his
younger mate. Quick, Joe, don't you
see Rule Haley's ghost there in the
doorway ~
The Younger man ran after the older
one, and after the two ran Barker, still
in his borrowed nightshirt and nothing
else. carrying one Of the burglar ham,
mers in one hand and their lamp in the
other. he followed the men down
stairs and into the slttlng-room, but he
not leap after them out of the window.
Probably he would not have done that
under any circumstances, clad as he
was, but there was one overpowering
circumstance in the case which made
him understand that the sphere of his
duty was inside the house. Something
which he saw after he had entered the
sitting room stopped him short III the
pursuit of the burglars, and for a second
or two riveted HIM motionless TO the
floor.
He saw three bedgowned, bare
in of che
placed against side of the room,
bound hand and foot, and made mutes
of by something crammed into their
mouths, each staring at him with wide
~ distended eyes. Baker recognized
in the three women the widow, the
widows daughter, and the woman who
had scaded him with her pudding
gravy. His first impulse was to set the
three women loose, and, acting under
this impulse, he placed hammer and
lamp upon the floor and moved toward
the bandaged group.
But he quickly changed his mind, the
thought suddenly occurring to him that
he was not confronted by Il life and
death condition ana that the cali upon
him was not so imperative that he
would be justified in answering it while
he was so scantly clothed.
Pardon me, ladies'" he said, Il was
not aware that YOU were in this room or
| should not have followed those gen
tlemen in here. If you will excuse me
for moment | will-'sec you later
He whisked out of the room, rushed
up the stairs, three at a time, diyed into
his bed chamber, grabbed his trousers,
got into them fireman fashion on the
way down stairs. and within a minute
from the time of his departure from the
room where the women were he had
returned to it, and was ready to begin
the work of emancipation. When he
had finished it he retired to complete
his toilet, promising to return very
soon.
When he reappeared he found the
widow alone; no, not alone, for she was
sitting with double-barreled gun over
her shoulder, gazing tiXedly at the win
dow through which the burglars had
made their exits.
81 didn't know but that they might
come back ag'in," she said.
81 guess not" said Baker. But give
me the gun and go to bed yourself III
lie down here on the lounge and keep
guard, and if any burglar tries to enter
here I'll blow his head off"
If can get near enough to hit him."
he added soto roce, calling to mind the
life. "But where were the hired
men, he asked after a pause. cor
did they Kill the men outright?'
''The hired men, answered the
widow; ''lhe hired men is over to Eliot
to a weddin'. That's why We women
was left alone
weddings are bad things" said
Baker, impressiveIy.
But of course he spoke jokingIy, for
he knew that he himself was to be mar
ried the yerv next week to my daugh-
ter. He told the widow the following
day abou; the approaching wedding.
She had Just suggested to him the pos
slbility of a union with her daughter.
Pm sudden sort of Woman," she
had said. a amt one of them who be-
lieves in deliberatin' an prayin'. /
make up my mind shot off where /
want to 90, an / get there as quick a. |
kin. | only knOwed my husband TWEEN
tv-four hours before ] was married TO
him, and | didn't make no mistake.
nuther. Now ] want to ask you a ques-
ton: How would YOU ike To marry my
daughter
The average man, in Bankers place,
would have been stunned by PROPOSE
ton like this, but Barker answered to it
without the least hesitation.
Nothing would suit me better" he
said, but I've been pre-empted by
another woman and she takes possession
of me next Friday"
Barker in all human probability will
never see the Haleys again, but he has
certainly made an impression upon
their minds which * destined to lat
Neither mother nor daughter everlooks
at the photograph Of the late lamented
Rufus Haley without recalling that
another man one day stood in front of
it, who, though so far as they knew he
had not drop of Haley blood in him,
was Rufus Haley all over again.-Nt"
York Tunes.
These are Signs of Spring.