The times., 1891-10-09
THE EGG STEALER.


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
one could look across and catch
glimpse, at high tide, of the intervening
river, or, toward low water mark, of the
mudbanks shining in the sun.
1t 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 his hat upon the peg against the
wall-where its brim accurately fitted u
sort of dull halo in the whitewash-did
he appear to want any welcome from
her. He was long jawed man of six
ty-fve, she long jawed woman of six
ty-one; and. they understood each other,
having kept this small and desolate farm
together for twenty years-since their
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 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 livin." {"
81 remember"
IT 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 pom the mud"
"Iss, was"
can saved his life, though you did get
ZEN 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 he?"
"Iss, 'How's Miss Marty says he.
'Agein rapidly says l. The nerve that
some folks havel Comes up to me cool
as my lord and holds out his hand. I'd
a mind to say Eggs to 'en, it so an
noyed me; but l hadn the heart. 'Tis
an old tale after all, that feat O his"
"Two an forty year, comeseventeenth
O. July next. Did he say any more?"
"Iss-wanted to know if you was
married"
"Oh, my dear Godv
Job laid down knife and fork with the
edges resting on his plate, and with a
lump of pasty in one cheek looked at
his sister. Before he could speak she
broke out again:
HE was my lover"
"Mar-ty"-
81 swear to you, Job-here across this
table-he was my lover; an ruined en-.
He was the only man, 'cept you an
father, that ever kissed me; an l be-
trayed 'en. AS the Lord liveth, stood
in the box an swore away his name to
save mine. An what's more, he made
me-"
MAR
"Don't hinder me, Job-it's truth I'm
tellin ee. His people were low lot, an
father d have hided me if he'd know.
But we used to meet in the orchard,
most every night. Amos d row across
sake, brother, don't look so. I'm past
sixty, an no harm done; an now evil an
goods the same to me-"
$50 on"
"Well, the last night he came over,
twas low tide. was waitin for 'en in
the orchard; an he would have me tell
father and you, and wouldn'. reckon
we quarreled over it so long his boat
got left high in the mud. Anyways, he
left me in wrath, an stood there by the
gate in the dark longin for 'en to come
back. But the time went on, an did'n
hear his oars pullin away, though lis
TENN with all my ears.
"An then ! heard terrible sound, a
low sort of breathin, but fierce, an some
thing worse, suck-suckin of the mud
below, an ran down. There he was,
above his knees in it, half way between
firm ground and his boat. For all his
fghtin he heard me and whispers out O.
the dark:
"Little girl, it's got me. Hushl don't
shout
"'Can't you get outY l whispered
back.
No, I'm afraid
"'Tll run an call father an job
"'Hush! Be you mazed? Do you
want to let 'em knowY
"'But it'll kill you, dear, won't itr
Likely it will, said he. Then after
while of battlin with it he whispers
agen, Little girl, don't want to die.
Death is cold end. But / reckon we
can manage to save me an your name as
well. Run up to the henhouse an bring
me as many eggs as you can Finland