Arizona republican., 1891-11-20
THE EGG STEALER.

when MISS Muty Lear nearu HeI UtoIu- CTS boat grate on the narrow beach be- l 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 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.
 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 his hat upon the peg against the wall-where its brim accurately fitted 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-five, 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 a 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 froy?'
 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 liyin." Il remember"
 ''I thought you must Why, you gave evidence, to be sure. Be dashed! now l come to mind, if you wasn't the first to wake us up an say you heard a man cryin out down 'pon the mud
 ''Iss, was"
 An saved his life though you did get Zen two months in jail Uyit 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. flows Miss Marty says he. 'Agein rapidly says !. The nerve that some folks have. 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 1 hadn the heart 'Tis an old tale after all, that feat O his"
 1.-Two an forty year, come seventeenth O July next. Did he say any moreE
 "Iss-wanted to know if you was married"
 "Oh, my dear God!'
 Job laid down knife aud 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'-
 'I swear to you, Job-here across this table-he was my lover; an l ruined en. He was the only man, 'cept you an father. that ever kissed me, an be- trayed 'en As the Lord liveth, l 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 a 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 in his boat, an back agen. For the Lords sake, .bfother, don't look so. I'm past sixty, an no harm done: an now evil an goods the same to me.
 "Go 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 Zen to come back But the time went or, an didu hear his oars pullin away, though lis tenin with all my ears.
 "An then 1 heard a terrible sound, . 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 hi fghtin he heard me and whispers out 0 the dark:
 "Little girl, it's got me. Hushl don1 shout
 "'Can't you get out? l whispered back. f.s
 "'No, I'm afraid ss6 ta8
 "Ill run an call father an Job kso
 "'Hush! Be you mazed? Do ,ys' want to lei. eEa 11lowr ael
 "But itckh IT isu, deaf, wontitg
 "IiknsI 6ui said he Then afte . wiile of Batthn with it he whisper sxees, Little girl, don't want to die sDeu1his cold end. But l reckon w can manage to save me an your name a well. Run up to the henhouse an brini me as many eggs as you can find-an' co,ta ax questions Be quick; can kee up for awhile.
 "l didn't know what he meant, bu ran up for my life. could tell prett well how to fnda dozen or more n th 1.t. l,, ,-,-,,rir ob br,+ and in tnIeG mn