Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12

happened to get such shaking up and bang
ing round ~, already coming here"
gravity and dancing eyes, that it would be
Just awful il that keerful city clerk found
things kinder mixed up inside when he comes
| 70 open II. l wouldn't give him trouble for
| the world, Charley"
mo. ma'am. it amt like you"
| count"
''Mrs. Baker," said Charley, with infinite
gravity. ''if that bag should tumble off dozen
times between this and Laurel Hill, III hop
down and pick it up myself"
Thank you! Shaker
They shook hands gravely across the window
ledge.
And. And you amt goin' down with us, Mrs.
"of course not; i wouldn't do-for amt
here-don't you see"'
"Of course"
She handed him the bag through the door,
He took il carefully. but in spite of his great
precaution fell over it twice on his way to the
road, where, from certain ordinations and
shouts, it seemed that like miserable mis-
chance attended its elevation to the boot. Then
Mrs Baker came back into the Office, and Is
the wheels rolled away threw herself into
chair and inconsistently gave way for the first
| time to an outburst of tears. Then her hand
was grasped suddenly, and she found Green on
his knees before her. She started to her feet
Don't move" he said. with weak. hysteric
passion, but listen to me. for Gods sake! /
am ruined, know, even though you have Just
saved me from detection and disgrace. have
been mad "a fool, to do what have DONE I
know, but you do not know all--you do not
know why did it-you cannot think of the
temptation that has driven me to it. Listen,
Mrs. Baker have been striving to get money
honestly, dishonestly-anyway, to look we'll in
your eyes-to make myself worthy of you-to
~ u.
home and take you away from Laurel Run. 1t
was all for you-it ali for love of you,
Betsy my darling. Listen to mel"
In the fury. outraged sensibility. Indignation
and infinite disgust that filled her little body
at that moment, she should have been large
imperious, goddess-like and ommanding But
God Is at times ironical with suffering woman
hood. She could only writEe her hand from
his grasp with childish contortions; she could
only glare at him with ewes that were prettily
and plquantly brilliant: she could only slap at
h1s OBTAINING hand with plump and velvety
palm, ana wnen she found her voice it was high
iaisetto and al. she could say was, Leave me
be, looney, or Iii scream"
he rose with a weak, confused laugh. half Of
miserable affectatIon and half Of real anger
and shame.
What did you come riding over here for,
then? What did You take all This risk for! Why
dld you rush over here to share my disgrace,
Tor you are as much mixed no with this now as
anl-if you didn't calculate to share every
thing else with me? What did you come here
for, then, if not for me9'
What did l come here for?' said Mrs.
Baker, with every drop of red blood gone from
her cheek and trembling lip. "What-did-I
come here for? Well II came here for John
Bakers sake! John Baker, who stood between
you and death at Burnt Ridge, as l stand be-
tween you and damnation at Laurel RIM, Mr..
Green: Yes. John Baker, lying under half of
Burnt Ridge, but more to me this day than any
living man crawling over it in-in-oh fatal
Climax month Sundays What did come
here for! l came here as john Bakers livin'
wife to carry on dead John Bakers work. Yes.
dirty work this time maybe Mr. Green hut
his work, and for him only precious. That's
what came here Tor; that's what live for;
that Is what ! n waiting for-to be up to him
and his work always. That's me - Betsy
Bakert'
She walked up and down rapidly, tying hcr
chip hat under her chin again. Then she
stopped, and taking her chamois purse from
her pocket laid it sharply on the desk.
stanton Green, don't be a fool Rise up
out OF this and be a man again. Take enough
out o that bag to pay what you owe gov ment.
send In your resignation and keep the rest to
start you in an honest life elsewhere. But light
out o Hickory Hill afore this time tomorrow"
She pulled her mantle from the wall and
opened the door.
"You are going?" he said bitterly.
'Yes." Either she could not hold seri-
BUSINESS long IN her capricious little fancy or,
with feminine tact, she sought to make the
parting less dilfcult for him, for she broke
into dazzling smile. Eyes, I'm goin to run
Blue Lightning agin' Charley and that way bag
back to Laurel Rur.. and break the record.
1t Ii said that she did Perhaps owing to the
Tact That the grade Of the return Journey to
Laurel HUI was in her favor or that she could
avoid the long, circuitous ascent to the sum-
nit 'aken by the stage. or that owing to the
extraordinary diitc ulties in the Carriage of the
way bag, which had to be twice rescued from
under the wheels Of the stage, she entered the
Laurel Run post office the coach leaders
came trotting up the hill. Mr.. Home was al
ready on the platform.
You'll have to ballast your next way bag |
boss, said Charley, gravely, as it escaped his |
clutches once more In the dust Of the road ..or |
you IL nave TO make new contract with the |
company. We've lost ten minutes in five miles
over that bucking thing
home did not reply, but quickly dragged his |
prize INTO the office. scarcely noticing Mrs |
Baker, who stood beside him. pale and breath
less As the bolt of the bag was drawn, reveal
ing It's chaotc interior, Mrs. Baker gave little |
sigh. Home glanced quickly ut her. emptied |
the bag upon the floor and picked up the |
broken ana half filled money parcel. Then he |
collected the scattered coins and counted them
Its all right Mrs. Baker," he said gravely. !
Hes safe this time"
I'm SO glad!" said little Mrs Baker with a |
hypocritical gasp.
$50 am ], returned Home, with increasing |
gravity, as ne took the coin, ..for, from all | |
have gathered this afternoon it seems he was
an old pioneer of Laurel Run, a friend of your |
husband 9, and, l think more fool than knaye.'
He was silent tor moment, clicking the coins |
against each other; then he said carelessly:
did he get quite away, Mrs. Bakery
II III sure don't know what you're talking
about said Mrs. Baker with a lofty air Of
dignity, but somewhat debasing color. Il
don see why / should know anything about it |
or why lie should 60 away at all
well, said Mr.. Home, LAYING his hand on |
the widows shoulder. well, you see it might |
have occurred to his friends that the coins were
marked. That is, no doubt the reason why be |
would take their good advice and Co. But, as
l said before, Mrs. Baker. you're all right |
whatever happens-the government stands by |
your
No Help for Him.
From tho Chicago Trtltlna