Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-04-24

The cloud Of dust came nearer very rapid
ly, and suddenly a powerful bay horse,
hitched to "a Concord wagon, bounded into
view, and when Barker saw that woman
held the lines he conjectured that the
woman was Widow Haley, and she was.
The horse approached the station at a
smart pace, and was brought to stand
still with suddenness that must have
given a shock to his nervous system.
Good morning, madam" said Barker,
fitting his hat and at tn" same time NOV
Ing toward the wagon. He had been stand
ing in such position that the woman had
not obtained fair look at him, and as he
moved out into full view she seemed to see
something in him which had at first es-
capped her attention. Barker noticed that
she gave start, and that she had to pause
little before she spoke. But when she
did speak it was with directness and with
out embarrassment.
'Pm Wilder Haley" she said. "Be you
the man from Architect Billiards. that was
to meet me2"
eyes, Pm your man." Barker answered
"Shall climb inf"
Mrs. Haley gave her assent, and when
Barker was seated by her side she hit the
horse a vigorous slap with the ends of the
lines, and he was soon pulling his load
briskly over he road which he had recently
travelled in an opposite direction. 1t was
about four miles to the quaFries, and
though Barker made several attempts to
engage the widow in conversation he got
very little out of her more than yeses and
noes until the ride was almost completed
But he was conscious that the widow was
greatly interested in him, for he could see
that she was all the while, as openly as she
dared, engaged in looking him over. They
were well along in the last mile of the
road when Barker turning sharply around,
caught the widows eve while she was gaz-
ing earnestly upon his face
"Well," he said good paturedly, what
Is it2'
The woman blushed and turned her head
away.
81 s'pose | was rude" she said when she
had Thought out her reply, but I couldn't
help it. You look so much like him"
"Who's 'him|" demanded Barker.
"My husband"
THE late Mr. Haley?"
YES. He's been dead au' gone these
twenty years, but when / see him last he
was rs much like you us peas is like peas"
At the qUarries Barker heard corrobra-
tive evidence a. to his resemblance to the
defunct Mr.. Haley. Two old men stopped
hammering stone and looked at him. and
he heard one of them say to his mate, Odd
you ever see n man look so much like an
other as that Teller looks like Rufe HalevP"
1t was understood when Barker and
Mrs Haley left the quarries that the for
mer should not return to Boston until
Monday, for there was certain stone
quarreying which would not be ready for
examination earlier than Monday morning
Il guess you'll git along all right over Sun
day." the widow said. You kin climb the
mounting an 20 gunnin' and p'r'aps Efis
will take you out u ridin' in the AFTERNOON"
"Elhe; that's ii girls name, is it not?"
Eyes Ellie is my daughter an if | do
say it, nobody amt got no better girl than
she isl
"Of course not"
''She was jest year old when her father
died, an I've had to bring her up all by
myself, but | amt ashamed of her ] think
she's pretty likely girl; Idon't know what
you'll think of her"
"Oh, I'm sure that shall like her" said
Barker, laughingly.
Upon the wall of the room into which
Barker was shown on arrival at the widows
house was a large photograph of the late
lamented Haley. Barker no sooner set
eyes on this picture than he was ready to
share with the widow and the two quarry
men their establishment a ais reSem blance
to the man who had been twenty years
dead. When dinner was served Barker
found the yellow legged chicken which had
been promised him and sundry other
things good to eat. He enjoyed his dinner
very well until the servant spilled a quart
bowl of hot pudding sauce down his neck
and back. When that happened he felt
uncomfortable for minute, which. of
course, was perfectly natural.
"You'd better take the coat off an have
it cleaned before the stuff dries in" said
the widow.
But" objected Barker, Il can't 90
around in my shirt sleeves"
would you be williu'," asked the
widow, to wear one of Rufus couts?"
Certainly, madam" said Barker
The widow hustled of up stairs and was
soon back again, holding out a long tailed
shiny black coat. Barker took the coat,
and after regarding it for little while rs
it hung suspended from his thumb and
foreduger by the baC' of its neck put it on
and finished his dinner He was still wear
ing the coat an hour later, when the wild
ow's daughter Ellie arrived home from
North Berwick.
Now, it happened that this coat was the
very one which the late lamented wore
when the photoGrat,, was taken OF which
mention has been made, and claS N it
Barker looked more like his prototype in
the picture than before. When the widow
presented him to her daughter the young
woman caught the resemblance as quickly
as her mother had, although she had no
recollection of her father, and only knew
how he looked by having familiarized her
self with his face in the big photograph.
Barker, on his side, did not fail to mark a
similarity between the daughters features
and his own; but, seeing that the widow
was looking at him inquiringly and ex-
pectautly, it occurred to him to ask her if
she still considered him Il reproduction of
her departed husband
more than ever" said the widow; "and
when look on You an Ellie standing there
sneef her I kin scsrcely believe that Won
amt brother and sister,
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 in
caSed in strange nightshirt, one of the
late lamented'S, and, If he had not been
OASANA tSNA, NpIlA have CouLkDLeO sleeping
till morning. IS it 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.
Instantly be thought Of the safe. The next
instant he slid qUietly ont of bed and started
upon a tour of Investigation.
He moved uoiselessly toward the door
connecting his room with the outer cham
Der and stood upon the threshold a num-
Der Of seconds, watching what was tran
spring in the outer room, before the
persons who were working there were
aware of his presence. he saw two men.
one of whom was gray whiskered and ap-
parently 80 years old, engaged with ham
mer and chiscl upon the safe The gray
whiskered man WAS the first to take cog
nizance of Barker, and he no sooner say.
him than, with a loud shrek, he threw
down his tools and started on the run for
the door leading into the hall.
"Quick, joel" he called back to his
younger mate. Quick, Joe; don't you see
Rufe Haley's ghost there in the doorway,
The younger man ran after the elder one,