Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-04-11

her-how their details seemed to stand
out in vivid brightness! How delight
full would be the hum of the busy store,
how kindly the most unsympathizing
face in it would seem to smile upon
her!
And her mother! With a cry of an.
guish, Margaret sprang up, aud tried
J in vain to call out. She scarcely
heard the sounds without, though
she had dim sense that Jane, was call
ing her. However, with the thought Of
home came determination not to give
up while there might be hope. She re-
| membered having hear3 that bad air
sinks to the floor, and again fofced her
self upon her feet.
Bat her limbs tot.ered, and with trem-
bling hands she felt for small step-lad-
der which she knew was in the vault.
She brought it close to the door, ard so
leaned upon it that if her senses failed it
would keep her from falling
In doing this, she noticed that she still
held in her hand the bill which she had
found. She crumpled the bit of paper
! in fierce ger. Had she, indeed, given
her life for it1
Then fearful thought came; when
l IL l., l.
might there not be some who would be.
lieve she had concealed the money with
theintention of keeping itl
The dreadful suggestion spurred her
to one last effort If she could tell them
how she had found it, no one could
think that she had stolen it
But an iron hand seemed closing upon
her throat as she again strove to speak.
Her voice sounded to herself hollow and
indistinct. as with her last conscious
breath, she tried to send it through the
iron door
Two minutes later Mr. Barrow, who
was supposed to be at his summer cot
tage among the mountains, entered the
store, and looked in surprise upon the
scene of confusion
"The combination. Open the vault.
quick"
Mr.. Ives had gone to find experts to
force open the vault, but through the
clamor of JOY and fear the girls soon
contrived to let Mr.. Barrow know what
was wanted.
He knew the combination, and at .
few turns Of his hand the heavy door
swung open, and Margaret fell forward
into the arms waiting to receive her.
In less than half an hour she opened
her eyes to gaze into the kindly ones
which smiled and cried over her.
II received telegram calling me
back on important business" Mr.. Bar
row explained II did not guess how
important it might prove to be-"
''It must have been sent straight from
Providence" whispered Janet.
Margaret was taken home in car
rage by Janet and Helen Winter. As
the carriage was about to drive away,
Janet held out to Mr.. Ives the hundred
dollar bill, which she had taken from
Margaret's hand.
"No," he said; '.let her return it TO
its owner
Mrs. Rayne came to see her, and
cried and laughed as Margaret told how
the bill was found.
"You poor dear child! To think
what result my carelessness might have
had! 1t caught on some OF your laces,
and then dropped into the vault Now
l shall positively never take it back. In
sure you earned it, going into that
dreadful place for it. y
Margaret's face whitened at the though,
of accepting the money.
e ~ shall feel that you have not for
given me if you refuse to keep it" said
Mrs Rayne. "Put it in the bank for &
$ aest-egg. l think you will have more Il
1 add to it, for / have told Mr.. Barrow
! that, Of all the saleswomen l have evel
e met, you are the most patient. atten
l tive and ladylike I fancy he know
when he has an enploye worth payin
we'll"
II think found something more tha
the money slid Iargaret. Youth
Companion.