Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-17

Deb dropped upon the doorstep. She
onlv vaguely heard Fiducia saying, in an
Iggrioved tone:
Got shet in Jail, has he? If that amt
jest ike Danderi Now, where's the silk
dress he promised met It's like Uncle
'Bijah's goin' off fishin' and gettin'
drownded, after he'd promised to buy me
gold ring with red stonel l never
heard of anybody so unlucky as bel"
Deb could hear her mothers voice say.
ing:
Look out for Dander, Debt Icouldn't
die in peace if 1 didn't think you would
keep him from goinS wrong.
What could she do now, penniless and
alone, to save Dander9
Fiducia was not utterly heartless; she
felt pity for Deb, although she could by
no means comprehend the depths of heI
suffering. She lighted the fire and mads
johnny cake for supper, and set the
table, while Deb still sat silent in her
misery.
"Good graciousi what's the baby doin
now?" exclaimed Fiducia, "Ithought she
was asleep. Come quick, Debt b'lievt
she's swallerin' pend'luml"
Deb was aroused now. She rushed
across the kitchen into the little, unfin.
ished side room, the door of which was
usually kept carefully closed. Now il
was open, and Victoria Regina was seated
upon the floor, in front of two or three
old clocks which Dander had neglected
to mend and return to their owners. Del
seized her, and turned her upside down,
a proceeding TO which she was too accus.
toned to manifest surprise or objection.
Something hard and round and shin.
ing came rattling down upon the floor.
Deb stopped and picked it up. with cry
Of amazement. Did any clock, even old
miser Satterlee's, whose interior arrange
ments the baby had evidently been inves.
tigating, ever have a $50 gold piece for q
pendulum?
Where did you get it, baby9" said
Deb.
The baby dived her head into the case
of the tall, old clock in front Of her, and
poked her tiny finger into a crevice, ut.
tering gibberish perfectly ineligible to
Deb and Fiducia, which signified there
were more there.
Deb took knitting needle and ex
tracted from the crevice eone-two-three
-four bright $50 gold piecesl There were
five in all, 500!
"Old miser Satterlee put 'em there!"
cried Fiducia, in tone of mingled awe
and exultation. ~They say he was al.
ways hidin' money away in queer places.
Well, he couldn't never have hid none
that come handler to them that found i'll!
Deb looked at her in silence.
Il think I'd ought to have a pair of
earrings out of it, anyhow, Deb. If it
hadn't been for me that young one would
have swallowed 'em all before you got
here"
Fiducia studied her sisters face, be.
coming suddenly aware that "some of
her queer notions had come across Deb
at amt his money, anyhow; he's
deadl" she said triumphantly, as if she
were answering Deb, who had not spoken
q word.
Everything that was the old mans
belongs to his brother, Mr.. Reuben Satter.
lee: he sent the clock here. " said Deb.
"He never would have found that, as
like as not, said Fiducia. And he's
got piles of money; it wouldn't be moth
ing to him, and it's so much to us!"
So muchl Itwould pay lawyer foI
showing that Dander was Innocent
Would not even her mother say, Del
thought, anything to save Dander?'
With the gold pieces clutched in her
hand Deb started toward the door.
Il must carry it back. " she came bach
to say to Fiducia. ut would be stealing
to keep it. But perhaps he may give us
a reward-may help us about Dander!H
Fiducia only scowled angrily.
/ wish't was t'other side of Thump
ing Mountain, she said.
Over the road sped Deb, her hot hand
clenched full of gold--gold that might
save Dander! She fancied she could hear
her mothers voice accusing her of Dan.
der's ruin. Nevertheless something
stronger than all led her on.
The back door of the Satterlee house
stood open, and Deb stepped in.
Mr.. Satterlee could not be troubled
about anything unless it were very i'm
portant, she was told, as his son was very
i'll, and a strange doctor was with him.
But just then Mr.. Satterlee came out Of
an inner room with the strange doctor.
"This is your money, sir, said Deb,
putting the gold piece into Mr.. Satter
lees hand. "We found it in the clock that
you sent to be repaired.
"Oh, you're one of them Smoky Creek
Grinnedges, are you? And your brother
has cleared out, hasn't her"
"DandeI has gone to Wellfelds to
work, and, oh, he is in such troubled"
And, then, not because the mans face
was encouraging, but because her pent up
feelings must burst forth, Deb sobbed out
the whole story.
well, this is pretty queer piece of
businessl your brother in Jail for steal
ing, and you bringing back this money
and saying you found it. Afraid il
would be found out that he'd been steal
ing here, were you? Are you sure here's
all he took?"
Deb stifled her sobs, and drew hersel'
up with sad dignity. 1t was lost on Mr..
Satterlee, but the strange doctor, who
was waiting in the doorway, turned and
looked at her.
%Dander never stole anything" she
said quietly.
well, I'll look into this affair, when
have time and IL if,a all riohf o,5 -.