Arizona republican., 1892-12-02


 situation dazed him.
 Can't you-can't we have that? What have they got for dinner anyway
 "A nice roas' of mutton"
 "The very thing, Joe. Serve it inn mediately, and here, you folks buy some thlng more for yourselves. We mustn't keep the guests waiting."
 He handed the darlsy A dollar and the old fellow slowly pocketed it. Serve luncheon at once," ordered Mir, Barker, who was becoming impatient. What are you waiting fory"
 Look a-here, Mars Charles" ." said the old man, slowly and deliberately. "Hev you any ijee what that mutton costy
 "l can't say have. A dollar, per haps"
 "The ign'ance of some people" con- tlnued the darIy, ''is incomprehensible. Thet mutton's worth ten dollars if it's worth red cent, but seein as how you don't want it"-
 He was turning away when MT. Bar ker stopped him, It began to dawn upon the young man from Twenty-third street that he was being blackmailed.s
 Here's your ten dollars, you black rascal.".
 He took the money from his pocket and handed it to Joe
 Bring us up a couple of bottles of claret," he said.
 "l've got to buy 'cm, sah. That'l cost ycu five dollars more. It's mighty good wine and cheap, sah."
 You black rascal"-he began again.
 That expresshun will cost you just two dollars, Mars Barker. Doan you call a 'specible servant no black rascle. You'd better put up de cash. Lunch an wine and dem things is apt to rise mighty quick in this house under some circumstances"
 Barker saw he had to alter his tactics. He put up another five dollars without a murmGr.
 
 MT. Hanson and his wife had departed upstairs to wash their hands.
 "lts awful, murlnured Evelyn as she passed him on her way to the table. Mamma ran right onto one of the Van Lith trunks in the front room"
 He drank his five dollar wine recklessly to gain courage. Old Hanson sat and gorged himself on the ten dollar lunch, Mrs. Hanson, he thought, eyed him sus- piciously, and old Joe served them with a broad grin on his ebony countenance.
 "lf this kind of thing keeps up for a week I am ruined," he said to Evelyn as the day finally closed, and at last he saw his wife's parents safely retired for the night.
 ''l've an idea mother already suspects something" said Evelyn. "Pve a good mind to take her into my confidence and confess all."
 But this proposition alarmed him more than anything else.
 Don't do that. I've got $f00 left yet. Let's stick it out. At, say, forty dollars day, how long can we hold the forty' "Just ten daysr'
 And in ten days then it is either flight, the North river or the morgue."
 "Ten days is a good long time," re- piled Evelyn. 'l shan't worry myself so far ahead. Good night. I'm off to sleep"
 Eight days of the ten had elapsed. The Barkers, with courage born of desperation, had "stuck it out" They had become accustomed to their new po- sition, and, despite their failing means, Charlie sometimes even fancied himself rich.
 The Hansons were delighted with their new son-in-law. No words in the Eng fish language were expressive enough to sing his praises. They had driven here and there, been taken to all the theaters and feted every day on the fat of the land They had been made to feel their importance. The Hansons, of Denver, had never enjoyed themselves so much in their lives.
 Barker was nearly crazy. What would he not have given to be back in Twenty third street, and, if he must be shot for running away with old man Hanson's daughter, at least have the satisfaction of dying like an honest man?
 On the morning of the ninth day he found a letter on the breakfast table. Old man Hanson was there with his famous appetite, eating eggs which had cost fifty cents apiece and ham which had been purchased from the blackmail- CTS at dollar a slice.
 The letter was from his father in Bos- ton and read as follows;
 My DEAR CHARLEs-Your mother has just learned from Mrs. Stewart, who arrived in Boston from New York yesterday, of your re- cent marriage and also of your late good for tune in Wall street. l always knew you would fall on your feet, and you can now afford to laugh at those who have hitherto called you the fool of the family. Meantime you may ex- pect us by an early train tomorrow, as we are anxious 10 see our new daughter. Your affec- tionste father, HORACE B. BARKER. P. S.-I send this to your new house in Fifty seventh street, which Mrs. Stewart tells us you purchased of the Van Lith estate. She says it is a splendid property. hope you got bargain.
 It was the last straw. Unable to re- press his feelings, the miserable Barker uttered loud groan and rushed from the room, nor did he stop until he reached his chamber. Throwing himself into a al,a;,, l. n l,,,r;ad bic foca in his hands and