Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-23

Mrs. BalerI'
 She put her fAger quickly to he, lips, and threw world of unutterable and enigmatical meaning into her mis- | chievous face.
 There's big San Francisco swell takin' my place at Laurel tonight Charley"
 'Yes, ma'am."
 "And it's pity that the omnibus way bag happened to get such shak. ing up and banging round already, com. ing here"
 "Eh?'' ..-.... .
 'I say," continued Mrs. Baker, with great gravity and dancing eyes, '.that it would be just awful if that keerful city clerk found things kinder mixed up inside when he comes to open it. I wouldn't give him trouble for the world, Charleyr'
 ''No, ma'am, it ain't like you" "So you'll be particularly careful on my account"
 "Mrs. Baker," said Charley, with infi- nite gravity, eff that bag should tumble of a dozen times between this and Lau- rel Hill, I'll hop down and pick it up myself"
 ''Thank you! shake!"
 They shook hands gravely across the window ledge.
 "And you ain't goin' down with us, Mrs. Baker?'
 "Of course not: it wouldn't do-for I ain't here-don't you see?"
 "Of coursei"
 She handed him the bag through the door. He took 1t carefully, but in spite of his great precaution fell over it twice on his way to the road, where from certain exclamations and shouts it seemed that like miserable mis- chance attended its elevation to the boot. Then Mrs. Baker came back in- to the office, and, as 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 sakel I am ruined, know, even though you have just saved me from de- lection and disgrace. I have been mad!-a fool, to do what I have done, know, but you do not know all-you do not know why did it-ySu cannot think of the temptation that has driven ne to it. Listen, Mrs. Baker. have been striving to get money, honestly, shonestly-anyway to look well in your eyes-to make myself worthy of you-to make myself rich, and to be able to offer you home and take you away from Laurel Run. It was all for you-it was all for love of you, Betsy, my darling. Listen to me-"
 In the fury, outraged sensibility, in- dignation and infinite disgust that filled her little body at that moment, she should have been large, imperious, god dess-Iike, and commanding. But God is at times ironical with suffering womanhood. She could only writhe her hand from his grasp with childish contortions; she could only glare at him with eyes that were prettily and piquantly brilliant; she could only slap at his detaining hand with a plump and velvety palm, and when she found her voice it was high falsetto. And all she could say was: 'Leave me be, looney, or I'll scream!"
 He rose, with 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 for2 Why dld you rush over here to share my disgrace, for you are as much mixed up with this now as am if you didn't calculate to share every thing else with me2 What did you come here for, then, if not for me?"
 "What-did-L-come here for? We'll! I came here for John Bakers sakeI John Baker, who stood between you and death at Burnt Ridge, as stand between you and damnation at Laurel Run, Mir. Greenl Yes, John Baker, ly- ing under half of Burnt Ridge, but more to me this day than any living man crawling over it-in-in-". Oh, fatal climax! "A month of Supdaysi What did I come here for? came here aa John Bakers livin' wife to carry on dead John Bakers work. Yes, dirty. work this time, maybe, MT. Green; but his work, and for him only-precious! That's what I came here for; that's. what I live for! that's what I'm wait ing for-to be up to him and his work always. That's me-Betsy Baker!''
 She walked up and down rapidly, ty- ing her chip hat under her chin again. Then she stopped, and, taking her, chamois purse from her pocket, laid it sharply OF the desk.
 Stanton Green, don't be fool! Rise up out of this, and be a man again. Take enough out O that bag to pay what you owe the gov'ment, send i'm 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 seriousness long in her capricious little fancy, or, with feminine tact, she sought to make the parting less diff cult for him, for she broke into a daz- zling smile. "Yes, I'm goin' to run Blue Lightning agin Charley and that way-bag back to Laurel Run, and break