Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-21

got to be done," she said, through her clinched teeth, and then her face grew rigid and gray. If she was going to lose her sleep and go off in her looks like that what was the use of ivingp
 She went down the back stairs to Ann's kitchen with the crumpled invita- tion in her hand and carefully deposited it on a big bed of coals in the stove. Ann sat with her back turned, pan of apples in her lap she was pairing for pies.
 "I may pack up and go home by the afternoon train, Ann," she said abruptly, "but don't mention it to her quite yet, for may conclude to stay"
 Ann turned her whole person slowly around toward Sis:1Sr Martha, her neck joint being somewS stiff.
 "I thought Miss Warren had asked you to tea for Sattday, and that's this evenin."
 "So she did, Ann, but I may have to send a regret. I'm beginning to get kind of oneasy about things at home on the farm"
 Ann gave an incredulous grunt. She was constitutionally incapable of be- heving all that Mrs. Martha Whitcumb said. The appearance of the red artif- cials and the kid gloves so early in the morning seemed rather suspicious. Mrs. Whitcumb went out the back way aware that Ann was watching her from the window. She made the circuit of large square and then darted down Spring street until she came to Captain Blighs door, where she stopped, painting, and furtively looked up and down with nervous quiver in her legs she had never experienced until within few months past, when broken nights had begun to be the torment of her life. Now she glanced up at Captain Bligh's house as she stood there hesitating and afraid. It was a long, low, unadorned house, dingy white in color, much streaked by weathering, with a high pitched, shingled roof of old style, door in the middle and two windows on each side. The front yard was bare of flow CTS, though in the time of Mary Bligh it had blazed with beauty.
 She looked up at the windows that seemed to gaze out of forlorn, woman less eyes. The yellow curtains hung limp and stringy, and one rebellious shade had come down bodily and ex- posed the interior nakedness. The shut ters were thick with dust and the panes darkened with fly specks. She knocked discreetly, for the bell was broken, and to the first summons there came no re- sponse. She knocked again, more en- phatically, and footsteps began to draw near, as if from an immense distance, echoing along uncarpeted floors and empty passages. It was Captain Bligh in person who flung the door open wide with & jerk and stood there on the threshold in his shirt sleeves, a tall, dark bearded man, with tanned face and hands and singularly bright eyes. He was little taken aback at seeing 8 woman on his threshold, woman, too, so handsomely dressed, for he was ac- customed to tramps and beggars, but not to visitors of this finished descrip- tion. The morning sun, too, was in his eyes and made him blink.
 "What's wanted" he asked in the tone of command natural to man who for years has walked the quarter deck with undisputed sway.
 "Why, don't you know me Cap'n Bligh." He scowled blaclly as he stopped little to peer under the veil that covered the lady's face. "Is it the woman who applied for housekeeper's placer
 "La, Cap'n Bligh, as if would ask such thing, person of my means. am Martha Whitcumb, Martha An drews that was."
 The cloud darkened on the captains strong face, and there were running ruts over the eyebrows that betokened storms.
 "Oh, you" he said, drawing in his breath with sharp sound.
 "Won't you let 1Me darken your door, Cap'n BlighP" she said, not without a tremor. "You scorned my invitation, ] know, but have something to say to you"
 The captain still stood darkling and looming over her, piercing her with his wary eyes, as if trying to probe the mo tive of her visit. At last he pulled him, self together, having suddenly remem
 bered his manners.
 %"You can walk aft, if you don't mind, said he in softer tone. s'The decks
 haven't been swabbed of late; have been too busy about other things tc : think of them"
 Mrs. Whitcumb, quivering more thar . ever, did step aft through an uncar. peted passage to what had been the din ing room of. the Bligh homestead. Th' ! room was flooded with sunshine. Ther' were three large, high windows iron . which the captain, in his manly i'm : patience of swathings that shut out tn : light, had torn down the curtains. . cook stove had been set up near tn
 chimne5. and Mrs, Martha's sharp nos