The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-11-12

and cold meat and bowl of coffee"
"Thankee, ma'am," said the tramp
gathering himself like heap of rags
into the corner, to wait.
He drank his coffee and ate his sup.
| per like a famished hound, and then
Mrs. Fengrove gave him tattered old
shawl, long since cast aside by her hus-
band.
Take this" she said. land lie down
in the barn loft; there's plenty of good
sweet hay there But be sure you're
Off before the doctor comes out In the
morning"
"Thankee, ma'am," again uttered
the man; and he disappeared like a
shadow into the howling tempest.
Where have you been all this
time ?' suspiciously queried the doctor,
as his wife came into the softly illum-
mated arch of the Chinese screen
again Mrs. Fengrove turned scarlet
under his pene trating glance.
II only gave Milo little-some-
thing to eat and drink" she faltered.
"You know the Good Book says: Turn
not away thy face from any poor
mani"
YES" dryly coughed the doctor,
"but 1 guess the Good Book don't make
any allowance for tramps. And I tell
you what, Dolly, it isn't safe to harbor
these miserable wretches, with Aunt
Dorothy's silver tea-set in the house,
let alone your own spoons and forks
especially as l am obliged to be so
much from home"
Mrs. Fengrove sewed on in 81
lence; she was almost sorry she had
told poor Milo York about that
snug corner in the hayloft, but she
lacked courage to confess the whole
truth to her husband.
"It will be all right, dare say" she
told herself. "But Milo York mustn't
come hanging around here any more. Z"
In the dead of the tempestuous night,
there came a ring at the doctors night
bell. Old Mr.. Castleton was very ill
| dying, perhapsi The doctor was won't
ed at once!
With yawn, our good Esculapius
rose out of his warm bed, dressed MIN.
self and, saddling old Roam, set for his
midnight ride of six long miles. But
when he reached Castleton court, all
was still and dark. He rang two or
three times before night-capped head
popped out of the window-that of the
old squire himself.
Dear, dear!' said Squire Castleton.
"What's the matter? Nobody i'll, l
hope!"
why, yoW are, aren't you?" testify
demanded Dr. Fengrove.
81? Not bit of It'll" said the squire,
in surprise.
Didn't you send for me?'
mo, l didn't" said the squire. ''And
if you've got anything more to say,
you'd better come in out of this sleet-
storm and say it."
NO. said DR.. Fengrove, setting his
teeth together, "Ill not come in, thank
you"
1T amt a joke, is it?" questioned
Squire Castleton.
Pm afraid it s something nore seri-
GUS than a joke" said DIR. Fengrove.
Good night"
And, turning old Roan's head, he set
spurs to him and trotted rapidly away.
Evidently, the night call was con-
certed plan-a plan devised to leave his
home unprotected - and his mind
turned, with keen distrust, to Milo
York and his tale of distress.
God keep Dolly and the little one
safe until l get home again. he NUT
tered between his closed lips. Easter,
Roam, faster! with touch of the
whip, which was scarcely needed, so
thoroughly did the good horse enter in
to the spirit of his rider. "You know
not how much may depend upon your
speed to-night!''
Meanw hile, Mrs. Fengrove, who had
just fallen into restless slumber, after
locking the door behind her husband,
was unwontedly startled once again
by low, steadily continuous sound
like the rasping of some hard instru-
ment. She sat up in bed and listened
a minute. Under her window the
sound of mutfied and subdued voices
was audible, even above the rattle
and roar of the wintry storm.
''Burglars!" she gasped to herself.
And my husband is gone and-Oh,
Milo York is at the bottom of this!
How wrong it was of me to give him
shelter in the barn"
Springing to her feet, she threw on a
blue flannel dressing gown, and hurried
to the cupboard, where her few simple
treasures were bept, besides the square,
morocco case containing Aunt Doro-
thy's service of solid, old-fashioned
china. She turned the key and was
just dropping it into her pocket, when
a rude grasp fell on her arm.
"No you DON'T" muttered a gruff
voice. Give that here!'
Mrs Fengrove's heart turned chill as
death as she found herself face to face
with tall, ruffianly man, whose face
was half hidden by a sort of visor, or
mask, of black leather, while another
man was busily engaged in ransacking
the bureau drawers opposite.
''Give 1t here" he uttered sava gely.
"Or," grasping the throat of the sleep
ing baby who had awakened, with a
cry of infant terror, "Ill wiring the
brat's neck as if it were chickens"
Mrs. Fengrove gave shrek of af-
fright, but, at the same second a Stun
ming blow from spade handle felled
th' man opposite, like log, to the
floor, and a strong hand, twisting itself,
vise-like, in the neclSerchief of the
nearest villain, compelled him to loose
his hold of the child
You will, will your tbundered Milo
York. mot if know it, guess"
And suddenly closing with the bur-