The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-20

of your things Babe struggled over She
guessed that YOU would come here. Don't
try to 90 to the house, and here's lunch
and letter from me. You had better get
right away from Mapleville If you don't
want TO get caught
"Mr. Lorraine, l know you will never
repeat this to anyone, but l want you to
know that have never been crazy one
moment, and did not set that fire"
Mr.. Lorraine shrugged his shoulders
slightly, and gave him furtive look.
"Well, it's great mystery; good-by, Ira,
and good luck to you"
"Say good-by to Babe for me" said Ira,
hastily, al don't know where shall land.
but if anything happens put personal in
the New York Herald directed to i. D.
and signed j. l., it will reach mel will
always watch that paper; good-by! and
he. was gone.
In the cave he changed his clothes and
opened the envelope Mr.. Lorraine had
given him; it contained ten fve-dollar
bills-nothing else.
GLOW are you this morning. Nancy"
"Purty good; Pm most we'll; hev you
heard from Stubby yit?"
"Yes" answered Babe, sadly, "but you
mustn't tell any one OF it; he came to Mr..
Loraine's last night, and has gone away"
"They hain't ketched him then 2"
"No, not yet; but 0. Nancy !"-and
Babe buried her face in the clothes by the
side OF Nancy and did not finish.
Say, Babe, want to tell we sumthin'
curious. II keeps a-runnin' over an over
In my head at l got that kerysen can an
shavin's basket and sol the store afire.
'spose / drempt it. Sometimes it's real
plain an agin' Z amt"
when did YOU have the dream frst?'
asked Babe, looking up with great in
terest.
Il dunno, but it's come and went fur
some days now"
Babe went directly to Dr.. Heron about
it. He thought it over. ut amt posi-
ble 4: her weakened mind has been worked
upon by the excitement" he said.
"See here, child" and he spoke con-
fdentiy. don't you know that Ira has
denied setting that fire, and" he added
significantly. che has not even claimed
that he don't remember what took place.
Between you and me and the gate-post he
is Just the same today as he ever was, and
the less said about the whole matter the
sooner it will be forgotten. Ii | were YOU
l wouldn't stir it up any,
So that the faint glimmer OF hope only
hickered for Babe for a moment and went
ont extinguished by the superior wisdom
of the man of experience.
Mr. LOraine's hOusekeeperShad left him
and the owner of tie knitting mill was
anxious to buy his residence. He saw
Babe and it was soon arranged that she
and Nancy should keep their old place
and that he would break up and come and
board with them.
Nancy was well again and the longstrain
Of excitement and overwork ended in
Babes being sick. A few days OF rest and
quiet and above all, her truth and strong
will brought her up again. During her
illness Arthur had called twice and
| had brought her bouquets OF flowers.
For the Ian sake" said Nancy. "this
| hain't no common nosegay; this was
| brung from the flowerist's III the city,"
at is lovely, and very kind of him."
! said Babe.
wal, should smile if 'twusn't! What
do you s'pose he paid fur't?"
III Nancy never thought deeply herself,
! she often made remarks that caused others
to, and this incident OF the bouquets being
| imported was really uncommon, aud
under the circumstances significant
enough 20 lead Babe into a serious train
Of thought respecting Arthur.
Arthur said nothing to his mother OF
what he had decided to do; he dreaded it,
| for he knew there would be scene. He
put aside firmly all those lifelong dreams
Of Laura as something passed forever 1t
was a terrible struggle but he was in =
measure prepared for it, for her interest
| in Ira had never been concealed.
When Babe was well, Arthur called and
asked to see her alone. She observed him
closely.
After little Arthur said, slowly:
| "Babe, have only lately found out that
you saved my life at the risk of your
own"
She knew that she must speak now.
She drew from her pocket piece OF
silver money and interrupted him. DO
you remember this?"
He looked at it in surprise. "Why, nc"
he said.
Look at it carefully, and see is there
| isn't private mark on it that Won made"
He did so, and found the initial "a"
scratched on one side and an III" on the
| other. Slowly the recollection of the boy
tramp that afternoon long ago came to
him. and he remembered cutting those
initials.
Yes said Babe, IL was that little
tramp, and you said when you gave il TO
me whenever was in trouble l could
trust you"
"Yes did"
81 am in trouble now, Arthur. Some
times / wish l could die Promise me
you will never tell him or any other per
| sonW She spoke hurriedlv. almost
| wildly.
81 PROMISE" he said, in wonderment.
20. Arthur, pity mer and her voice
broke; 81 have loved Ira ever since can
remember
Such an admission to a man from n
woman he was on the point OF proposing
marriage to would. under ordinary circum-
stances. cause different kind OF surprise
and pain than this did Arthur. Ordinar-
lily young man would have pitied him.
self, but his entire sympathy went out to
Babe. and he wondered that he had never
thought OF that before. Now that he knew
her secret, his own troubles were nothing
in comparison to hers
Poor Babe, while lire you shall have
at least one friendD was all he could saw.
/ Five regular boarders came TO the old
h.r~4 wuH .ImM I.~N~