Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-08-05

/ barn.
4 hollow-eycd man, dressed i'll rags
that were tied loosely about him with
strings, crcpt out almost at her very
feet The pistol dropped to Jacquclinas
! side.
why, who are you2' she cried.
"Get me something to aat, he said,
hoarsely. "Ive been day and a night
without food. Who am I? Turn the
barrel of that pistol the other way, and
/ III tell YOU. used to have some nerve
once, but its all gone now. Don't fire.
III surrender Pm the fellow that eS-
capped from Casanova jail day fore yes
terday. I'm layin' low until the first
alarms blown over, but I can't Starvc.
Get ne something to eat for Gods
sake !"
Jacquclina held tight to the pistol.
you're sure you're not burglar"
said She, Il little tremulously.
'I'm no burglar" he answered. at
was forgery I was sent up for. Can you
help me? Will you''
81 don't know" said Jacquclina,
great impulse of pity springing up in her
heart as she noted the hunger-glaring
eyes, the gaunt checks, the unShorn
beard of the poor fugitive. What have
you done with your prison clothes"
"Buried 'em in the barn cellar. ]
found them old overalls and things i'll
the harness closet" he added, pitcous-
ly.
"I'u try and find you something bet
ter, ," said Jacqueliua.
Stop" making grasp at her as she
was turning away. "You won't bctray
me ?"
Jacquelina's brown eyes flashed in
dignation at him
What do you take ne for?" said
She
And he sank back among the corn
stalks a trifc easier in his mind.
Grandfather Gordon still sat OH the
porch, smoking, when she returned.
Betsey was stirring mush in kettle.
Both were rather deaf, and Jacquelina
easily abstracted a few articles from the
milk-room-a yellow pitcher of butter
milk, the stub-cnd of a loafof bread, and
some dyspeptic-looking odds and ends;
and il was easy to take a suit of her old
grandfather's ginger-colored homeSpun
clothes from the press under the stairs
and creep silently away.
ITS a good thing I'm going away to-
morrow morning." thought Jacquclina
''But the very first money earn I'll pay
Grandfather Gordon for these things
yes, and with interest, too ~
She fed the poor, escaped wretch, and
gave him clothes to wear, and ended by
sharing with him her financial all. One
bright silver dollar she kept the other
she gave to him.
And now" said she, mind you take
a new start in the world
"I'I do my best" said he, eagerly
drinking the cool buttermilk, and swal-
lowing the dry bread and leathery ginger
cookies in great gulps. And if every
body d been as good to me as you have,
never d a been where be now"
"Humph!" muttercd old Betsey, "the
gal wus n a seven-years famine! Three
ginger snaps an half squash pie gone,
besides what she cat at suppertime We
should DC ruined if she stayed here
long"
shes a nice-iookin' gal, said old
Grandfather Gordon. "If wasn't so
alfred poor, should most like to keep
her"
In the middle of the night, Jacquelina,
who slept the sleep Of youth and health
quite undisturbed by any suspicion of
the ghost, was reused by an awful crash,
a binding blaze that seemed to scorch
her very eyes.
The old house was struck by lightning.
The chimney had settled into shapeless
mass of ruins. Here and there the time
dried e-shingliug was ablaze, in spite
of the sheets of rain that descended with
a rushing sound like the waves Of the
sea
Old Bctsey, with patchwork bed-quilt
wrapped around her, was hObbling away
as fast as she could.
"Betseyl Betsey" screamed Jacque-
lin. from the window. Where's grand
father
I don't know" croaked the beldame.
"D'ye s'pose I'm goiu' to stay and be
burned to DEATH p
And it was Jacquelina who groped her
way TO the old mans room, helped him
to dress, explaining the while what had
happened, and led him down to the old
ice house, the nearest place of shelter
until the storm was over.
Nor were they any too soon. They had
scarcely got clear Of the oldhouseb before
the charred beams fell in and only
framework of FIRE remained luridly out
lined against the ink-black sky.
! With morning light the terrible tenn