The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-01-05

"Pll just keep my eyes open and not
let on for WHILE" thought the miller,
"but as Greene said, who else could
have stolen the money!"
He perceived no change in Dick, no
confusion, no signs of guilt, but great
ly to the good mans CONSERVATION he
discovered something else. The young
man was in love with pretty Jennie,
and she was fully conscious of the
| fact.
There was new difficulty, and
one which the miller did not care to
meet.
He was pondering over it one day
three weeks after the robbery, when
! Calvin Of the Hollow called and paid
him $50 which had been due some
| time.
81 hear your house isn't very
secure place for money" said Calvin,
with a smile, "but l hope nobody
will walk off with this while you're
asleep"
stI'll take care of that" answered
the miller. conscious that Dick could
hear, sI don't calc'late on bein' robbed
twice by the same person, and Pvc
got over thinkin' everybody l meet is
honest Good day, sir. Much
obliged"
Glavin departed and the miller went
| into the house.
Jennie was singing softly as. she
| sewed at a window. Mrs. Jameson
was not in, having gone to visit sick
neighbor.
Without word the old man passed
! into his chamber and there secretcd
the money. frowning as he did SO.
"l'll send that fellow packin' soon,
whether l find him stealin' or not" he
muttered. at amt none too COM
Portable feelin' to know you've got
to lock up every dollar you get and
not tell anybody where you put it,"
lie ate his supper that evening i'll
silence, Jennie and Dick chattering
necessarily, and Mrs. jameson told
about every ache and pain that rackcd
the woman she had been to visit.
But the miller could only wonder
whether or not that frank, manly face
and those CHEEKY tones Of his employe
belonged to knave and scoundrcl.
can Jennie and him seemed to UNI
stand one another far too WE'LL" he
soliloqniz,d. al used to like the lad,
but I'd as lief see my girl care for old
blind Jack, tho fiddler, as this fine
gentleman. AS Greene says he's too
fancy about himself to be honest.
Pve heard the greater the rascal the
more gcnteel, an guess I'll load the
rifle"
He did load his rifle and placed it
near his bed, telling his wife that he
"warn't going to lose any more
money, but the first one that came for
dishonest purposes would lose his
life"
Mrs. Jameson was very nervous,
concerning the proximity of the rifle;
she begged her husband to put it fur
ther away. declaring he might touch
it in his sleep can make the thing go
Off and probably kill her.
"I never move in my sleep, so you
needn't be scared" he told her. elf
l touch the gun you can be sure it will
60 off, but Pll not touch it in my
sleep. sleep like an honest man, l
do"
So he went to bed and thought more
of his daughter than Of the money
under the carpet. However, he did
think of his money sometimes, and,
in fact, his thoughts ran from Jennie.
as the thoughts of the moncy-lendcr
ran from his ducats to his daughter.
At last he slept, but not too soundly!
dreams visited Inn. aud unpleasant
ones they were. Vision after vision
came aud faded, and his wife was
alarmed beyond measure TO see his I'M
conscious hands go out again and
again, perilously near sometimes to inc
loaded rifle.
1t was midnight before she slept at
all, but then her sleep was profouha.
1t was broken at last by the stransest
aud most thrilling of sounds, no less
startling than heavy fall and "a loud,
harsh, reverbcrating report, as tho9Sh
a cannon had been fired throug1'he
door.
| V,kn,, ,,n, A ,,oh nf feet in the hall