The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-26


tel No, the vases would not do. Tho
ingram carpet was tackled down tight,
the-surely there was n step in the
passagel The gratel There, under the
fringed paper, it might lie safely all
night.
He drew his pocket-bools from his
bricks at the back of the CRATE. The
pink fringes of the paper concealed it
All was safe. He creaked across the
passage into the kitchen with con-
seriousness of great meanness in his
heart. Mrs VranlSlin, having executed
her terrible intention, had tab en- flight
to her bedroom, where she sat in the
cold with n little shawl over her
shoulders, trembling He said some
thing aloud about seeing Jones about
those pigs, and fed the house, and the
two held no mora conversation until
breakfast time. Then Mr.. Vranlzlin,
with unusual piety, went to church,
while his wife stayed at home to cook
dinner, no one else being ut hand to do
it.
Just as the beef was so far done that
she could open the oven doors there
came q knock upon the door, and open
ing it she saw upon the porch her Cous-
In Brown and the minister. Church
was out, and Cousin Brown had brought
the reverend gentleman to his friends
to dine. Mrs. Vranklin received both
Hospitality, and fastened to usher them
into the parlor. The yellow artemis
ias shone bravely in the big blue vases.
Mr.. Vranklin had been wise not to hide
his money there; but it was cold-very
cold.
'Tll light fire." said the good won.
an. st won't take minute It's the
first fire of the season, or I'd have the
CRATE fixed.'
She tucked the paper down into the
CRATE, the easiest way to be rid of it,
piled on wood and placed the scuttie
ready. AS she struck the match she
gave little cry, but repressed it in
stantly. The flames blazed up merrily
and roared behind the blower
When Mr.. Vranl1lin returned the
blower was down and the two men
were warming their feet at compact
mass of red coal.
He looked at his Eva Maria. Her cold,
composed New England face, with its
high nose and close-cut mouth, BETRAYED
no emotion.
"She don't know what she has donel'
he said to himself; but he did
The ghost of that hundred dollars
stared at him from the embers. He
could not talk. he could not compose
himself. Cousin Brown opined he was
not we'll The minister remarked that
''in the midst of life we are in DEATH ),
and seemed to prophesy his funeral. II
was not gay dinner, but then it was
Sunday.
That night Mrs. Vranklin missed he1
spouse from his bed. She went to look
for him, and found him poking in the
ashes of the dead fire with the tonps
He looked up with u very red face.
Il don't think these here Goals kin bs
good, he said. confusedly.
Ibid you get up in the night to lool
at themp" she asked.
He made no answer and returned to
bed. '
Next morning his wife again attacked
him.
Have you thought that matter over?'
she asked
Indeed he had. and it had occurred to
him that Providence had prepared a
special judgment for him In destroy
ing that money. He felt that his wife
had spoken the truth. She had a right
to decent clothes-she who had served
him so well for SO many years.
''I've thought it over, Eva Maria" he
said, and arose and went to his desk, a
queer, old-fashioned one built in the
house wall. When he returned, he
brought with him blank check.
Get what you like, my dear" he
said, land get it nice. Fill the check
up just as you please" :.
He had not called her "my dear" for
years. She smiled ND at him very gen
tly; tears were near his eyes.
However, she used the check to dress
herself comfortably. 1t was the first
time for many years that she had in.
dulged in the luxury of shopping freely.
AT night he met her at the depot,
loaded with parcels. tired but smiling.
He had not seen her so bright for many
day.
After tea that night they sat together
beside the stove as before, and she
looked at him in a peculiar way.
You didn't seem to feel cheerful
Sunday afternoon, jeremiah" she re-.
marked. 'What allied you?"
II don't want to tell YOU" he an
swered.
'But I'll tell YOU" she said. "You
thought burned the pocketbook you
hid in the CRATE didn't"
She put her hand into her work bas-
ket and drew it out intact, with the
money in it.
II was just in time" she said. "But
l understood at once when l saw it
sticking between the bricks. If you
hadn't given me the check, should