The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-17

II ready
The old darby took him on one side
and whispered:
MARS Charles, thar amt err scrap er
meat in the house 'cept what's been
done got fur the servants dinner"
Mr.. Barker rem aimed gazing at the
old fellow for a ull half minute The
situation dazed him.
Cant you-can't we have thatf
What have they got for dinner. any
way?"
"A nice roas' of mutton"
'''The very thing, Joe. Serve it i'm
mediately, an here, you folks buy
something more for yourselves. We
mustn't keep the guests waiting"
He handed the darby dollar and the
old fellow slowly pocketed it.
Serve luncheon at once" ordered
Mr.. Barker. who was becoming impa-
tent. What are you waiting for?"
''Lookahere, Mars Charles, said the
old man, slowly and deliberately. "Hev
you any ice what that mutton cost?'
II can't say have. A dollar, per.
haps"
THE ign'ance of some people," con-
tinued the darby, lis incompren'sible
That mutton's worth ten dollars if it's
worth red cent, but seem as how you
don't want it"
DE was turning away when Mr.. Bar
ker stopped him. 1t began to dawn
upon the young man from Twenty
third street that he was being black
mailed.
Here's your ten dollars, you black
rascal"
He took the money from his pocket
and handed it to Joe.
Bring us up couple of bottles of
claret, he said.
1--we got to buy 'em, sab. That,l
cost you five dollars more. It's mighty
good wine and cheap, sah.'
You black rascal'-he began again.
That expresshun will cost you just
two dollars, Mars Barker. Doan' you
call 'specible servant no black rascle
You'd better put up de cash. Lunch
an wine, and dem tings is apt to rise
mighty quick in this house under some
circumstances.
Barker saw he had to alter his tao
tics. He put up another five dollars
without a murmur
Mr.. Hanson and his wife had de-
parted upstairs to wash their hands.
tits awful" murmured Evelyn as
she passed him on her way to the ta-
BILE. Mamma ran right onto one of
the Van Lith trunks in the front
room"
He drank his five-dollar wine reck-
lessly to gain courage. Old Hanson sat
and gorged himself on the ten-dollar
lunch. Mrs. Hanson, he thought, eyed
him suspiciously; and old Joe served
them with a broad grin on his ebony
countenance.
IF this kind of thing keeps up for a
week l am ruined" he said to Lvelyn
as the day finally closed, and at last
he saw his wife's parents safely re-
tired for the night
i've an idea mother already suspects
something" said Evelyn ''I'vc good
mind to take her into my confidence
and confess it ALL"
But this proposition alarmed him
more than anything else
Don't do that. I've got four hundred
left yet Let's elk it out. At say
forty dollars day, how long can we
hold the fort?"
Just ten daysl"
And in ten days then, it is either
flight, the North river, or the morgue. "
Ten days is a good long time" re-
piled Evelyn. II shan't worry myself
so far ahead. Good night. I'm off to
sleep"
Eight days of the ten had elapsed.
The Bankers, with a courage born of
desperation, had ''stuck it out" They
had become accustomed to their new
position, and, despite their failing
means, Charlie sometimes even fancied
himself rich.
The Hansons were delighted with
their new son-in-law. No words in the
English language were expressive
enough to sing their praises. They
had driven here and there, been taken
to all the theaters and feted every dav
on the fat of the land. They had been
made to feel their Importance. The
Hansons, OF Denver, had never en-
joyed themselves so much in their
lives.
Barker was nearly crazy What
would he not have given to be back in
Twenty street, and, if he must be
shot for running away with old man
Hanson's daughter, at least have the
satisfaction of dying like an honest
man.
On the morning of the ninth day he
found letter on the breakfast table.
Old man Hanson was there with his
famous appetite, eating eggs which
had cost fifty CENTS apiece and ham
which had been purchased from the
blackmailer's at dollar a slice
The letter was from his father in Bos-
ton and read as follows:
MY DEAR CHARLEs-Your mother has iuet
learned from Mrs. Stewart, who arrived in Bos, |
ton from New York yesterday, OF your late
good fortune in Wall street 1 always knew Won
would fall on your feet, and you can now afford
to laugh at those who have hitherto called |
you the fool of the family Meantime YOU
may expect us by an early train tomorrow. !
as we are anxious to see our new daughter
Your afectionate father,