The Press., 1893-04-06
Aunt vineys prompt appearance had

Aunt whey prompt appearance had prevented probable murder. Uncle Nose, though good man enough when in his right mind, was a dangerous, un- certain parsonage when stirred by the memory of his son into spirit of half insane hostility against all the world.
 So uneasy did Nan become that at last she rose, slipped on her dress and stole out into the moonlight. An i'm pulse she could not control impelled her to peep ill at the peddler's open window. She was prompted by an indefinable fear. What she saw there caused her to start back, clasp her hands and gasp for breath. Then, trembling in every limb, she looked again.
 My God" she faltered. Am l dreamin9 Surely it can't bend yet l must believe my own eyes"
 Acting under new impulse she turned and fled along the trail leading to the still. Arrived there she found the place silent and deserted. There was no fire in the furnace and nothing to be heard but the cries of the whippoorwills upon the mountain side.
 Full of painful forebodings she re- traced her steps and once more crouched beneath the peddler's window. There she waited until her limbs became cramped and the night air chilled her to the bone.
 "1 might as we'll lie down again" she thought. Il reckon uncle's gone do VII the valley, for he lowed today as he'd have to go after coffee right away. l could wake the man up, but somehow l dassn't. He might think I was forward. ;
 But second trial of the bed was no better than the first. The peldler's heavy breathing was ever in her ears, and her thoughts reverted constantly to the sense of peril that vaguely, yet per sistently kept her upon the tenterhooks of anxiety.
 'I wish mornin would come," she said for the hundredth time. 'Lord, what meeting there'll be then!' The sound of stealthy footfall upon the gravel without brought her to sit ting position at once. Her heart beat loudly as she listened breathlessly. Yes, it was moving around the house. Now she heard it no more. Could she have imagined it all? No; there it was again in the back porch.
 Then-then-she heard a gentle creak- ing sound. An! The shedroom door! She sprang out of bed, and a nasty bound brought her to the door leading into the back porch. She wrenched it open just in time to catch a glimpse of a tall shadow that disappeared within the shedroom.
 "Good Lord, help mer' she faintly calculated as she sprang forward, nerved to desperation by this dreadful fulfill ment of her fears.
 She entered the room. There lay the peddler, slumbering heavily in the white glow of the moonlight. His face was strangely altered, for the heavy beard had fallen off. leaving exposed clean shaven, youthful face. But the white bearded old man bending over the pros trate form with uplifted knife'saw noth. ing distinctly. To his morbid imagin. ings only the form of a hated spy lay helpless before him. A spy in the serv' ice of the detested "revenoos," who had robbed him of his only and well beloved son.
 "Uncler' screamed Nan, dragging him back. "Uncle! You shall not Can't you see? It's John-our John- your John!''
 The peddlcr woke and stared upward in d bewildered way. The knife fell |, the floor as Nose, his eyes almost start ing from his head, stared at his sons white face. Suddenly he comprehended | and the effect descended upon him like z thunderbolt.
 Uttering low, quivering cry he sank to his knees by the bedside, and his head fell forward Nan's and John's eyes me in mutually recognizing glance; the1 they turned their attention to the ole man. As they laid him upon the bee l Aunt Viney,, awakened by the noise came in. She fell as though confronted by ghost.
 "John!' she exclaimed. Yet it can shorely be!''
 "Yes, it is, mother. 1 didn't know how you'd all take my bein so long il the pen, so when the governor pardone( me out flowed I'd come home as a ped dler nd in disguise till found out i you all cared for me any more." While John was speaking Nose opened his eyes, and tears blinded them as h, gazed.
 My son, my sonr he murmuret brokenly. And I might have killed him! My minds made up. There'll b' no more 'stillin done in Bear holler afte: this."
 "Do you reckon Nan cares for me an, more, father?' asked John, while hi eyes sought those of Nan.
 "Of course she do. Hasn't she beel grievin herself away ever since you Wal took She never looked at another man."
 Nan's confusion seemed to sanction this.
 "There's only one thing to be done, interrupted Aunt Whey decisively They've just got to go over to the circui riders next Sunday nd git married. Af ter that's over nd done with, Nose, dc hope you'll behave yourself in futur'."
 "Hain't l said weren't a-goin to 'stil whisky any more?" said Nose. "'Stillin' been at the bottom of all our troubles While the old folks talked John tool Nan's hand in his, and they steathil, kissed each other.-William Perr, Brown in Philadelphia Times.
 ,Ts ~--