The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-10-20

80 81. ~ - 3.
that the two men who met him at
sAtintien were bona III, ,e members Of the;
Eleventh cavalry; Mr.. Lacy had seen
them before, and could i1entify them
If he were to see them again The
sheriff S people were already working
on the clew.
It was nea-ly tattoo that evening
when Morgan lef tthe majors and went
slowly homeward. Voices in eager
conversation were audible in the
kitche.l as he entered, then became as
suddenly still and the door was quickly
closed. It was his custom to go to the
children room and kiss and pet them
little after Connie had prompted
them through their pray devotions
over which, in sshcir infantile deprav-
ity, they were far 4aaQre apt to fall
asleep than during the subsequent GER
ernony. But the sounds froa- aloft as
he entered were those of lively nten-
ton rather than alteration. lively c>s.-
troversy rather than the lisping prayers
Of childish lips. Lot and Billy were
still up and astir, it was evident, and
so engrossed in their tilt that the
fathers coming up the creaking stair
way failed to divert their attention.
dating at the door and looking in, the
veteran trooper enjoyed coup-d' cell
of the scene. Perched on the bed in
the bifurcated vestment of csnton
flannel referred to as his ''nighties"
was the 5urly son and heir, barefooted,
flushed, truculent, bouncing up and
down on the bed-springs as he con-
yers.d with his sister, who, equally,
aushedsif a trife less confident IN rnien,
and lust about half undressed, was
standing with eone of her spring heeled,
buttoued boots lnslhand, half concealed,
halt disclosed, as though she lacked de-
termination to hurl it after it's mate,
now reposing on top of tie bureau
beyond the bed, surrounded by the
wreck of glass toilet-set, once~thelr
mother's-Aunt Lottie's one present. to
her army sister.
81 don't care,'' said Lot, sturdily;;>
you did it.
ooh, you're worse'n Annanice Afire!
I didn't!''
s.You did, too! and you shan't call
Names"
Il shall if you 'cuse me again" said
Bill, stoutly. .'You fired that shoe at
me when I wasn't even lookin' at dolly,
and it smashed everythiug.''
II don't care, reiterated Lot, lit
was all your fault. It never would
have hit 'em at all Tiff you hadn't
lodged. So there!'' And then Lot,
triumphant, turned, saw her fathers
grave face, and lost her nerve. Run
ming to him, she burst into tears,
whereupon Billy began to whimper
sympathetically
flush, Lottie. Never mind who did
it now" said Morgan, taking her in his
arms. ''Hush, child. Well settle that
some other time. Where's Consie?
Where was she when tnis happened?"
NANNY called her to the kitchen.
Sergt. Hinkel's wife comed," sobbed
Lottie. land she told Billy not to step
on my dolly, and he-he-iust danced
it off the bed a purpose, and land.
Il and here the sobs overmastered
her. and Billy came tumbling off his,
perch in dire dismay. And this was
the situation when Comics low voice
and fleet footsteps were heard on the
stairway, and little mother came hur-
rying in. One glance told her what
had happened. She flew around the
bed to the bureau.
ooh, Lottie, Lottie, how could you?"
she cried. "Our dear mothers set
Aunt Lottie's present.
''Never mind, Connie, never mind it
now. dear. She wasn't aiming at it,
said paterfa1nilias, with his patient
smile.
''She was amin at me!' burst in
Billy, whose distress at sight of Lot
ties grief was suddenly tempered by
the prospect of her getting justice,
'!and then she said did 1T cause I
lodged
+. ':Well, he called me names" sobbed
r,o1tie-'said | was wors'n Annanice
Afre..;'s
"Nbat Oh earth is Annanice Aire?"
asked Morgan. blankly, of his eldest.
Nothing, fatheraear | read them
the story of Ananl..sstsn!ld sapPhlra
when Billy told story the ether day
Let me undress Lottie, now. ss2,IIne,
child !.
But Morgan noticed instantly how
nervous and. Hurried was her manner,
how tremulous and cold her hand. His
little Connie, his big, tall Connie now,
so tenderly, SO fondly loved. Not UNI
til the little ones had forgotten their
squabble, had begged each others for
giveness at Comics knee and cried
themselves blissfully to sleep, did the
father sea her again. She scanned to
busy herself long time aloft instead
of coming down to his den. Meantime,
Fepton, officer of the day, came hu1-
riedly in:
''Here's the latest, Morgan. Schultz
and Schramm took dinner together at
Conway's restaurant, leaving their
horses at the Empire stable, and didn't
start until nearly three o'clock The
sheriff has sent posse after them.
He claims that Lacy's description Of
the robbers fits them both.
..Blatherskitev' said Morgan.
'sWe]l, that isn't all. Rhett's got 9
disnatch from the chief We go at day.