Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-05-25

her money seemed in danger. OF
course she should have been, as she
was, happy woman. She spent her
day as the truly happy muslin small
activities that amuse one and make
one feel useful but not fatigued. So
accustomed was she to routine of
quiet, that when Abbie the cook ap-
peared excitedly before her she was
slow to realize that this particular day
might prove an exception.
ssThe stables afre, Miss Balcom !"
the cook proclaimed.
els it2" the mistress absently
answered 'Tell Henry to put it out,
please. Oh, I remember; L allowed
Henry to visit his sister" She closed
her writing-desk and stood consider
ing. "Can't you throw some water on
it?" she asked, presently.
cts the roof. l s'pose it caught
with spark from one o them pesky
ingines-bein's s everything IS dry as
tinder. Amt nothin' to git scairt
about, cause the winds away from
the house, what little the is. But the
hoss is in the stable, you recollec'. :"
"Oh, my!" Moved beyond her
wont, Mrs. Balcom swept electrically
through the kitchen and out of the
back door. ooh, my!" she repeated
as she came in sight of the blaze,
''Ben Ezra will be burned, won't he?
What will Mr.. Balcom say? What
can we do?"
''D' know" was the depressing
answer, 81 sent Jane to the corner
a'ter the firemen; but the land knows
how long it'll take to git 'em here.
''Ben Ezra must come outl" Mrs
Balcom asserted; but there was an
accent of despair in the words, deter
mined as the sentiment was.
"Can't break that door down n
that air paytent lock on-Mr. Bal
CONS got the key with him"
''Mrs Balcom stared straight be-
fore her like one fascinated into help
lessness. The servants conscience
would not let her rest until she had
kicked the door and thrown herself
against it. 1t did not even tremble.
She mopped her flushed face with her
apron and, shaking her head mourn
fully, drew back beyond the heat of
the flames that were laying bare the
rafters.
"Ben Ezra must come out !" Mrs.
Balcom said again. The horses agon
lied whinny had broken the spell that
was upon her. Her eyes filled at the
sound, and she ran forward aimlessly
and glanced desperately about her.
MAN You mani" she cried, all
at once. "Come here and get our
horser'
Though the stranger had seemed to
spring from the ground, he showed no
alacrity about coming further. He
took time to survey the landscape be-
fore he climbed the fence. He looked
past the women, not at them, as
though he feared possible somewhat
behind. And when he had advanced
to where they stood, though he
abruptly took the manner of haste and
impatience, his shifty eyes seemed to
cover every point of the horizon.
"Now, then" he demanded,
''where's your ax?"
'In the stable, suppose, was Mr..
Balcom's detected reply.
"'N' it's paytent lock !" the cook
chimed in, tragically.
''Hey?" The stranger started and
stared at them suspiciously, but the
wretchedness in their faces appeared
to reassure him. He turned again to
scan the hill road. Then he ran up
to the door.
tHuhl That thingr the women
heard him say, contemptuously.
Through the waveless atmosphere of
the August noon the smoke fioated
lazily off and left the vision unob-
scured, and the spiteful snap of flame
overruled every other noise. The
women looked and listened with an
intentness that would have been pain
full had it long endured. From the
bag he carried the stranger took "a
| glittering something which he applied
to the lock. Instantaneously, almost,
the door swung open. Stripping OIL
his blouse, the man passed through,
and when he reappeared the horse,
safely blinded. unlniured, was with
him. Mrs. Baleom iuttered after as
he led the trembling brute TO safer
| llhet. Ifchta hat ahthch hcf hccuh-
toned calm. For once ia her life she
could not meet the occasion with
graceful words.
"Oh, l don't know how 10 thank
| YOU !" she ialtered, at length. "Mr.
Baleomo values ben Ezra SOL I'm
sure he'll" Why, here ho eomes 2
Oh. James /" she cried. a. her husband
hatloss, eoatless and ylsibly perspir-
ing took the fence At a bound aud
dashed up to the group. ''Oh, James ?
II II hadn't been iur this this honest
woFkingman, iion lara would have
been burned
Mr, haleam's eye waa on his favor
lte, bat his hand went iata his pocket
aud brought out roll of hills
*ihauk 50, boss, the stranger sad,
soaFiY
"Not enough H MF Raleon found
breath o. a.li, "CHll to,norFoa Al nY
alher gave yua a. much szaia Tho
lheught ol aaetheT lHtf oeeufreI la
hiia a Ihs salas laslaat sai j Hade
hiua laep tpNsri tha r4ai "All right.
Parker Aa calltt 30 hHrff,
"Ail flsAt tbs uan s h.i aa.l last
slusH lala fieM maslrFaleA has pAee
+ Ailsf lAe afsl keea, eplapfes HsiFs
+ slAafe "a fhe AifeatlaH li lhe aihafs,
~ ensspieHpasll .saafel ihem. aut