The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-02-20
AFULL LINE OF WINTER FOOTWEAR.
Smith and
EHpe't F00t 1.sss-z. Brigham.

VIII eeAOO1S ouO oIAO, anu IL . oOhC'
started to argue bit, and she turn
ed on her heel.
"Here, stiddy on. my dear. l says.
"Don't lose your temper. You've got
a good-hearted face. You're not going
to be hard on a poor chap, are you
now? Give me kiss and I'll give you
twenty-five"
She fired up
"You don't have no kiss, mister" she
says, "and if you want me to help you
you must hand over the coin. You
kent do better, anyway"
l tell you she fairly surprised me.
assure you, to look at her, you'd think
she was as quiet a girl as ever wore
shoes. She kept her eyes = bright,
black eyes she had-fXed on my face,
and seemed almost to enjoy the corner
she'd got me in.
l turned the matter quickly over in
my mind. After all, l knew needn't
really trouble about the second pay
ment. l should be clear away before
she had chance to see whether put it |
there or not.
"All right, miss" I says "don't 'ag-
gle, and don't bite a fellows 'ead half
orr Here's the thirty pound. What
time shall come up?"
She told me that at $50 the duke
would be having dinner, that she would
leave the window of the duchess dress
ing-room open. l might find ladder
in such place, and, when | got in,
should find the Jewels in such a place,
and some loose notes and gold in such
a place, and was to leave the thirty
pound for her on ledge in the CHM
ney. And if any Of the other servants
caught me, why, so much the worse for
me. and if they did not so much the
worse for them. She shook hands
pleasantly and went off toward the
court.
You may believe me when l say
was there that evening to the minute.
just as | neared the mansion l had
nasty feeling that the maid might have
given me away. You can never be
sure of a woman. But when saw the
window open of the duchess dress
ing-room and found the ladder and ev-
erything ready knew it was all right.
She's girl after my own heart,
said to myself when l got in the room.
"And I'll be after hers when it all
over"
| It's risky work, you know. No mat
ter how easy things are you always
have q queer sort of nervousness unless
/ you're drunk, and then, of course,
! you're liable to make mistakes. None
of the servants was about; they might
have been dead for all the trouble they
| gave me.
1 don't think I ever had quite such an
easy job in all my life. "This," l said
to myself-"this is better than your
hard work any day. Honesty may be
| the best policy but what do you make
out of it? Eh? Do you make hauls of
sackfuls of jewelry and money by hon
esty? Do you make enough in ten
minutes to keep you for years. and
drunk every night of your life, by hon
esty?" "No," said to myself q had the
sack nearly fulD, "if you want to get
on in life, if you really want to have
nice little income and life of happi
ness, have turn at"
There was a swish of skirts near the
bed. 1 turned my lantern on the place,
my heart in my mouth, my revolver in
my hand. l can tell you l was pleased
to see that it was only my girl. l
dropped my Colt back inte my pocket.
She was smartly dressed and looked
quite the lady.
"Got everything, mister?" she in
quired. Got everythingP"
well, not absolutely verything, II
whispered, "but as much as I can carry.
T'm just Off"
"Have you put my 80 sovereigns in
the chimney?" she asked. Lord she had
head for business that girl!
Reckon I'll take them now," she said,
calmly holding out her hand. Il guess
ed you'd go and forget"
1 counted out the money and handed
it over, and shouldered my bag.
"Good-by, miss" l whispers. "See
each other again soon, hope"
awful good of you to say that" she
said.
"Feel as though 1 kent let you go
now." Her hand went to the side of
the wall. "We're getting on so sociable
and pleasant and friendly like"
l can't tell you how it made me feel
when [ heard her talk like that. ]
would have proposed to the girl on the
spot if 1 hadn't been so busy. Only
there's a time and place for every
thing, l always say, and just then
wasn't the time to go canoodling about
with girls.
OF course this is the worst of them.
Once they get mashed on you, there S
no getting rid of them without row.
l went to her to give her kiss and
good-by. She gave little scream.
stop right there!" she cried. Stop
right there, mister, or you're a dead
mani"
She leveled shining little pocket
pistol at my head, the other hand still
pressing against the wall. There was a
sound of hurried footsteps on the land
| - ~ nlol
young fellow in evening dress rushed
) in. He was followed by several serv.
ants.
:, "Ly dearest Deborah" he said. Their
he sprang upon me and nearly chokeC
me.
, Here. let go!" 1 screamed. Where.
the duchess? Where in Is the duch.
ess? Lemme go, can't ye. l want tc
tell her something. l want to tell hel
all about that beauty of lady's maic
there. She's got my 960."
, "And she Jest about means to keep It,
! she answered, laughing. It'll make a
+ good start for my village blanket club. "
= She turned to the duke. "Now, you see,
Tundridge, how Heron court is pro
tected."
"My dearest" said the duke, you're
7 quite right. You shall make your OWL
; arrangements nOw."
She spoke to one of the footmen.
Give him a good sousing, Barker,
with the garden hose, and let him slide.
y Certainly, your grace. Now then
;. me man. this way"
And they took me, and, as I'm liv-
r ing sinner, they ducked me. Had E
nasty cold in me cad, 1 did, for year
4 awfter.--San Francisco Argonaut.