Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-05-23

well. Jos." said Deacon Blake,
hastily stepping forward.
Joe answered In . hard, sharp
way:
Parker left the hotel this morn
ing at Ave o'clock. He hired a
buggy. He didn't say whore he was
| going, but Larry, the milkman, met
him near the Meadow Bridge driving
with Q lady, who he Is sure was
Lizzie"
But in that case where was she
al nightr"
Joe sternly shook his head.
Mrs. Blake burst into passion OF
weeping
Tom. meanwhile, had taken some-
thing from q small box on the top
shelf of the closet. and was closely
examining it at the window.
"Oh. Tom! cried Elvira Jane,
What do you mean to do with that
dreadful thing?"
Tom made no reply.
His lips were firmly set. and he
put the pistol into his breast pocket
and turned toward the door.
Tom, my sonl" cried his mother.
seizing his arm. "Oh. Joe, stop
himl There'll be murder somewhere.
He'll Kill that Parker!"
If he DON'T" said Joe, deliber-
ately, as he carefully selected stout
horsewhip from q number hanging
in the closet-''if he don't succeed
in killing him, then I'll finish him
of myself. Come along, Toni"
Elvira Jane screamed, and Mrs.
Harden and Mrs. Peters made sud-
den, elephantine rush and placed
their ample forms against the kitch-
en- door.
Mrs. Blake threw herself into a
rocking-chair with loud wailing, and
Patty, with tightly. clenched hands,
mouth screwed up and eyes double
their natural size, danced about the
room on tiptoe.
"Stand aside, mother! There's
something trying to get in here,
said Joe. as the door was pushed
from without.
And wrenching 1t open despite the
resistance of the two stout ladies,
he threw it wide, while the eyes Of
all the excited group turned thither-
ward.
Everyone uttered an exclamation.
There stood Lizzie, bright and
rosy, her hat hanging on her back
by it's strings, her curly hair all dis
ordered with the wind. and in her
hands little basket, the contents
of which were covered over with
fresh green leaves.
At sight of the unexpected group
her face assumed an expression Of
the utmost establishments.
"Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie!' cried her
aunt. starting up, where have you
been?"
:" Where have l been?" repeated
Lizzie, in q bewildered tone. why,
to the meadow-bridge wood, to get
strawberries.
And she lifted the leaves and dis
played the red fruit beneath.
A dead silence ensued. Every
body looked at each other, but no
one spoke until Miss Tucker in
quired, half increduously:
"Wbo went with your"
Mrs. Lamb and the girls, and
Frank Lamb and Mr.. Parker" an
swered Lizzie, unhesitatingly.
'.Oh, Mr.. Parker!" said Miss
Tucker, with a significant smile and
toss Of her head.
"Yes. 1t was he who told US, as
we came home last night, about the
strawberries being ripe at the
meadow bridge, and said that as he
would have to pass there to-day he
would bring us some. And Mrs.
Lamb proposed that, as her wagon
was to GO early to the station, we
should oil 60 in it to the strawberry
grounds. and it would take us up in
returning. Mr.. Parker overlook us
in his buggy"
"And, pray" said Mrs. Harden,
severely. "how was it that he offered
you seat in the buggy instead OF
one OF the others?"
Lizzie hesitated, smiled and
glanced toward Elvira Jane. Then
she stopped and whispered word or
two in Mrs. Harden's ear, whose
countenance instantly cleared.
you've given us dreadful fright,
Lizzie" said Mrs. Blake, beginning
to cry again, but this time from
pure relief and happiness.
"Yes," said Mrs. Peters. with a
broad smile breaking over her face
ives, we all thought you and Mr..
Parker had run away to get married.
Amt it too ridiculous9"
Lizzie looked around, with an in
dignant flush suffusing her face.
Uncle Joe sat down and broke into
a wild laugh.
Even Eivira Jane smiled, for she
had caught Lizzie's whisper.
And while they were all laughing
Lizzie turned to Tom, who happened
to be close beside her, and said, with
reproach in her tone and tears in her
eyes:
81 wouldn't have believed 1t Of
you, Toni"
Tom looked very sheepish as he
disappeared in the closet and put
away something in the box on the
top shelf.
"You see aunty," said Lizzie,
standing by her side, with one arm
around her neck and the other rest
ing lovingly on Uncle Joseph
shoulder, t" / came home so late last
night that / had no opportunity OF
telling you. ! was up and dressed
early, and while waiting for the rest,