The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-22


OF the house and grounds The man
took me into the kitchen and intro
duced me to a solemn little corner. in
Which there was a cat in a coffin, ready
10 be nailed down and put in the
ground. Very well." said, that's all
right" and l gave the man almost the
only shilling l had in the world. as l
Cid not take my salary until the NEXT
day. But l had a little condition TO
make. He complied, filled up the hole,
under the poplars. and buried his dead
friend in the back garden near the
daffodils. He gave me the address of
the solicitor to whom application had
to be made for renting the house. Ruth
was both troubled and perplexed at
my strange conduct: but as we walked
homewards ] told her such parts of
my dream as | thought would Justify
what 1 had done, leaving out her
father and herself, and yet getting her
and her interests into the narrative in
such way as to make her feel how
large part she had in the revelation;
and / hinted that perhaps Providence
was going to make up to her for the
loss of the money her dear, dead grand
father had intended she should pos
sess Ruth was OF an imaginative
turn OF mind and she fell into the
fancy of the affair right away The
fact that the dream had come back to
me clear and vivid for the first time
while I was sitting in the garden made
Ruth even more sanguine than l was
II that were possible-as to the truth
fullness Of the disclosures | had re-
ce1ved In my dream. We sat up ever
so late that night talking the affair
over and forming plans for approach
ing the solution of our hopes and fears
What We decided upon you will under
stand by what we did.
Before | went to the Office the next
morning I called at the solicitors who
haI the letting or sale of the house on
the Heath. Ruth agreed with me that
we must not be timid in our action. II
was true THAT we could neither afford
to rent nor to buy, but we could obtain
the right to consider both questions.
Get the privilege OF renting or buying
for a week" was Ruth's advice; "that
does not bind you in any way and be
fore q week is out we must contrlve 10
explore the garden, more especially
that part OF it where the man was
digging" While l went to the solici-
tors Ruth was to go to the house and
make friends with the caretaker. Il
will not mislead her as you did in
your excitement, dear" said Ruth
but / will tell her how much We
would like to take the house. and how
l wish We We're rich enough to buy it
and so on. Trust me to prepare the
way for an investigation" And thus
we parted on that eventful morning.
I saw the managing clerk at Vyst
and Vests, an old firm of family law
yers, and he gave me all the particu
lars | desired, the rent, price of free
hold and a written order to view the
premises, and the first refusal of then
for the space of seven days from tht
date thereof; nothing would induce
them to settle with any other person
meanwhile, without giving due notice
l went to the city on wings. l fell
sure that Ruth would arrange to get
US undisturbed possession of that gar
den for Easter Monday. How She
would do il did not matter. Perhaps
she would offer to take care of tht
house while the woman and her hus-
band went out to the tea gardens.
score or two of fourpenny bits in it
We made a point of saving all the
fourpenny bits we received in chang
on all our purchases. She would be
sure to take the woman some little
present.
All that day 1 seemed to have visits
from my dream-friend, but it was my
fancy, OF course. | saw him in my
mind as lss had appeared that night
six months previously, in riding coat
with top boots and spurs, but bare
headed, short, strong, sturdy-looking
man. Odd that | should only long
afterwards remember what he was
like. Sometimes 1 think l evolved his
appearance out of my inner conscious
ness. I had dwelt so much upon the
subject during the night and all day
at my desk.
When the evening came and l
walked home with the weeks wages
my pocket, | felt like somebody in ro-
nance, the hero of a story; nobody
was like me. | felt sorry for everybody
that was trudging home my way from
their work. | walked faster than any
body, and I thought how soon l would
urday night. There was a driz2ling
rain. / did not feel 1t. l pounded
along Holborn. down the hill. struck
Court Road. dashed into Portland
Place. along Marylebone Road. and
was in Lisson Grove in no time.
Now and then men and boys asked
me "where ! was a-shovin' to-" but l
only smiled and showed along all the
faster; and at last there | was, at
home Ruth had two candles burning
there We're hot saur ages and mashed
potatoes in a little pan before the fire.;
the tea-kettle was singing on the hob.
The room looked almost festive. Ruth
flew into my arms and l kissed her as
II | had been months away on some
terrible journey.
"Well, darling?" she said.
"Wellr was all 1 coud say in repy.
"What have you done?" she asked.
"And you?" l said.
"I have been there nearly all day.
We are to have the house to ourselves
on Monday"
Eyes" | said.
And they will leave the spade, and
: have been to the pawnbroker's shop
in Church street and bought a pick-aX,
one of those things the men dig with
you know, when they break UP the
streets"
"Yes," l said. quite in furry; "but
how shall we carry it?"
"Quite easy" she said. "I have
wrapped 1t up; 1t looks like parcel Of
something, and there Is a carriers
wagon goes to Barnet or somewhere
that we can ride in to the Heath.
my darling" I said, you are very
clever. Let us have our supper"
"But what have you done?" abe
asked