The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-05-04
HEROINE.

"Now, Kitty, be sure the pudding goes
on to boil at four o'clock, and keep an eve
to the roast meat. for the deacon don't like
it burned"
''Ies ma'am, I'll he sure and remem-
ber," said Kitty Clifford, curtseying pref
tily.
"And Kate, said Deacon Osprey, ''dont
let strangers in, whatever you do, for
there's that five hundred dollars in gold in
the back bedroom chest, and all the silver
spoons"
81 will he very careful, sir" said Kitty.
''Kitty. Kitty! Come here and tie my
cravat,' said Silas Osprey, who was fidget,
ting before the mirror.
So Kitty stood upon footstool, blushing
and smiling, to tie Mr. Slas cravat for
the meeting.
~ wish you were going with us Kitty"
said the young man with his chin stitlly
elevated in the air. Next Sunday I'll
take you"
ooh, that will be nice" said Kitty,
fingers pulled out the bow, and adjusted
the ends "Will that do Mr.. Silas ?"
And Mrs. Osprey who had followed her
husband out to the solid-looking old lum-
Der wagon, gave a meaning backward
glance.
81 think Slas is getting fond of our
,n;l +ba ,,,,tI,n, ,,,,,,l,,
SIS he? said the deacon, with a dis
turbed face. ''But, wife, how little we
knew about her. except since the day she
came here with her little bundle under her
arm, asking for service"
eyes that's very true said Mrs.
Osprey, ''but she is pretty aAd smart, and
/ know she's good, and"
''Silas. Siias Are you going to stand
there all day" called out the father, and
so they drove away, with Kitty standing
at the lonely farmhouse door, her silken
brown curls blown about in the dismal
November wind, and her blue eyes spark
ling beneath their prettily arched brows
She went back into the house. singing
softly under her breath, to prepare things
for the tea-dinncr which the hungry church
goers would expect when they returned-a
brisk neat handed little Phyllis, whose
step was scarce heavier on the pine floor
than falling leaf would have been.
She had put the pudding on to boil as
the kitchen clock chimed four, and ran
down into the cellar to get the vegetables
from their bins. She was gone but a min
ute Or two, but when she returned, the
door leading upstairs, which she had left
closed, stood wide open and on the lower
stair a muddy footprint was distinctly inn
printed.
Kitty's heart stood still with underlined
terror, as she remembered the bag of
twenty dollar gold pieces in the big back
chamber chest
And while she stood there, holding onto
the table for support, she could hear con-
fused footsteps up stairs, and the murmur
of deep voices
Then there was more than one. kitty's
first nstinct-that of defending her mas
ters treasures to the last, even were it with
her life-gave way to more practical con-
siderations. She thought of flying out
into the load and crying aloud for help,
but then she remembered with a pang of
despair, how lonely was the desoate hill
side, with the nearest dwelling full mile
distant.
''What can | do? Oh, what can do?"
thought Kitty clasping both hands over
her throbbing foreheak
But while her thoughts ran in whirl
and her heart beat mpestuously, the foot
steps neared the stairway-the unwelcome
guests were once more coming down.
Instinctively Kitty shrank behind the rag
ged brick projections of the old chimney.
Two stout-built, short men, dressed in
coarse gray, slouched down into the kitchen
with the easy confidence of those who
imagine themselves entirely without wit
nesses. Kitty had never seen them before
yet they seemed quite posted" as to the
various rooms in the Struggling farmhouse.
Come ON, Jim, we've got all we're
likely to get in this COMPOUNDED old
shanty," said one balancing his foot on one
Of the iron re-dogs, "and besides the fol ks
will be home presently"
SANDY Bill afraidn' jeeringly, called
out the other who was opening and shut
ting the various cupboards and drawers
about the apartment, greedingly cycling
their contents
"Hallo! here's some silver spoons"