Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-04-06

stopped.
Where cid you say the mother
lives?'
Mrs. Stocker. with a slight hesita-
ton, repeated the address; the lady
noted it, then noddlng again to Ida
Il shall see you again. she said,
and, as she passed out, followed by
the woman, the room seemed to dark
en- to the charmed vision OF the en-
thusiastic child, through whose brains
still were. Wandering the thrilling ca
dences to whichsshe Lad lately listen
ed
"Well, declare, cried Mrs. Stock
er, as she returned TO the room, II
think you have been honored lady
bird, above q bit. And that the tip
top singer Of the Little Jewel-you
should have seen her ducks Of ponies,
Ida, at the top OF the strickland
once she was no better off than me.
think OF that; and now we'll have
dinner.
II wonder what she's after now"
soliIoquised the woman, as she sat
over her work she was quite taken
with the girl; could see that; and /
should not wonder il she should do
something for her: but there's no
knowing how her mother may take
it,
The day seemed long to Ida, who
was burning with impatiencc to relate
the adventure OF the morning to her
friend Tom.
lie, though far from sharing her
ecstacies OF admiration, was amused
and surprised at the recital; less so,
perhaps, at the emphatic exclama-
tions OF his youngconpanion
"Oh, Tom, if | could but sing like
that when am a woman-andif they
would give me money for it would
have such a house and mother and
you, Tom, would live there; and then
you should only work as much syou
like ut ;oookmaking. and be able to
come home early on Saturdays. and
50 home when you pleased-eh, TOMB
"Ah! daresay.' was the rejoinder,
more candid than civil; you'd just
forget all about me, with all those fine
people and grand houses. l know how
it 'ud be them
Often in after years did the lad,
grown 8 man, recall to mind their
CIlllt1lS1l LttIh Ol LIl6tQ evening.
We have left Nelly all this time in an
unpleasant position, standing midway
in the dark alley, which the burly
form OF the stranger almost blocked
up. The lamp which threw it's light
upon her features left his in total
shade; and though the terror Of his
sudden address left her still power to
discriminate, by his stature, that it
was not he whom, Of all earthly crea-
lures, she dreaded, that there was
that in the tones OF his voice which
vaguely recalled to her that horrible
nightmare of her existence. He was
not Meghorn, she knew; yet something
III his address, in his aspect, in his
voice, seemed to assure her that Meg
horn was close at hand.
Her heart stood still; she gasped for
breath; and by intense terror alone
was prevented from shrieking. The
man FASTENED to speak.
Easy he said, in hoarse whis-
per; 'sdon't go to raise a shindy about
us / don't want to hurt We. Icould
just as well throttle We with. a grip of
my fingers with the cry in yer throat
before a soul could reach us, if WANT
ed to- But don't want to hurt ye;
there's nothing to be got by it, as
know Of II | could tell now where he
was, it 'ud be good nights work to
fetch him down, eh?-bring him to his
pretty wifesand baby, ha! ha! as we
was to have carried off in the Dare
devil, the pirate craft, ha! ha!'
She uttered a faint scream.
For mercy $ sake"
But he checked her.
easy again, ma ann If you please.
None Of that. | don't. want the
police down upon nae, to ask this and
that O. my bearings. There's nought
to fear of the Daredevil now; blast her
timbers, say |, and HMM that ever
caused me to set foot abroad her!
There, now, just you take me In tow,
and let me sit down., and get me a
mouthful to eat. / would have a
word or two with you, PM an old
friend of your husbands rms 'am, the
last, | mean, and you WON'T refuse
that much to an old mate OF the man
as made lady on yn."
Slowly she had been tracking that
vague memory, which the presence of
the man awakened; yes, she recalled it
now; it was the voice of one who had
passed her as she lay hid with her
child that night Of their flight.
TO BE CONTINUED.