The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-06-30


4 he was coming TO get her to bug
potatoes.
This knowledge caused her heart TO
swell in fierce rebellion. II there was
any one thing Peggy disliked more than
another it was bugging potatoes. She
sighed and began to read. with intense
interest, where she had left OF a mo-
ment before.
Lady Alfreda's beautiful golden hair
was crowned with a tiara Of sparkling
diamonds. Her slender white wrists
we're"
Peggy, Peggy" called Mr.. Hubbard,
peremptorily.
Her slender white wrists" resumed
Peggy, "were clasped with many brace
lets, each of which was set with pre-
cious stones amounting in value TO
many thousands of dollars. Her taper
fingers were"
Peggy, do you hear?" called her
| father again.
! Peggy gave one more regretful glance
at the paper, with its half-page illus
lration, then arose and stalked out into
the yard with sullen slowness. Mr..
Hubbard went around behind the
smokehOuse, whence he presently re-
turned with two old tin pals and two
narrow wooden paddles, which he set
down at her feet.
Il guess you'll have to help me lit
tie while again to-day, Peggy" he said,
but it won't be very hard on you. The
suns gone under clold an don't b.
leeve the bugs is very thick"
Peggy looked disconsoiately at the
pail and the paddle. Her father took
up his own implements of potato bug
torture and began to retrace his steps
toward the potato patch. But Peggy
did not follow.
Il don't Think" she called out bitter
ly, that you've got right TO ask me
to do such work as this"
He turned and looked at her in un
bounded surprise. "She don't think,
he repeated, blankly, that I've got {
right to ask her. Now, who" he con
tinued, addressing his remarks to some
invisible third person, do you thinl
has got right to ask her if ain'tY
For an instant Peggy hung her head
! guiltily. Then, being highly incense,
: by the painful contrast between he
(, own hard lot and that of Lady Alfredo
she looked up and said, with consider
able spirit:
my own father, sir"
There was moments silence. "He
own father" echoed Mr.. Hubbard, q
: length, still directing his conversation
! to the invisible third person. Nov
= will you kindly tell me who is her ow
: father, if aint?'
:, The invisible third person evidentl
% did not feel equal to an explanation c
= the matter and Peggy took it upon hel
! self to answer.
l. 40 do not know, sir" she returne,
- firmly, "but l shall soon find out. 70
70 are not he, | am sure. Where yo
: found me, or how you obtained posse
- sion of me | cannot tell, but of TIL
20 much am positive: you are doing me
NJ great injustice by grinding me dow
m in this manner, and it will not be lor
9. until | win be restored to my-my
rk my"
Peggy paused then in some confusio
She was not quite sure whether the
were the exact words Lady Alfredo Ia
as used when declaring to her captors h
intuitive knowledge of her noble Dirt
O. Peggy had long thought that when 81
I'd proclaimed her identity to the peoI
/" with whom she lived and who elaine
to be her relatives, she would repe
Lady Alfreda's declaration of inc
90 pendence verbatim, and it iuster
DIS her to think that she might have fail
IL to do so. Still, even though she mig
he have made a mistake, she felt that $
is had put it pretty strong. And she c.
tainly had. At least, so it seemed
500 Mr.. Hubbard.
He hurried forward and laid his ha
r tremblingly on her shoulder.
- peggy" he said anxiously, 81
afeard you're losin' your wits, al
Ia you? Don't yo' feel little queer
your head? Think minute. Nc
in don't yoT'
lila Had not Peggys heart been stee
in to an extraordinary degree, it wo
DC have beer melted by the tender sol
it'll tude in his voice AID manner. AS
J, was, she drew back unresponsive ;
'ai' regarded him coldly.
a e"No," she said, I'm not at all sic
s.. father, and I'm ready to help y
- Come on"
'' She gathered up the paddle and |
allotted to her, and led the way to
n nearby corner lot, where the hard-sl
ed black and yellow potato destroy
were making morning meal off
tender, juicy leaves. Mr.. Hubbard
lowed, as one in trance. Neither
CIV nor her father referred to the
mentous subject again that day.
Hibbard's heart and head were fl
with uneasy speculations on the ne'
revealed side of his little daughter S
ture. He was laboriously reyol'
her words in his somewhat dull IN
and striving to comprehend their M
ing. Until he arrived at solution
the problem he would have nothin
say.
As for Peggy, she was too busy
day dreams to talk. She felt comic
she was in reality the child of wea
parents and that the time was nea
hand when she should come into
session of her rightful property.
was what happened to Lady ALT
and other lovely heroines of whom
had read in the weekly illustrated
pers, and it was but a natural col
, sion that she was destined TO enjoy
same good fortune. To be sure,
were many striking differences bet