Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-12
.MY God, Ben Johnson. bat haye

you come to this!'
Il was the voice Of . woman. She
had knelt beside him and uttered the
words before he could obey the impulse
to spring mp The voice was familiar to
him, and the face Of the woman, half
brought out by the bullseye, was not
strange to him. No, not the face Of .
woman, but that Of . girl not over IS
years old. Il was very pale a. he found
it within two feet of his own, and the
big blue eyes had look Of horror In
them as they gazcd into his black ones.
He had been so suddenly and 70 com.
pletely surprised that he was rendered
stupid for moment
"Benl Benl Do you know where you
are-what you are doing9" whispered
the girl as shc laid hand on the arm
outstretched to pull the door open.
AYE, you mink. It's you, is it?" he
Rrowled as he drew q breath Of relief.
"Of course know what I'm doing. /
could have got along without You had
you been asleep, but as you are here I'll
make use of you. ! suppose the old gal
is asleep in her bedroom? II she's got
anything worth taking in there. want
you to fetch it to me"
''Ben Johnson turned burglarv gasp
ed the girl. ben Johnson here in her
lndyship's private rooms to rob her! Oh,
Ben, can't te awake and in my senses!
You surely haven't become SO desperate
all mt once.
keep quiet, you foolr' he hissed NJ
he dropped his arm to take hold OF her
wrist with savage grip II told you
last Sunday that nobody would give me
q show and that I intended to do for
myself. Because I've been man enough
to take what belonged to me I've been
sent to the Jail and outlawed. This
very Lord Dudley. who has no more
right to wealth than l have, has had me
watched and bounded and marked down
for q bad man.
"But you turned poacher. Ben, she
replied. "and you refused TO work like
other young men,.
"Poacherl Aye, that's the law Of the
country as made by these bigwigs. II
. poor man wants bit Of game now
and then. he must risk the Jail TO get
Ii. But what are you doing hcre!"
'Her ladyship is i'll tonight, and 1
am sitting up with her, She is asleep
Just now, but may awake at any mo-
ment. Ben, listen to me. Go away. Go
the way you came, and none but MS
shall ever know that you entered the
castle.
"Are you fool. Nary" he sayagely
exclaimed. II came for the swag, and
I'll not go without it!'
"And we love each other-have passed
our words and are 10 be married in the
fallr' she moaned as she put out both
hands to seize the arm he had extended
again.
''More's the reason why l should
make the haul. haven't had enough
money the past three months to pay the
wedding fee. Hands of, you idiot"
Ben, do you love me!'
4uio IN III III
sense Go fetch any stray jewels from
the old gals room while clean out
this box. ="
lyon shall not touch it! You shall
go awayi Go now--at once-or ! will
call for help!"
"D'ye see this?" he whispered az he
drew long, keen knife from its sheath
and flashed IL before her eyes.
AYE, see it, Ben Johnson, and
would to God you had driven it to my
heart before learned how base and un.
worthy and wicked you had become!
Father and mother were right, and l
have been headstrong and obstinate.
Both of them have always distrusted
you--have said that you were bad ut
heart
~ don't care curse what they have
thought nor for your own opinion either.
am here for the swae, and I'll
have it and your life as well il you
trouble me further. Hands of! Get
away, wench"
Had il been another man in the place
a Ben Johns n, the girl would have