New-York tribune., 1897-01-10

and when she was alone she shed rev tear'
but I'm goin' to be firm jest the same, she
said rolling up the calico with steady hand
II was on Thursday Of the following week
that Mr.. I.orin's horse and buggy came into the
Droppers yard. and the squire presently EN-
tered. -
81 knew Mr.. Droppers was away, and I'm
ready to nay over that money he said wnen
he had seated himself in the kitchen. where Han
nah was making cider applesauce
She resoutey suppressed an incination 10
trembe. She could not speak so she only looked
at the squire. ,.,
.I've brought you the bills instead Of check x. :,
he went II thought you'd like the p'''S
better" o,
yes. I should" she answered. She watched
him count them There were four one-hundred-
dollar notes. three tens and siXty-ive cents III
change.
Ee gave her a piece of paper to sign. She was
Obliged to try three times before she could con-
troll her hand sufficiently to dare 10 put tne pen pen
10 the paper ard. when she did so at last. her
signature looked like that of an old woman.
MIR Lo,in said something. she did not know
what. Then he rose and left her alone
He had put the money In little pile on tne
table She had not yet touched 1t. Now she hastily
drew the curtains and locked the doors Ihen
she sat down and took the money In her hands'
She counted It: she strOked the crisp paper sne
iingled the change. She raised her glittering
eyes and said boldly. in loud voice:
II don't care; it's mne-its mne n I've
right to have IT,
She spoke deiiantly presently sic saiu
again:
IT'S rlnc--every cent of it
.rIl have that nowin' blue dinner set bime-
Her checks were very red. She put the back
Of her cold hand up against one cheek ana 'hen
The clock seemed to tick more rapidly than
ever and before she had thought ten minutes
had passed an hour had gone by There was
a knock at the front door.
w. with the money in her apron. and went to
the door. She opened ii crack and shook her
head to a man who said he had a new kind or
needles 10 sell. She watched him go away.
She had begun to try to think where sne
should hide this treasure. Her mind ran over
places. at the barn and house ana rejected 'hei"
all
At last she folded tha carefully in thick
brown paper. emptied the contents of the sugar
box into tin pan. placed the package IN tn-
bottom of the box. and then poured the sugar
back She set the box in its place. AS she
stood gazing at 1t she heard the sound OF wheels
in the yard. That old Charley's trot; she
would know that trot anywhere. Mr.. Droppers
had come home more than an hour earlier than
she had expected him. Instantly the sugar box
assumed a suspicious appearance to her-more
than that it even seemed to proclaim. somehow.
that there was the sum Of S4}0 81 in the bot
tom of it, under the sugar. She hurriedly
placed folded tabecloth in front Of the box.
and she pumping water rather aimessly
into the sink when her husband entered. He
had a couple Of squashes In his hands. and he
remarked. as he put them the table. that
Zeb Bates was always braggin' that turban
s1uashcs were better than Hubbards; n Zeb
had made him take these to try.
"When you use um. Hannah. wish you'd
the seeds. | declare" noticing what his
wife was doing. you must like to pump bettern
do. II twas a dry time there wouldn't be no
water left in the we'll"
Mrs. Droppcrs let fall the handle of the
pump. She glanced toward the buttery door.
which open. She saw the tablecloth in
front Of the box. Then it occurred to her that
her husband might think 1t was odd that the
cloth was in that place. She sorry she had
left it there. She wanted to hurry and remove
it, but she did not do She moved delber-
ately. took off the teakettle cover and looked in.
Mr.. Droppers unWinding a brown COM
fOrter from his neck.
IT'S gittin awful chilly he said Every day
think it's gon to snow, n every day IT don't.
I met Squire Lorin' between here n the Cor
ncrs. | asst him if 'twant bout .me for the last
payment or your fathers prop';y.'
Mrs Droppers stopped to see If there were any
chips in the bottom Of the woodbox. behind the
stove With her head thus bent she inquired:
What d he say?'
He said twas time. He 'peared to be in such
a hurry that couldn't put any more questions;
he drove right on. Squire's all right but he's
terrible slow bout bringing anything = pass
wish you'd git that tea -kitle to boilin'. Hannah.
for want to give the hoss n warm mash. He's
a little off his feed
Mr. Droppers went out to unharness: his wife
filed the stove with wood. From being red. her
cheeks had gone pale. She leared her hands on
the table staring down at the turban squashes.
II don't see why should feel exactly = If I'd
stolen that money" she whispered. Il couldn't
feel no different If I'd broke open somebody's
house m taken $40 60 IT makes me mad to
feel So when it's mine
She glanced up at the butterv. I'll take that
tablecloth away from that sugar-box."
She removed the cloth. and che gave the box
careless push. 'to make 1t look natural But,
strange to say. she could not make ii look nat
ural
When Mr. Droppers came in fnr the not water
he reverted to Squire Iorin' and expressed a
wish that somebody else hal been executor of
that will
why" said Mrs DrOppers with some spirit,
you've just got 500 from fathers prop'ty."
She wanted to spur herself on 10 "A little more
courag geous state of mind.
The next week passed with great apparen.
calmness the only incident being "A call from
Mrs Blair who came ostensby to return the
cup of empty wings. During this call Mrs. Drop
pers informed her friend that she felt If she
were ''settin' on a kag of gunpowder with slow
match burnin' up toward ii.
~ il makes me mad. when it's my
money" with some fierceness.
You don't mean you've got 1t, Hannah Drop
pers?" cried Mrs. Blair
Yes. do. " it's jest as lad as If I'd stole it
7 declare d'know what shall do
The speaker sat down opposite her guest and
said that made her backbone creep n crawl"
Mrs Blair. "All you've got 70 do is jest to be
firm"