Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-10-29

sEom Flint. Her face vas frn Of
eager purpose.
81 came e Roddy Zoo, make bow
- quick-to the man-to get you 10
mortgage the baby" she raid. "If
you please, she added, in polite after
thought.
Mr.. Flint stared astonished.
"Hey2'
80 mortgage the baby-him, You
know" prodding Roddy Docs fat
cheek with her finger. 81 want him
mortgaged right of--if you please.
It's the way they do when--when they
haven't any more money left, isn't itg'
she asked, eagerly. She had gone up
quite close to h.m and was peering
wistfully into his stern face. Roder-
ick Dhu, on tiptoe, reached up and
cluched his dangling watch chain with
murmur Of approval. The little
moist, velvety hand touched his for
an instant on lis way.
The girls anxious face close to his
face, the baby's touch uufamiia ly,
oddly pleasant, and, al owe al, the ex-
traordinary prol osal, combined to-
g ther to produce strange eff, ct upon
tiershom Flint's sen es. If he had
ever criel or laughed in his life he
would have better understood the con
fusion of sensations. As it was he
merely waited for further develop
ments. What would come next?
won't you do it2" ask ell TiIly, a
little note of apprehension in her
voice. "He's a beautiful baby to
mortgage. wisht you wouidi'
"ion wish ] wenld, hsy? Mort
gage the baby, hey? Come here, little
chspp
Gershom Flint actually lifted the
child to his knee in an awkward, I'M
accustomed way Little amused
wrinkles were beginning to radiate
from the corners Of his eyes-stiifiy,
as if the skin were unused altogether
to the process. A warm spot some
where in Gershom Flint's heart was
ma lifesting Itself insistently. He
ran his fingers lightly over the wrig-
Cling baby body as il testing its sound
ness.
"What do you value him at?'' he
asked, gravely,
"W-wha'?" quaverel lilly, look
ing blank.
SIN not accustomed to mortgage
for more than two-thirds the value.
So / must know what price you set on
the youngster-how much you think
he's worth, that is. z"
"Ohl" breathed Tilly. Her brows
we're knit in puzzled thought. She
looked at Roddy Doc with all her love
in her eyes and an anxious quiyer in
her chin. The tiny fellows h ad was
nestled against Gershom Flint's coat,
as he clinked the gold chain, with
soft repetition, against the buttons.
''He's worth everything there
is--to me- said lilly, slowly
Exactly" Gershom Flint nodded
gravely. "Well, | viii mortgage him
at two-thirds of his value, interest at
six per cent, payable quarterly. Does
that suit you, hey?"
"0h, yes--oh, | thank you so muchi
An needn't put him in any dredful
's.lum--no. no. mol Roddy, Roddy
Doc, do you hear, darlin'2 You're
goin' to stay right with lilly an be
tied to Tilly's clothesline?'
Gershom Flint uttered a queer gut
tural sound. Roderick Dhu was
asleepl His little hand slowly re-
laxed about the watch chain and fell
with a soft slap to the big hand under
meath. Through the thick coat his
little head felt pleasantly warm.
When Tilly went home that after
noon she carried, tightly held against
her breast, little role of mortgage
money" that meant home and Roddy
Doc and all things beautiful to her.
She hid the most Of it away with care
full prudence and only resorted to il
under actual stress of neei. For little
| Tilly Gamble carried on her narrow,
thin shoulders wise head of her own.
She went patiently about among the
neighbors seeking work, sqnaring the
,hin shoulders and trying to look
grown up" and capable. 1t was
/ discouraging quest for the most part,
but Tilly kept rersistently, s.ubbornly
at it till she found, here and there,
little tasks to do that helped to make
Roderick Dhu's mortgage "spend."
But the little hidden hoard dwindled
in spite Of Tilly. There was the in
terest money--that came out of it
every month-and every month, with
precise regularity, lilly and Roddy
Doc, shining and clean, paid it to
| Gershom Flint.
He came to anticipate their coming
with more interest than he would CON
fess to his dogged old heart. 1t grew
to be the one bright, fresh spot in his
lonesome existence - the sight Of
Tilly's pain, honest little face and
Roddy Docs nestle on his knee. Be
tween times, too, he kept the children
in view, quietly and with feeling of
responsibility that greatly astonsn
himself.
Once he made them call at the
shanty house. He had heard that its
owner was planning to tear it down
and rebuild in a short time. The
news disturbed him unaccountably.
lilly was ironing, piece1 ont by the
l odit IVA. LAt baof P'ttNN Oet " thC
clothesline, was placidly making mud
pies outside the kitchea door. He
held one up to Gershom Flint with
prompt politeness, pressing it upon
him.
ssNo, thank you, I've had my din
ner, Roderick Dhu. Where's your
sister, eh?'
Tiny appeared at the door, rolling
down her sleeves precipitately.
s'Oh, Mr.. Flint, she said, won't
you walk right in? I'll wash Roddy
Doo's face an unite him. Won't you
take a chair?"
Gershom Flint's keen eyes looked
over Tilly's head at the kitchens bare
ness and tiny dimensions. He noticed
how clean 1t was. He saw the salt
box. and it appealed with dumb pa
thos to him. And this was the home
they were going to be turned out of
'.No. No, l won't come in" he
said, slowly II was going by and
| thou.sht I ,vould atom and see IL nv