Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-05-12

placed planks which could be most ef-
lectively concealed by Mrs. Strong's
hong trained robes.
Mrs. Martin was to stand guard over
khe smokehouse when 1.-THE plaques OF
Egypt swarmed," which was her rath-
b prolix designation for the entire Fed
eral aany.
II think, honey" she had said, ad-
dressing Liza as the accepted admins
traitor Of affairs II could sass em real
comfortable if they dared to lay hands
ON that little pile Of meat, all we got in
this wide world. ! could Jaw whole
regiment Of EN-"
The professors daughter was to stay
with Annabel and her boy, to pilot
them safely through the vague terrors
Of the coming ordeal. administrator
Martin" assigned this post with many
apologetic expressions
II feel awfully shabby. dear, but no
one else can keep Annabel quiet You
act upon her like All anesthetio She
was hysterical enough before poor
Adrien's death. 1t will take Seth and
Uncle Dolbear both to get what little
stock there is left run into the woods
Mamma must try to save our pitiful pile
Of meat, and as for the madam, she will
be too full Of Adrien for another thought
As for myself, will skirmish round
generally-a sort of free lance, you
know"
Rover in croquet," said Mamie,
preferring comparisons that meant
something within range of her own ex.
perience
And now the time for executing all
these carefully prepared plans had ar
rived. Liza, sitting ut the clumsy little
hand loom in the deserted overseer's
house, weaving plantation spun yarn
into dress material for the fastidious
mistress Of Sans Souci. had seen cloud
Of dust rise suddenly above the tall
weeds that outlined the grass grown
wagon road across the fields.
There was no applicable cause for
that golden haze but one. On all Of
Sans Souci's broad acres beasts enough
to raise 1t could not be found. Seth, she
knew, was blowing the potato patch,
which meant so much to them in those
days, with their one horse. She had
helped him tie the untrustworthy har-
ness together with bits Of cloth before
breakfast. Old Dolbear had gone to the
woods for stove wood, with their only
other beast Of burden, KNOCK Kneed
Jimmy, mule with very long ex-
perienoe Of this troubled sphere That
swiftly advancing column Of dust could
mean but one thing. In intense excite
ment she flung the shuttle from her,
and, mounting the loom bench, shaded
Der eyes with one unsteady hand while
she peered across tho weed choked fields
The weeds grew lower and thinner
about the big quarter lot gate, and when
IT, that cloud Of dust. paused for them
30 loosen the rusty chains that bound
gate and post together 1t would be time
Tor her to "draw in her picket line"
She must see first, however, what that
dust was produced by.
A confused vision Of horses heads and
eisored caps The horses did not belong
10 Sans Souci, and the caps were not
gray. That was enough. Thank heaven,
more than two miles lay between her
and them yet. Perhaps they would stop
TO burn the barns and the gin. She hop.
Cd they might. 1t would prolong the
moment for preparation. Give them a
little more time to get ready for-what?
With arrowy speed she made her way
from the loomroom to tho big house,
bursting In upon the others with that
hreathless cry, "They have come"
1t was the work Of second to sweep
the loose silver from the sideboard in
the dining room into the ample home
spun apron that almost enveloped her
slim figure, and then, with Mamie Col
yer close behind her, she sped up the
long central stairway to find hiding
places for it.
Mrs Martin, frantically grabbing for
the smokehouse key that "never had
been hung so high BEFORE" sent On ad-
monition after her.
LIZA, your bustleP'
Without slackening her speed Liza
flung reinsurance behind her. "That's
all right Have been wearing it for q
week.
my Lawd" This ejaculation of hor-
ror, not Of piety, came from Mrs. Mar
tin
tits more'n enough to give you cur.
ryture of the spine or something else
spiney, Liza Martin, wearin pad with
100 $40 goldpieces quilted into It, You
oughtn't to put it on, child. till you was
'bliged to-"
"There, there, minnie, please don't
worry about my spine. It's all right"
She paused on the stairway just long
enough to fling kiss from the tips Of
her fingers toward the two anxious
faces uplifted from the hall below. Pres
emily they could hear her disposing Of
the loose silver with careful carelessness
under the heaps Of dried palmetto that
strewed the floor Of the upper hall, in
the bags Of wool that Seth had robbed
their few remaining sheep of, and any
where else her ingenuity could devise.
Annabel's door opened and closed
softly, and Mamie Colyer Joined her be-
fore the task was completed.
There now," said Liza, stuff1ng the
last fork In crevice behind an unmov-
able clothes press, "unless they get to
kicking that palmetto and wool about
tor pure malice they will never suspect
what Is under II. I"
Then they stood silently waiting and
listening with fast beating hearts The
moment was too intense for common
place. The storm, whose mutterings in
tlp distance they had been listening to
with strained attention for SO long, was
about to burst upon their own heads
They looked into each others eyes
lovingly, oonfdingly, and in that brief
both found fresh strength.