Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-30

that? How had she proved SC faith
less to the trust the old people had
tacitly imposed on her?
She lifted pale, remorSetul face to
Flora.
Ii can't go,' said She, husky.
There's something I've forgotten"
What NONSENSE. screamed Flora
You'll be too late!"
All aboard" yelled the stout man
in the blue-and-gold uniform at the
gangplank,
The drum rolled out, the flies
shrieked joyfully, the paddle wheels
FLASHED again, and the bright flags
iioated away. while Leah hed tumult-
uously back through dew-dripping
thicketS and long stretches of sun
stepped meadow.
The money. the money! 1t seemed
as if her light feet were weighted-as
if every pulsing, sunshiny second we're
an hour. The money! the money!
In sight of the old house, she
stopped aghast. The west window
Michigan roses torn rudely away, a
wooden bench drawn up close to 1t, as
If to serve as step to some one who
desired to effect unlawful entrance.
From the inside she could hear vague,
mutlled sounds, as of hand-to-hand
combat, then a heavy fall,
You villain" roared a voice, so
hoarSe that at first she did not recog-
nize it for George Annis, "Ive got you
now!"
She rushed frantically in.
"George-George, what is it?" she
cried.
With a clothesline which he had
snatched from peg behind the door,
George Anins was binding the arms Of
man who lay painting and pale on
the iioor-the arms of Mr.. David Fer
guson.
Not that Ferguson is his name at
all!' said George, hotly. IT'S Dave
Ferrall, who broke open the factory
till, three years ago, and slipped off
to Canada-only he wore heavy
black beard then, and was dressed like
working man, and now he's mas
querading as a gentleman, with a silk
hat and a smooth-shaven face. The
scoundrel! And he's married to that
Plimpton girl. They work in couples. "
Leah hurried into the other room
The drawer of the old Dutch cabinet
had been forced open. 1t was empty!
She clasped both hands over her
heart.
Don't be frightened, Leah" said
Annis, rising to his feet, and nodding
encouragingly to her. Il met your
folks up on Haddon Hill, as | came
down, and Mr.. Halliday called out to
me that he had the money with him.
He decided at the last minute that it
wasn't quite safe to leave it, with only
a slip of girl like you in the house
and may be villainous tramps around
like this fellow" And he contempt
uously pushed discounted Ferguson
with his foot, Come out on the
porch, Leah; | don't quite like to
breathe the same air with this thieving
cur. | see Billy Locke coming down
the turnpike, and III get him to stop
at the constable's. Wasn't it lucky
that | CHANGED to happen in just as he
was prying the old drawers open with
his jimmy?"
Leah was like her lover-she felt
that she could not draw a free breath
until the burgler was taken off by the
fussy village constable and his assist
ants in an open farm wagon.
But when the coast was clear at last,
she made an open confession OF all
her backslidings to George Annis' in
dulgent ears.
You'll never want to speak to me
again. said she timidly, lifting her
brown eyes to his face.
Leah" said he quietly, II never
loved you more dearly in all my life
before. Do you know. dear, that
came here today to ask you to be my
wife,"
And the two together, in some pic
mic fashion, cooked a dinner that
seemed to them like nectar and am
brosia. and when the old folks re-
turned on the edge of the dust, they
were engaged.
Il sort O. thought II might happen
SO, said Mrs Halliday.