El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-30


look in the corner of that second shelf
and see if there is not a box of preserved
ginger there I shall be much obliged to
you. Joseph always kept preserved gin
ger in that corner
| Marcy laughed as she produced the tin
box. 'You do seem to know where things
are kept in this house." she said, 'and l
don't believe anybody has eaten cheese
and sardines at this time of night since
| you went away"
NO" said he, seating himself at his
| impromptu meal, my brother Horace
| never INDUCES in such improprieties, but
I was always much more imprudent. But,
so far as I can see, my imprudences have
| agreed with me-"
| Marcy was looking at him with great
interest, thinking it must have been a
long time since he had had anything to
| eat, when suddenly she heard a little
| noise. 1t was like a person coming eau
| tiously down stairs. She started and lis
| tened earnestly. There could be no mis-
! take. She heard footsteps on the back
! stairs, the door of which opened not far
from the place where she stood. John
| Brunder stopped eating and half rose
| from his chair.
"Somebody comingY' he whispered.
Now the door of the stairway slowly
| opened, and from behind it protruded the
head of Joseph Buckle, the butler. His
| face was pale, his eyes and mouth were
wide open, and big club, which he
thrust out in front of him, trembled in
his hand. John Brunder rose to his feet
| and pushed back his chair.
"Jo-sephr' he exclaimed. "And, upon
my word, it is the same old Joseph! I
say, Joseph. how do you do?'
The old butler stepped down and stood
motionless on the floor, his big stick III
one hand and lantern in the other. He
looked at Marcy, and then he looked at
John Brunder.
'Mr. Johnv' he exclaimed in a voice
muffled by fright, caution and amaze
ment. Then, turning his head, he added.
"And Miss Margey!'
"Give me your hand, my good 10
seph," said John Brunder. 81 don't won
der you don't believe your senses. But
what are you doing with that club? DID
you think we were burglars?"
81 did, SIR said Joseph. 81 heard
voices, and 7 was sure there was some
body in the house, and so 1 came down.
"Why didn't you bring pistol? What
would you have done with that club if we
had really been burglars?'
"Oh, couldn't bring pistol, sir" said
Joseph. eff / should fire a pistol and
Mrs. Brunder should hear it, there's no
knowing what might happen. So 1 had
to come down with nothing but club"
you're a brave fellow" said John
Brunder, land loyal one, and am glad
for your sake well as for our own that |
we are not robbers. You see, Joseph. / |
have not forgotten where you keep the |
good things to eat.''
Marcy now took pity on the bewilder-
ed butler and told him everything that |
had happened.
''Well, well!' exclaimed Joseph. Tin |
wonderfully glad to see you, Mr.. John |
hnnSo Si,
you went away, sir. Don't you remem-
Der, sir, we used to open the front door |
for the New Year when you lived here" |
"Of course I do said John Brunder
Il always used to have some youngsters
here, and we had fine tines
and if 1 had had any idea, miss, that
you We're used to that sort of thing I'd |
have some down to help you
"Oh. she didn't need anybody's help"
said Mr.. John. "She did it as we'll as an
angel could have done it. If I had gone
back to the village, I believe I should
have been so cross that 1 would have
started for the city early in the morning.
You know that's my way, Joseph
Yes, SIR said the old man, ''and
sometimes it has been pity that it was
your way. But would you like me to go
and waken Mr.. Brunder, sir? 1 think !
can do it without making any STIR
ooh, no, no, mop exclaimed Mr.. John.
Don't think of it. If either of you ever
wants to be reconciled with anybody.
don't make him get out of a warm bed
of a cold night to do it. No, I'll wait
til morning. You can get me into my
old room, can't you, Joseph, without dis
turbing anybody!
''Of course 1 cam" said Joseph. "We'll
go up the back stairs
''Then I'll bid you good night" said
Marcy, ''as 1 can do nothing more for
you
"More!" exclaimed Mr.. John. eff it is
all right between my brother and me to-
morrow morning, there isn't being on
earth who could have done as much. And
1 am very sorry indeed that I have kept
you up so Late With this he picked up
the candle, and he and Joseph escorted
Margey to the foot of the great stairway.
where she bade them good night and
went quietly up in the moonlight
When Marcy reached her room, she
did not go to bed. 1t was very late, not
far from 1 o'clock, but she did not mind
that. Some of the family at home We're
up yet. 1t was the most natural thing in
the world to sit up late on New Years
eve. Then she began to think Of all that
had just happened.
AS she thought and thought the affair
Of the evening seemed like a romance to
her. If all turned out we'll, it would real
y be holiday story. And yet there was
an imperfection in the romance. 1t was
not altogether the sort of story she would
have made if she had been writing it, and
neither was it exactly the sort of real
happening that it would have been if she ,
had arranged it. Mr.. John was as bright ,
and as CHEEKY as anybody could be, but ,
still if she had had the management of .
and was going to make a ro {
nance in real life, which it might just as ,
we'll have been, her own personality
would not have been the only element of {
youth in this pleasant invention. Margey ,