The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-15
1t Was n Very Close Call for Peggy
and Her wealth.
A HUNDRED-DOLLAR BILL.



BY Martha McCuloch Williams.
Help me think! have got to do some
thing I feel $3.50 responsible" Peggy
said to Mabel, who answered sticking out
her chin; II do hope, Peggy Crayshaw,
nobody else won't never die, and leave you
a 800 bill. You amt good for anything
in the world since your father brought it
home"
IF he had just taken it with him.
Peggy sighed; mother wanted him to, but
he said it was safer here. As If anybody
would think of picking pockets at we'd
ding! And they won't be back until al
most night! It's ten miles at least to
Cousin Fanny Gorham's."
Il never saw a 800 bill. Let me look
at yours-if you know where il is?" Mabel
said almost pensively. Peggy gave her
red skirts an airy fiirt saying: cor course
l knew where it IS! Do you reckon they
would not tell me, so / COULDN'T get il first
thing if the house should catch fire?"
Il thought maybe they hid it, until they
could buy you those two cows with it,
Mabel answered, meekly. Peggy smiled.
but said austerely: Mother said I must
not be vain and purse proud, and l don't
mean to be-but it viii be nice to have a
thousand dollars all my own when I'm
81. And father says he will give me the
keep of the cows for the calves, so the
milk and butter In eight years will make
me a nice little fortune"
"Oho! You're like the mlkmald over in
the back of the spelling bookv' Mabel
broke in. Peggy grew very sober. "Its
thinkin about her makes me so uneasy"
she said. Suppose something should go
ba in ba cfp
books something always does happen to
the money, when it is left at home with
nobody but girls to take care of it?"
you surely amt fraid of robbers?" Ma
bel laughed. There never was one in
the county, father says. Nor tramps,
neither
you never can tell what's going to hap
PEN" Peggy said. Anyway. I'm goin'
to get out the money. and we'll study up
where We'll put it, so it shall be perfectly
safe"
why! It's just like any other bill!
thought it would be ever so big" Mabel
touched the spring of the secret drawer,
and drew out a bit of the crisp green pa
per. Together they spread it fat on the
desk, and traced the figures with eager,
happy fingers. you see it's hundred all
right!' Peggy said, with a note Of triumph
which she tried vainly to subdue. Mabel
squinted at ii critically. IF l was you,
I'd pin it right to my under-body," she
said, then it couldn't get lost, and nobody
could find it,"
THAT won't do at all OF course. rob
bers would look in our clothes first thing.
after they didn't find it in the desk" Peg
gy answered. Besides, we're goin in
the orchard for a basket of sweetings, and
IL might work loose
30, l know where it'll be safe! Let's put
it under the Seraphine's new face before
we sew it on. Nobody in the world would
ever find it there" Mabel cried Peggy
heard her almost with envy. Seraphine
was her biggest doll, stout, bunchy rag
damsel, who had a new staring, clean,
white countenance every year of her life.
If the bill, neatly folded, made her face
somewhat bloated, as Mabel said, nobody
that ever lived would guess the reason
for it. Peggy added I'VE mustnt put
her away in the closet or drawer That
might make the robbers think-we'n just
throw her there on the window seat, where
we can keep an eye on her, and we will
look like we had been Playing with her
and had dropped her"
Eyes" Mabel nodded, land if anybody
comes, wei pick her up and slip out 10
the orchard They never can find us If
we get up high where the leaves are SO
thick in the tops of the trees"
Lets go there right now! I'm apple
hungry" Peggy said, reaching for the bas-
ket. Mabel picked up Seraphine, but Peg
gy said with emphasis: Mabel Bert, is
that all the sense you have got? Suppose
we met the robbers right at the door as
we came back? They'd know right off
we had a reason for Juggling Seraphine
around!'
They'd just think we were fond of her.
1 am" Mabel said stoutly, cuddling Seraph-
inc and smoothing her red skirts affec-
tionately. But Peggy snatched the doll,
and flung her against the window seat with
a resOunding thump, then banged the door
behind her and ran with Mabel for the
apples.
They we're gone only minute-at least
it seemed so to themselves but when they
got back, a tail man hailooed Justify at
the gate.
"sayl Come here you young misses
Are the people at this place all dead or
asleep? My name is John Dutch-Pve come
twenty miles to fetch Squire Crayshaw
that flly he said he'd buy last week"
you'll have to ccme in and wait, Mr
Dutch. He won't be home for ever so
long" Peggy said, Hospitality, setting open
the door. Mr.. Dutch shook his head.
his horse and led through the yard gate a
battered hlly, the very prettiest thing on
four hoofs Peggy had ever seen. The
hlly pulled back, then nipped at Dutch as
though she put down her dainty head 20
be stroked
'She is mad with you because you made
her come too fast. See how her TANKS
beave! Peggy said. Dutch smiled oddly
as he answered: IL had to come fast. ]
am bound to go back tonight. and the
days are short now. Say, miss didn't your
father leave the money for me? ] can't
well go without 1.-THE hlly, you see. is
justly partly mine, and 'tother fellows a
cross grained chap that don't trust any
body"
He didn't leave any money at all. but
my hundred dollars" Peggy said, trying
TO speak carelessly. Dutch laughed again.
Funny" he said, but that's just the
price of this beauty. She's worth double
but I-well, don't like to be partner with
a skinhlnt. Suppose you buy the beast.
seem the squire amt here-and then tell
him IL he wants her, why! he must give
you two hundred"
20, Peggy DON'T" Mabel said eagerly.
but Peggy frowned at her. Don't you
- n.