The sea coast echo., 1900-02-03
COMPROMISED.

low eH Is mine sun, auu i luteuu ~
keep it. Everything else they have
taken away from me, because some
loggerheaded old ancestor of mine
signed his name to deed John B.
Robinson instead of John c. Robin
sou. As if one letter of the alpha
bet could make any difference! I've
no patience with people! The majesty
Of the law, indeed! Pshaw!"
But if the rest of the property be-
longs to your Cousin Robinson, SO
does the tower" suggested Mrs. Mil
roy.
II can't help that, said Mis- Isidora.
Here [ am, and here l mean to stay,
law or no law"
Mrs. Milroy opened her weak eyes.
Feeble as kitten herself, she could
scarcely comprehend such valiant re-
solution in another.
"But if they come here with the
sheriff, and posse comitatus, and q
writ OF his habeas corpus?" she fall
tered.
Then, said Miss Isl lora, they'll
have to clear ont again. Common
sense is common sense. The house is
mine, and | mean to keep it. I've got
new bolts and bars to all tho doors,
and [ keep a kettle of boiling water
on the stove night and day, and my
friend, Nj. Jetfreys, who is clerk in a
law Office, has given me the hint never
to let in a man with q bag,
why not?" breathlessly questioned
Mrs. Milrov.
Don't you see:" said Isidora, snap
pishly. Because it will be full Of
law papers NErits and summoases,
and all that sort of thing
"Ohn said MIS-. Milroy.
The Tower was hers, and the tower
she meant to keep and Rebecca,
her little maid, was stricken with
GREATNESS admiration for her warlike
qualities.
"But, of course, ma'am," SAID
Rebecca, nobody can stand against
the law"
"pI see whether they can or not!"
said Miss Isidora Ives. BE sure You
keep the kettles we'll filed, Rebecca,
and don't let the fires go out day or
night"
And whenever she received through
the mail letter with a legal appear
ance. or an envelope crested with the
firm address of Messrs. Tape 4 Str
iugnam, her cousin Robinson S
lawyers, she Invariably poked it be-
tween the bars of the CRATE, and
smiled vindictiyely to see the blaze.
"What are we to do with such q
case as this?" said Tape, when he
heard all this.
Put in sheriff's officer at once, ="
saii St.ingLam. The woman is a
trespasser, aud has teen al her life "
NO, no, no." said Mr.. Tape. bland
lv. shes woman. No harsh mea-
sures. It is Gideon Eobinson's ex-
press injunction that all courtesy be
shown to the defendant Wen try
something else before We proceed to
extremities.
And one pleasant October afternoon
when the air was all blue mist, and
the setting sun shone as if through a
medium of opaque gold, the landlord
OF the Toplady Arms came putting up
the hill with stout pleasant-faced
gentleman, and rang the bell, which
echoed like a double chime through
the tiny tower.
go away!' said Miss Isidora, from
the window, spying the tops of two
hats.
,'Oh. ma'aml" squeaked Rebecca
over her shoulder. ''sha!l I get the
gun?'
Il leg pardon, maam," said the
60 away, [ say" sternly repeated
Miss Is;dora Ives. ''Rebecca, bring
in that kettlel I'll have you to under
stand that am not to be trihed
with "
But by this time mine host of the
Toplady Arms had simultaneously re-
covered his breath aud his presence
of mind,
Miss Ives, be pufed, stertorous-
ly, don't be frustrated. It's only
Israel jenkins"
BLESS the mans heart"' said Miss
Isidora, why didn't he say so before?
And what on earth did you want here,
Jenkins?"
Its a lodger, Miss Ives," said
Jenkins, who had married Miss Isl
dora's old nurse, and somehow felt
himself to be connected with the
family.
"A-Iodger?" repeated Miss Ives.
This isn't a clearinghouse, man
alive"
"Yes'm I'm quite aware of that, -
said Israel, meekiy. And where no
ofense is intended, it's hoped as
none will be took But, knowing as
you was alone a1d unprotected--"
'T don't know what you call IN
protected" bnsqueiy interrupted
Miss Ives. I've got a loaded gun
and q six-gallon kettle OF boiling
water here.
And, mildly went on Israel Jen-
ki4s, This ere gentleman, a M.
Marshall of Alabama, wanted pleas
ant lodging in the neighborhoo1,
which meals could be took at the Top
lady Arms though our apartments is
ali occupied with the gentry as come
~ 4A0li lhl SAOpt, tAkOuSd oSloDcE-
aud Noyember-and it might tie con-
ISOLATION to you, Miss Ives. to have a
gentleman about the premises.
Mr. MARSHALL proved himself quiet
and peaceable member of the little
household. He liked do Is, and allowed
Miss Ives King Charles spaniel to
sleep. undisturbed, amid the papers
on his table.
He was partial to birds, aud entered
at once into the most friendly of ALI.
ances with the parrot and the macaw.
He grated Miss Isidora's orange tree
for her, and showed her new wav to
train her wax plants.
And at the end OF four weeks Miss
| Isidora put into execution a plan
which she had been forming.
''Mr. Marshall" she said. sit's n
great deal of trouble for you to 90
three times day tramping down that
long hill to the Toplady Arms aud
back again. You are no longer .
stranger TO us here Va bayo -.