The times., 1901-04-28

which had comforted his loneliness a
thousand times, maze his soul rise up IN
anguish and rebellion. Had ne 1Ved so
honestly and worked so hard to come on
" to this2 Why not have tithed at least
a part of his masters belongings, when
had passed so constantly through ms
hands, and so known better times? lie d
known many less particular than him
self and they still had roofs OF their own
to cover them without troubling the par
ish. For once dark thoughts possessed
his patient soul-dark thoughts of life, OF
death and even of God In His heaven.
But these could not abide with nm long,
for suddenly he seemed to see his wife 5
last living look, with It's calm oeatltude OF
Derfect trust reproaching him for his bit
terness and want Of faith. Such a remem-
brance had power TO brush ASIDE lhe
clouds of his momentary unbehei, ana ne
was only he3rt-brOken as he reacheu tne
sandy margin of the river in which ne
had bathed as a happy careless Iad. Put
ting down Niiet-for he had no fear that
she would stray from him-he had to
bend his stiff old back painfully to grope
for stones. He had literally TO feel for
them, for the tears We're raining down ms
face If only he could have told her he
was doing it for the best and out of love,
for fear worse things might Delall her
and to prevent her slowly plnlng TO deaih ~ !.
He was pottering slowly about ms
hopeless task when a fisherman, VINO had
been an amazed onlooker from the shad-
ow of a tree Overhanging the water ac-
costed him -,
''HOu seem IN trouble, can 1 ntlp you.
Joe Strengthened himself slowly with a
groan, and his questioner never forgot the
tragedy on the patient, uplifted face. See
ing he was addressed by a 'bettermost
person. he took off his ctp, holding 1t
nervously with both hands. while his thin
grey hairs fiuttered in the breeze.
Il be in sort trouble sir. Eve worked,
man and buoy, sixty year for the squire
t old squire and his father avore 'ee-
and now / be come to this They won't let
/ bide outside t house no longer, so I've
got to go in, and there amt no place for
( Vilet so I'm drowning of her-the faith
fullest critter that ever lived"
He made q deSDaiTing gesture to indi-
! cate the cat. who was rubbing against the
/ Strangers legs as fN1ugh to introduce
herself and implor, aid for her master.
/ The stranger stoOprv TO 'caresS 1t, for in
/ truth the sight Of Old Thorne's distress
I was almost more than he could stand.
She is such pretty cat; is there no help
/ for it,
Joe shook his head. eve arst many,
/ but none amt willen; they've either got
( cats or fierce girt dougs that Nilet can
/ abear. Like me. she's gettin' uplOng; but
il do Zim hard all the ~1a.'
He bent to pick uD last stone and
his hands trembed so { he could hard
/ ly find the mouth of The ferret bag.
You say you have worked on the Man
/ or estate all your working life Do you
/ know the present squire-or. what is more
/ to the purpose. does he know you?"
| II mind him, o course, but since he
come of age he's been home little
| most like a foreigner in the place-heill
not know ! for zartain."
a few more questions were asked and
answered, and then Joe looked anXiously
round, for the sun was Westng fast, and
I he had TO be in the house before it sank
/ Taking Vlet In his arms, he held hei
gently a moment and then tried 10 put
her into the weighted bag, but the task
| was quite beyond him, and he released
/ her to hide his face and try to stihe the
| sobs that were shaking his withered body
| from head TO foot.
Il can't do III" he sobbed wildly. 81
can't do It,"
The fisherman took the bag from him
and waited a few moments.
| I'm do it," he said, kindly. Leave
your little friend to me; III do II when
| you are gone"
! Quite spent with the force OF his own
emotion. Joe looked anXiously TO see IL he