Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-02-13
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49,

guineas, and pieces of eight, and know
not what besides, all shaken together
at random. The guineas, too, We're
about the scarcest, and it was With
these only that my mother knew how
to make her count
When we We're about halfway
through, j suddenly put my hand upon
her arm, for had heard in the SILENT
frosty air sound that brought my
heart into my mouth-the tap tapping
of the blind mans stick upon the frozen
road 1t drew nearer and nearer,
while we sat holding our breath. Then
1t struck sharp on the inn door, and
then we could hear the handle being
turned and the bolt rattling as the
Wretchcd being tried to enter; and then
there was a long time of silence both
within and without. At last the tap
ping recommended, and TO our indie
scribable joy and gratitude died slow
lS away again until 1t ceased to be
heard.
Mother" said 7, take the whale
and let's be going" for I was sure the
bolted door must have seemed sus-
ptcious. and would bring the whole hor-
nets nest about our ears, though how
thankful | was that / had bolted it
none could tell who had never met
this terrible blind man.
But my mother, frightened as she
was, would not consent to take q frac-
ton more than was due to her. and
was obstinately unwilling to be content
With less. 1T was not yet seven, she
said. by long way; she knew. her
rights and she would have them; and
she was still arguing with me. when a
little low whistle sounded q good way
off among the hills. That was enough,
and more than enough, for both of us.
I'm take what 1 have" she said
jumping to her feet.
And I'll take this to square the
count" said 1. picking up the oilskin
packet.
NeXt moment we were both crop
ing downstairs. leaving the candle by
the empty chest; and the next we had
opened the door and We're in full retreat
We mad not started n moment too soon.
The fog Was rapidly dispersing; all
ready the moon shone quite clear on the
high ground on either side; and it was
only in the exact bottom of the dell
and round the cabin door that thin
Veil still hung unbroken to conceal the
first steps of our escape. Far less than
half way to the hamlet, very little be-
You'd the bottom of the hill. we must
come forth into the moonlight. Nor
was this all: for the sound of several
footsteps running came already to our
ears, and as we looked back In their d.
rection. a light tossing to and fro, and
and still rapidly advancing, showed
one of the newcomers carried a Ian
tern.
My dear" said my mother, sudden
ly. take the money and run on. l am
going to faint"
This was certainly the end of both
of us thought. How i cursed the
cowaidice of the neighbors; how I
blamed my poor mother for her honesty
and her greed, for her past foolhardi-
ness and present weakness. We were
just at the little bridge. by good for
tune; and 1 helped her. tottering as
she Was. to the edge of the bank where.
sure enough. she gave n sigh and fell
on my shoulder. l do not know how
/ found strength to do 1t at all, and
az, afraid 4 was roughly done, but /
managed to drag her down the bank
and little way under the arch Fur
Their could not move her, for the
bridge WAS too low to let me do more
than crawl below 1t. So there we had
TO stay-ny mother almost entirely ex-
posed, and both of us within earshot
Of the inn.