The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-06-01

swebifg.
He ktew hims,lt helpless 10 the fsce
these rufiiss. IN II VAS otlg himself
would defy ID, M Bat ie lad one arm,
wlfe, three daughters sal house, all
The mercy Of ,hnse Who kres DOT mercy
ame. There MAS noiiitg to d. bat &
thrfulh the inevitsbe IS qaick'y /. pos
he. Without Visiting fer sanswtr to b
s,iot. Le tuiBtd TO his wife, ,arlal
kary, dear, 80 90 TO the asrden--if
slrs are thee. f,li them cot to he u
easy EbAll soon A ish ihs buaieeIs
have with lbes --genilsmen."
The last word. c,me viii q little ,curiot
smile, |. flhhel, gsllifg 10 the auerril
esptsiu AID hs lleu,ensnt.
you woL'l do 10 sueh thing, Mrs. Al
son" soper ,sid. "w,'ll have dinner.
reckon can iasite myself ard the boys
seein' veal, ytur folks and me, air ste
ole friends
"There me my dsushtera," Yrs. All
son said. gIsvely, Is Mary ard Jenny dsr
d through The gate ard ran toward ,b
front entrance. S0u can have diuIer, Q
course-sii ce We ,slnot pr, vent H."
"Stcp yer foa In, scpo 2" Hodges said
srgrily then 10 Csp ain A'l.sori "Yor
sir, show up This molty We know you's
got II, In your safe hidintpisce. Give U
that ard wen cut cut quick as ever W
can"
MARY. VII youietch I r. Captain Al
llson Mked
Soper and Hodses both spfsng to tn
door, crying IN ore breath, ave can't hss
that Wen 20 af.er It ourfelveG--and TAX
you slong. NJ ybe thai's some other littl
matters-br,sst. pins aud gold wateLes-w,
might stumble OF that we'd hate like pizel
to leave 5ehind."
"Just as you ssy--gentl'men," Captain
Allison answered, with the same besitanc,
over the last word. Ii iniuTiated Soper
who turned halt about, shouting to tht
three sentlnels standing In the yard, "Start
tight, boys! I'm goin' to eat with the sris
tocracy; your turn ntIt-when j gel
through, and instantly he strode into The
big dining-room.
The table stood ready. with dinner hall
upon 1t, and Black Nanny waving q fly.
brush Of peacock feathers solemnly over it,
She did not stir at Soper's orders, but when
her mistress tpo Ike from the hall, she set
food before him.
Hodges took the chair opposite, and for
FIVE minutes ate wolfshly then pushed back
bis plate and rose, saying, Lets 60 &c.
that cash, cap'n, before we call In the
rest"
Soper rose, his mouth ard both hands
full. He did not speak until they ware In.
eide the big spare chamber; then he said:
III you.all had bad sense enough to treat
us well, Csp'n Allison, let US cit down and
talk, an re. .cog-nlz,d u, as friends-why,
il would have been money In your pockets.
We'd have been plumb sati'fl,d with poor
five hundred apl, ,ce."
Csptsia Allison said nothing. His single
hand, bis left. was busy with the keys Of a
tall, almost blat X ,msht gany chest Ct draw
erf. with claw feet and the most beautiful
glass drawer handles. As he pulled open
he lowest drawer q fine faint fragrance Of
dried rosc-l,aves came from 1t.
"Lift IL out" he said to Hodges. ut lie
Loo heavy for a one-armed man, and the
secret drawer 10 underneath"
"You thought we'd never find II, eb,
,apn'" Soper eaid, j,untily, as Hodges
,ent to the task. Captain Allison's OILY
answer was to stoop and press hard upon
concealed spriDg. As he heard a pan el
lick he got up, saying, "Since cannot
lelp II, help yourself"
Soper made to thrust 10 his hand first,
,ut Hodges fang It aside, and himself grip
,ed all he could Of the contents. There
we're parcels CT many shapes. wrapped In
,uekskin, ard heavy enough to promise
'alue, but nothing that looked like the
money they had heard Of. He dropped to
'ls knees, and wrencbed out the whole
rawer.
He overturned It upon the floor at his
eet, then snarled out, $50 you thought
ou'd trick US. you old scoundrell Wbar's
hat money! You'll hang from yer own
lszzer, and mighty quick, unless you hand
/ over ~
what! Amt 1t thar, Hodgesf' Soper
ried, kneellng to rummsge through the
liter.
He ripped the parcels open furiously, re-
ealing here gold watch, there q child's
ecklsce, now diamond ring, now tiny
liver spoon, older than the Revolution.
Captain Allison looked on mutely until
be ravsger came to package small and
Rht. Then he said with dry lips, "Let
,e have thst-please. On my honor as
It contains nothing you would
are for-only the thoes Of our little boy
hat died, Ny wife"
He stopped there, afraid to trust hs voice.
he little boy was iast JAeky Soper's sgs
aeky, indeed, had worn out nearly all the
-etty garments be left behind. With
ard breath the father went on:
"Tbe money must b, there. We put II
! last night, my wife and |, and have not
ouched It since. Lux under the bureau.
! I. rot a big package the bills tho mselyes
re sll pretty big. SO you may have
,rown II cut
No, didh't.' Hodges protested, ss he
roptd underneath, yet found nothing.
s,ptr pulled lin uprish', snoring con.
"We'il bsvs out them other
rswers and turn this whole thsbsng in,iie
", but veil nod II. IL was bore IL dIan't
he wirss and a away. I,ell you, Csp'o |
llI,ou, you better pfoduce it-sB1 quick
q ls.e TO hurt ye.-Dy nanny does
,ink tie most o. you an our folk, but
,e an the boys sin't 10 70 humcr 10 be