The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-06-24

resented an attack upon her own reputation.
''She works hard. I've seen her in the
dead o winter, with both these windows
open, walkin' up an down this room with
the sweat runnin' off of her face. [ We
seen her sit down on the floor an sob till
it near shook her to pieces because she
couldn't speak her words the way that she
wanted to. She earned those diamonds,
she gels big pay, an she has TO have EN-
to wear on the stage
Il don't care how she got EN-, he
broke in. Il know how you an me can
| get em. There Il never be another chance
! like this
Tom. she pleaded, Il do honestly
care lot about you If You care anything
about me now your time to show II.
Don say another word ike You We been
sayiD' What the use We d both be
miserable We ain / thieves neither one
of us If there d been any thief about me
YOU wouldn't have had much show with
your stepladder, Tom. I'd a had a biz
start o you.
Wilson drew in hard breath ike long
gasp.
''You don care nothn' about me, he
said ''You never did | didn't have
any money couldn't take you out
An you was always tied to the house any
way. That's the way with women.
They -
Tom, said she, ''you re talkin' crazy.
| never took any pains TO fool You about
it. You could see how felt. All ever
asked o you was that you should 20 to
work steady an not hang around at odd
jobs-a days work for Mrs Booth an i
day somewhere else next week. II you
wan, me you know how to get me-eyen
now, after this Why. Tom, there amt
anything in stealin there sin't anything
into it at ali An ! know because We
tried Look at this
She picked the small stone out of the
plate
II did my best To see If couldn pinch
thar little biz Of ii moud she eoutin-
ued, ''an eoaldn' t.
Il cam be cried aud clutched at it,
bat she eluded him
She stepped back from the window and
stood trembling, the pallor struggling With
the flush of the heat upon her thin cheeks
and shining temples Her blue eyes were
big aud bright, and they looked him
through and through.
Then this Is our finish, Tom, she
said. Il never knew you before. IL
would a been just like me to make
mistake that would a done for me for
ever. guess this is my lucky day. |
don feel much as if il was, but there
can he any better luck for girl than to
End out her mistake before she makes 1t.
lie leaned in from the window sill,
thrus,ing his face as near to hers as posi-
bic.
Are you euiu' to stand in nay way ?
be whispered
"Meg' she said ooufas~dly Me stand
in year wayy
II u, soin to have those ii monds,
said be Its for yon to say whether
you u sgueal on me or keep still.
His voice sounded sharp and hard He
was in deadly earnest Annie was fright
eaed. hearthrokeu and angry all together,
Don eount on me, Tom, she said
This Is cur finish I've said that once
before, an mean it, | nj done
lie gathered himself up IN the window,
watching her with dire intehtns~s.
You can get out o here, he said.
There nobody in the lower part o the
house You aeedn'i know anything about
this go. Now's your chance.
Don fool yourself, - she retoried an
gTily II IN stayin right here
Ills face took on peculiar expression.
She saw that his lower Tip was between
hi teeth, and suddenly there was blood
upon it. The next instant he sprang at
her He had made his plan upon the as
sumption that she would Try To run away,
and perhaps this error accounts for the sur
prising sequel. Annie did not run; she
advanced The collision between them
occurred very much earlier than Mr.. vii
son anticipated. He was oyerbalaneed;
he lost the battle aud vanished FROM the
scene If il There was a horrible crash oi
the s,epladder, and Wilson lay for few
seconds quite still amid its ruins, while
Annie, weak with fright, hung over the
window sill She had not intended to
push Tom out Of the window; she had
merely accepted combat with true courage
A voice from above cried Fob de
lub o heaven And Annie, looking up
ward, saw the ebony countenanee of Mrs.
Booth cook
Tom climbed up ON the ladder to speak
to me, said the girl. ''1'om, YOU ain t
hurt? Say you ain hurt.
Wilson sat upon the ground and glared
up at her.
I'm no such liar as that, said he,
with unconscious humor.
1t was passing through his mind that the
game was up, that Annie explanation was
the only way of discretion and that he was
lucky to be alive He struggled 10 his
feet aud began To brush his clothes. At
this moment Annie heard voice behind
her.
''Why, it's Annie Johnson Now, ism t
this the greatest luck I'd lost your ad
dress
Marcia Colbert was standing in the
doorway, a vision of lovelineSs in the eyes
of poor Annie.
Il hadn't ought to have come in here,
said the girl, ''but knocked, an |
thought | heard your voice. An after
got in | waited because-because -
well, I'm mighty glad you did, said
Miss Colbert 1--WE some clothes for
you-about dray load, should judge.
don know how you'll carry them.
She removed gold chain from around
her neck. 1t had supported a little bag
which was so full of money that it burst
open when it was dropped upon the table.
Beholding the display of green notes, An
ME passed into species of trance, which
was 50 long continued that it attracted Miss
Colbert attention.
tIve Just drawn some money for
clothes, - said she 'Had to have it, An
ME. I've got to buy costumes in terri
BILE hurry, and hadn't cent. So what
could the poor manager do?
Intensity of thought wrinkled and twist
ed Annie brow. She was engaged in the
4 l.. Ii g ..las@iffo,