The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-02-21


| somehow, when | looked into his eyes,
that he could have done such a cruel
and wicked deed as that" Here her
sobs broke out afresh, SO that Betty
had much ado to comfort her.
There, there; don't cry, child" she
said. Crying never mended anything
yet. Wot else did e say"
"He asked who the man was with
u.s., and when | told him he laughed,
and said he would give him a run for
his money, anyway"
Spoke like a Chatter, that was!"
cried Betty, with considerable pride.
Then wot '~appened?"
Master Dandy said that, as 1t
wouldn't be safe to see you, he would
make across the fields, so as to get
clear of Bamberton, and walk on the
way to London. Then, as | was crying,
he put his arm round my shoulders
indeed, indeed, there was no shame in
il mother, dear-and told me not TO
mind, for he would clear himself yet.
And just at that moment l heard a
rustling in the hedge, aud Harry jump
ed through"
Toby Siggs looked long at his daugh-
ter, slowly shook his head, and deliv-
cred himself of this piece of wisdom:
The good Lord, with the willin' clip
of yer mother, made ye fair-lookin', an
put bright eyes into your face; but mel
ther the good Lord nor your mother
meant as 'ow they should be a snare
or in any way deludin'. One lad is
good enough for the best o gels. Go
to bed and think well on it,"
Clara, still sobbing, took her way
slowly upstairs. For a long time
Toby Siggs and his wife sat in whis-
pered conversation; Toby saying but
little, but probably thinking the more.
The shadow of that crime in the wood
seemed to have fallen even on that
quiet household. Betty Siggs watched
the dying fire, and her mind travelled
back, through the years, to he farm
in Australia, on the edge of the bush.
and to the bright-faced lad that rue
bush had swallowed up and snatched
from her. Old Toby Siggs knew the
story, for when first he had met her,
she had had to account for the pres
ence Of the child; but Toby was a
silent man, and the lost boy was as
far back in the mists of the dead years
as in the mists of Toby's brain.
Its all been a muddle, Toby" said
Mrs. Siggs, at lest, still in the same
cautious whisper. IF the old squire
could only know what has happened
| think ed be a bit sorry e cast that
boy loose an took up with the young
err. Lor, Toby, what a boy e was
Toby nodded his head slowly. "Ah!"
he calculated. There amt no upset
tin about me, or about you, ole gal;
we knows ourselves for ordinary folk.
But that boy moved, and talked. n
'eld 'isseif like a gen'elman."
THAT e did" replied Betty, with a
vigorous nod. "Lor', Toby, IL ed ave
bin in the All we'd ave 'ad no talks
about pore ruined gals, no policemen
in the 'ouse, no uniting an dodgin' an
'idin' like this. 'Evin' knows 'ow It's
all goin' to end, Toby"
The house had been shut, so far as
its public capacity was concerned, for
some time. Knowing, however, that
the inspector must presently make his
appearance, and that in any case, his
bed was reserved for him, Mrs. Siggs
and her husband sat on over h fire.
each filed with sad thoughts, and
ready. from the events of the evening.
for anything which could happen.
Presently there came a heavy knock
ct the front door. Mrs. Siggs, with 3
hand on her ample bosom, started, and
looked appealingly at Toby. That
gentleman, rising with a determined
countenance, proceeded to the door
and flung il open. Exactly what he
was prepared to see it Is impossible
to say. but he was certainly not PRE-
pared for the sight which met his eyes.
Out of the darkness there staggered
into the place a solitary figure-that OK
Inspector Tokely. His hat was gone,
n side Of his face vas grazed and
bleeding, he vas covered with mud
and water almost from head to foot.
and his coat was torn right across one
shoulder. Gasping and weary, he
shook a fist In the face Of the aston
ished Toby Siggs and snapped out his
wrath at that innocent man.
"You scoundrel!" he shouted. You
Internal villain! This is all a plot-a
conspiracv-you know it isl I'm lured
out of fh.s place, and go racing and
chasing across country, where there
are no street lamps, as there ought to
be, and no constables to whistle for.
bark my face against a tree-put
there on purpose. I've no doubt, for me
to run my head against; fell into a
ditch, which which ought to have been
drained long ago; l lose my hat, which
cost Acknowledgements; l e a my coat
on a barbed wire fence. which ought
never to have been put up. And to
crown 1t all I lose my ~prisoner!"
Betty Siggs, who had come to the
door of the little parlor. suddenly
clapped her hands and cried out. with
an exclamation of so much relief. that
the inspector turned savagely upon
her.
Yes. ma'am. laugh. giggle. clap your
hands. scream with Joy. ma'am! I