The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-03-28
THE SECOND
DANDY CHATTER

BY Tom Gallon.

4
tating knock at the door was answered
promptly By a tall. thin, angular-look-
ing woman. with very red hair and a
very business-like aspect She ap-
peared to possess a kindly nature,
however, despite her grim appearance,
and civilly invited Clara TO Inspect the
room advertised.
IF | wasn't a person as as bin put
upon by 'er husband" she calculated,
darting a scornful glance in the direc-
ton of a door past which they walk
ed, Il wouldn't never demean myself
by takin' ledger. But 'avin' a man
as give me is name an precious little
else, an whose delight il as bin TO
! fiaunt it on the main. so to speak, an
who now as is mind runnin' constant
on circuses an fat women (Which is
nothing else but a throwin' of my tig-
| ger in my face), should be In a bet
| ter position than / now am, miss. But
Peter Quist won't deceive me with is
| circuses-the low Turk--an' so | tells
i'm"
They had, by this time reached the
room-a pleasant and airy place, and
very simply furnished. Clara would
! probably have decided TO take it, what
Dyer terms might have been asked,
when she saw that its one small win
| dow looked right on to the prison: but,
| as a matter of fact, the rent proved TO
| be very small: and the woman, being
pleased with the bright face of the girl,
| asked for no reference.
Perhaps from the fact that she felt
| most desperately lonely and friendless
in that strange place, Clara deter
mined that she would tell the land
| lady frankly what her mission was
and ask her advice Accordingly, with
| many tears, she told the woman that
she had come tc Chelmsford in the
hope of seeing or befriending a pris-
oner, a friend of hers, then awaiting
| trial. The woman proved to be gen
| timely sympathetic, and, after a little
cogitation, decided to consult her
husband about the matter.
Mind you" she said. in a voice or
caution; I'm not sayin' but wot
Quist is a bit OF a fool-salt water do
ave that effect on the best O men; it
seems to soak through some'ow, ana
make 'em soft. But 'e's got cart, as
| Quist. an now an then e knows wot
'e's about. 1t amt often, but we may
'appen to catch i'm at lucky time"
Clara, willingly conserving to con
suit this oracle, and inwardly praying
that he might have his full wits about
him, they adjourned downstairs in
search Of him. He proved to be an ex-
ceedingly Misunderstanding man, with a
heavy fringe of whiskers all round a
jolly red face.
The circumstances having been
briefly explained by his wife, the man
no other than our old friend, Captain
Peter Quist-poured himself out, from
a stone bottle, what he termed "A
toothful," and proceeded to give the
matter weighty consideration.
You see, my lass" he said. wen
the law as once got old on a man
an clapped i'm under 'atches. as 1t
were, that man as got to go through
with it, right up to the end. Might
venture for to ask wot your friend is
put in irons for"
Indeed, he is quite innocent" ex-
claimed Clara; but he has been sent
to take his trial-oh! I beg that you
will not think the worse of him for
that-for murder"
The captain whistled softly, and
raised his eyebrows. AN wot might
be the name OF this innocent gentT"
he asked, after pause.
Mr. Chatter" replied Clara, in a low
voice.
Peter Quist upset his toothful, and
nearly overturned Mrs. Quist also, in
his excitement; he sprang up, and
backed into q corner Of the room. For
some moments he stood there, making
curious motions with his hands, as
though warding of an attack, and
looking at Clara uneasily.
Say it agin," ne said at last, in a
hoarse whisper. "Wot was the Manner
Clara repeated 1t; and the captain
gradually came out Of his corner, and
approached her slowly. Look ere,
my lass" he said; I've 'ad a shock
over that there name. an I'm bit
upset with 1t. A friend o. mine sailed
under that name, an 1t proved too
much for i'm, or something did. Least
wise, els dead. So don't want moth
ing more to do with no Chaters; I'd
sooner 'elp Smith or Jones than a
Chatter"
Gradually, however, the captains
uneasiness wore away; he began To
take lively interest in the girl and
in her story; and went out that very
afternoon to ascertain IL it were pos
sible for her to visit the prisoner, and
at what hours.
He returned with the gratifying in
telligence that she might go to the
prison on the next morning; and poor
Clara slept happily enough that night
with that blessed prospect before her.
The captain, too, was in better spirits
than he had been fer some time past
laftor ha chad him through