The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-12-19
naNshtnrn rhan r.er nNr.

m~ssaEs fruM the ssE0e MI aFp<s
yrvfi0ei hs's tbs sls,iso sFest 10 Mis'
Betty
psgty blushsd stil more deeply. bot
tossed ber kead INDEPENDENTLY Afisi
nogenT howssSf sss glazed ere'
krr stauidsr and challsur~i. = don't
t~ii.Ys wuFa " u
"A. surrey a. 80 her, declared
solsinniy, 10 iG,rpstsd a message 10
ue aud mad. ~. promise ~ dslissr
II. AID then ! stop,sci
BridTc; came step Irsrer Betty
bent forward eagerly ~Out with mr.
sDmARaef Bridget
hunched down comfortably ia my
chair and spread my hsuds over ths
ho, stove No, e0e word HOrv oDtil
morning | declared nrmiy In ibe
morning III tell yoa
Bridget and Betty retired " cor
her aud consulted Budgets face b~
ins turned In my direction stiii fTag
msnis Of the conclusion reached As
I III. barn sleigh robes tn they come
LoED-'
Z II was Betty who explained the con.
4 u~cflon between these inaobsrent re-
marks. and n was evident, Betty who
had persuaded Bridget 10 barber ms
Oh the premises II ! would submit 10
I the conditions namely. leave the stol'
en- goods With her aud Bridget. betake
myself to the barn, deslst while there
from smoking and he quiet until Mrs.
Smith should return aud sdinit me to
l the house or not, as she wished.
1T" A. Bridget griEily added, "ys
aunt legged II monny mile away
thipk.n' OF III prison harsg
had given my promise: therefore !
submitted aud smblsd forth In slap
ping slipper aud patent leather shoe.
while behind me came Bridget fully
armed, aud beside her Betty holding
the lantern. which cast my shadow I'm
mense aud grot.sque. with the old der
by resting ON my ears and the agents
raineost Mapping about me. Al the
last moment Betty had allowed me the
protection OF the agents umbrella, so
long as It is his worst one" she ex
planned TO Bridget
Betty unlocked the barn door and,
rolling 1t back, pointed 10 a sleigh just
inside the door There are robes In
the sleigh" she said, $50 you needn't
freeze" Then she came quite close
and spoke low, "And hope you're not
a thief and will Ike here In the morn
Ing"
my mortal frame viii certainly be
here" | answered solemnly, climbing
into the front seat OF the sleigh, but
whether II will be In a Timber or solid
fled condition only the morning will
reveal"
The door was rolled back again, and
was left in darkness TO wrap myself
up as best could In the fur robe I'M
der whose warmth | laughed at the
late unpeasantness. Finally | dozed
of, with the comforting reflection that
no one but Clara would know of my
predicament and that ! could get out
fitted soI6e way on the morrow In time
TO fulfil my engagement In Mayvllle.
Alas for the best laid plans o mice
and men, 1t was 10 o'clock perhaps
when was aroused by confusion OF
sounds outside the door-yoices, the
crunching of wheels and loud laughter.
"Stolen spoonsr' | heard In famil.
lar voice. This Is the richest joke ]
ever got on to. Now, show up the con
tents Of the other box-the little one"
The little box! My hair arose under
the derby. II was Harold's voice, and
how in thunder
Back rolled the door again, and In
drove closed carriage, the side lights
binding me Following the vehicle
came Betty and Bridget, the former
fearful, the latter defiant still Juggling
her hammer and poker
merry Christmas, Rob" roared Har-
old, dismOunting from the carriage, i'm
maeulate, dry and increased Behold
him, Clara. Bridget's tramp and thief"
Hugging himself In glee, he proceed
ed to prance around the sleigh, view
Ing me on all sides, while the coach
man, depressing bursts OF unseemly
mirth, watched me out Of the tail of
his eye
Clara. laughing Historically and
sutchIng the spoons In one hand. gave
me the other. explaining AS best she
could between her commissions OF mer
riment: I've stopped at the house. and
the girls told us OF your plight. oh,
I'm so sorry, but had TO go to May
Vile. and there ! found Harold and
brought him back with
The rest was lost on me, for slipping
ont OF the vehicle, something held
tightly IN her hand, was Rey Day. For
one awful moment | prayed the moor
10 open beneath me, for no man would
willingly appear ridiculous before the
one woman IN the world. But suddenly
Rey raised her eyes to mine unsmil-
ingly. but with an expression In them
that caused me to dash aside the robs
which still Rugged me and rise, light |
hearted, TO the occasion and my feet.
Taking OF my derby, | made a
sweeping bow. Il regret, Cousin Clara
and Miss Day, that can't receive you
In the orthodox evening clothes, but |
you can see for yourselves that such
garments as | have on are ample
enough to entitle them to be called full
Dress.
With that ! stood forth to view on
the floor. As turned slowly, tapping
Bridgets slipper. mud begrimed and
dragged, my brow eclipsed by the
agents hat, everybody was convulsed,
even Bridget
"Arrah, now, Mis- Smith" she cried.
''and who would liver take such look
In mon TO he cousin of yer own
"You did just right Bridget, not to
take him In" gaspcd Clara. You see,
Rob. expected Eben would come dur
Ing my absence. and told the girls
they would know him by his white
hair. But expected to get back with
Rey before you came Eben didn't
come. and the girls know better than
10 admit a strange man after dark
since the robberies up the river"
..Esnactaiiv sueh a lonkiu villain as