The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-12-16

would not listen to this proposition
1t was eighteen years since all this
had happened. yet it did not take Mary
moment to remember it all. She had
been wrong She ought to have lis
tened to Toms pleadings, and. once
married. they might both have escaped
the misery that followed. The faded
woman drew her ragged shawl closer
and shivered from something sharper
than the December wind She was
living it all over again. She had not
dared to leave the house on that Sun
day long ago. not even to take her aC-
custOmed walk with Tom. Before he
left her lover had promised to protect
her on her way home the next night
If she would wait outside until he had
closed the store That night she had
waited and let Dora go home alone
When Tom appeared they walked to-
gether down to the Cove district. and.
as they had feared. Mary's uncle was
waiting in the doorway of the tene-
ment. He scowled as they stopped be-
fore him
who is that man?" he demanded of
Mary.
II am the man she is going to mar
ry." said Tom, answering for her.
Mary chung to her lovers arm She
felt a thrill of pride in Tom. followed
by a nameless dread of what might
happen to him. Her uncle's quick an
ger was aroused He cursed Tom as
a liar and abused Mary in the vilest
way. Suddenly he stopped and. SLOUGH
ing down the steps, said to Tom: IF
you are going to marry her I've got
something to say to you first. Meet
me at Jones' place, and we will have
it over"
He brushed them as he passed and
disappeared around the corner of the
court. Toms hands were clinched.
and he would have followed at once
had not Mary hung so heavily upon
him. She was more frightened than
before it was so strange. so unnatural,
Tom was eager to go to the saloon
around the corner and find out what
her uncle had to say. He had nothing
to fear. he said, and would be right
back. When he had gone Mary boltcd
the door and sat waitin" fearfulv in
the dark. Then the minutes dragged
more heavily, because she thought il
was time for Toms return, and she
breathcd more freely when she heard
a mans step upon the stairs and
bold knock upon the door.
as that you. Tom?" she said She
hardly noticed that his voice sound
ed strange when he answered. She
drew the bolt, but it was her uncle
who put his foot against the door and
forced his way into the room Selling
the almost paralyzed girl by the arm,
he held up bottle which she could
just see in the dim light
It's vitrioi" he Kissed. 1T will
burn like fame and eat like a tiger.
Now, come along and don't make any
fuss
She dared not resist. but went along
with him. wondering. with sickening
dread, what terrible thing he had done
to the man she loved. When they got
into the court by the flicker of a street
lamp they saw Tom coming toward
them.
TEL him YOU are going will me and
won't have anything more to do with
him, or I'll give him the acid" mutter-
ed her uncle Mary, half StGpefed
with fear and wishing to save Tom
from her uncle's fendish threat, obey
ed. She coldly passed Tom by and
told him mot to bother her. then, as
she had important business with her
uncle.
Mary, Mary, are you mad"' Tom
cried. but she walked on. leaving him
standing as if he had been stung. Her
uncle chose the quietest streets. and
they walked rapidly across the city to-
ward the north end. She thought
many times Of calling for help, but the
bottle of liquid fire was still in his
hand, and she knew only too well that
he would use it. The real terror of
the situation seized her when they
came to an old wooden rookery that
had once been a mansion, but was now
dark and empty. Her uncle opened
the street door and almost dragged
her up the three flights of old fashion
ed stairs. "I'll have you safe enough
in q minute" he said as he fumbled
with the key. 1t was too much for
Mary's weakened nerves. She lost all
sense of fear and control and. crying,
TON. help slipped from her uncle's
grasp to the floor AS the old man
bent over her he heard quick steps
coming up the stairs and a voice he
recognized saying, Yes. Mary. I'm
coming" Tom had followed them un-
seen to learn just what the mystery
Of Mary's GOODNESS meant and was on
hand to rescue her. But the thought
Of the dreadful bottle in her uncle's
possession aroused Mary, and. Selling
her uncles hand, she screamed: "Pm
all right. Tom! Go away"
What does this mean?" asked the
painting Tom as he burst into the room
and glared at Mary's uncle. The old
man was cursing under his breath and.
clearing himself from Mary's grasp,
sprang savagely toward him.
"The vitriol, the vltriol" was all
that Mary could say. 1t was all over
In a moment The men grappled
Tom bent the old man over the banis-