Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-29

Miss Anthea was sitting IN her great Ell
bow chair, leaning forward with her chin in
her hand looking at him in the way that al
WAYS seemed to Adam as though she could
see into the farthcst receSSeS OF his mind.
Therefore. Adam twisted his hat in his
hands. and stared at the ceiling and the
floor and the table before Miss Anthea and
the wall behind Miss Anthea-anywhere
but at Miss Anthea.
"You ak me how much it were, Miss An
thea?"
"Yes, Adam"
well, ii were a goodish sum-"
@Was it fifty pounds
FIFTY pound.' repeated Adam in tone
of lofty disdain. mo, Miss Anthca, it were
not fifty pound"
"Do YOU mean it was-morc?"
"Ah!~ nodded Adam. Il mean as it were
a sight more. If you was to take the fifty
pound you mention, add twenty more, and
then another twenty to that, and then come
ten more to that-why, then you'd be bit
higher the figure.
"A hundred pounds!' exclaimed Anthea,
aghast
"Ah hundred pound!' nodded Adam,
rolling the words upon his tongue with great
gusto. -hundred-pound were the
sum, Miss Anthea."
ooh, ADAM
"Lord love YOU, Miss Anthea! that weren't
nothing: that were only a fleabite, as you
might say He give more-ah nigh double
as much as that for the sideboard."
Nonsense, Adam
at be gospel true, Miss Anthea That
there sideboard were the plum o the sale, so
to speak, an old Grimes had set is cart on
it, dye see. Well, it were bid up to eighty
six pound, an then Old Grimes c goes
twenty more, making it hundred an six.
| Their, 7 fhO,1Uht If were all over an
jest as that there Old Grimes were beginning
to swell hisself up wi triumph, an get that
red in the face as e were a sight to behold,
Mr.. Belloo who'd been lightin' is pipe all
this time, up and says, Fifty up!' e says in
his quiet way, making it hundred an fifty
six pound. Miss Anthea, which were too
much for Grimes. Lord! | thought as that
there man were going to burst, Miss An
thea!' and Adam gave vent to his great
laugh at the mere recollection. But Anthea
was grave enough, and the troubled look in
her eyes quickly sobered him.
"A hundred and fiftysix pounds she re-
peated in an awed voice. "But tit is
awful"
3Steepish admitted Adam, pretty steep
ish for old sdeboard. I'll allow, Miss An
thea; but you see it were personal mat
ter betwixt Grimes an Mr.. Belloo. l began
to think as they never would ha left off bid
DIN an DE georges. QOn DencNc as MI.
Belloo ever would have left off biddin'.
Ye see there's summat about Mr.. Belloo-
whether it be his voice, or his eye or his chin
| don't know-but there be summat about
him as says very distinct that if SO be e
should 'appcn to set is mind on a thing
why. IS going to get it, an c amt a going
to give in till c do get it. Ye see, Miss An
thea, 'e's SO very quiet in is ways an speaks
SO soft an gentle-p' raps that's it. Say,
for instance, e were to AK you for sumnat,
an you said Novel, e wouldn't make
no fuss about it, not i'm; he'd jest take it,
that's what he'd do. As for that there side
board, he'd a sat there bidding and bid
ding all night | do believe
"But, Adam, why did he do it? Why did
he buy all that furniture'"
well. to keep it from being took away,
p'raps."
ooh, Adam, What am to do?"
do, Miss Antheao"
"The mortgage must be paid off dread
fully soon-you know that and can't
Oh. can't give the money back"
"Why-give it back No, course not
Miss Anthea."
"But I-cant-kecp it,"
Cant keep it, Miss Anthea, Maam'
because I'm very sure he doesn' want all