News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-09-16


and she would have come out all right
in the end Just exactly how, she did
not attempt to explain.
Well, the butchers underhanded
tactics hadn't done him any good! He
had his money, but he had lost Gus.
toner and her bill was always bigger
than Mrs. Collins.
Oh, it was intolerable, but it was
nearly over. When she had helped
Bob up to where he belonged she
would go around to that pig of meat
dealer, buy porterhouse and tender
him a fifty-dollar bill. Then, while he
was making change, she would give
the steak to Dick-fox terrier Dick
and inquire if he had better cut, one
fit for her table. She would show
these common islanders that she
wasn't born or bred to dabble in pen
MES or be chased by bills.
The INSTALLATION of this glorious
revenge relieved her. She called Dick,
took him in her lap and laughingly
told him of the prospective feast. Dick
had breakfasted on a single batter
cake so, no doubt, he found his mis-
tress plan most commendable.
The postman's whistle recalled
Jane to realities. She hurried to the
doAr There were four letters Two
were from tradesmen. She recognized
the handwriting on the third as that
of a girl friend. The fourth was in a
plain but expensive envelope. The
address was typewriter and the let
ter bore special delivery stamp. Her
heart beat rapidly as she broke the
seal. She drew out a folded sheet of
heavy linen stationery and as she
to the floor With a glad cry she
stopped and picked it up. 1t was one
hundred dollars. One hundred real
American dollars all compressed into
a little bit of paper; the first bill of
that denomination she had ever seen,
and it was all hers!
There was no writing on the folded
paper. Not even a letterhead. 1t
seemed to Jane that this was bit of
delicacy on Brands part, but if he
had known her thoughts at that mo-
ment one might have seen another of
those rare and cynical smiles. The
system has way of doing such
things. Good disciples of the creed
do net write checks or even eertiti-
Gates Of deposit unless the figures are
FC-4 70 ,,lC An I1
ask receipts.
Also, Brand knew the lure of ready
money. While he felt reasonably GER
tain that the spider had stepped bold
ly into the web, he was too good a
business man to not consider posi- |
bilities. He knew that at heart Jane
was loyal wife Her quick revulsion
when he had proposed stopping for
refreshments revealed this. She |
might be weary of her irksome and |
humdrum life, but she was not weary |
of her husband. Nor had she lost ma
terially, he thought, any of those finer |
feelings of real woman. That Il |
cannot have you interfere" had |
ranked and hurt, but the wound |
would heal. There was always the
chance that her husbands presence,
his devotion, his innocent trust would
strike the chord of genuine sympathy
that existed between them and bring
penitent confessor to his feet. She
was willing to worship at Mammon's
altar, but eventually her husband
must kneel beside her. Brand knew.
He knew a pigmy and he knew a
worthy foe. The burglar proving in
the night knows the watchdog is
loyal. He does not try cajolery with
a soft whistle or kind words. He Of
fers something more Substantial
bone with good gristle and a bit Of
meat.
That was Brands bait-the bone,
the gristle and not too much meat.
Not enough to surfeit; just enough to
gnaw on and leave the taste for more.
Maybe, later when the taste had
grown, when the bone seemed an I'M
necessary adjunct to the meat-well,
time would tell
With her hundred dollars tucked
away in safe place Jane sat down
with pencil and paper to enumerate
and dilate upon it's purchasing power.
There were SO many things that she
wanted and actually needed, yet she
knew she must be guarded in her Sc
lections. Everything she bought
would have to be accounted for as hav
ing been obtained through savings
from her weekly allowance. And this
would preclude the purchase of any
thing elaborate anything that to the
ayman's eye would reveal it's costli-
ness. She must spread the money
around here and there in compare
lively small amounts.
But there must be a dress. That
she would not be denied. She would
nave one made; her first tailored suit.
t would take two or three weeks to
get it and this would give her time to
prepare for its arrival. Bob was no
,onnoisseur on women's clothes and
besides he never pressed her for de
ails about her expenditures. He knew
hat she had wonderful taste and
Judgment though she had small oppor.