News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-07-07

How much?" when farther on she
saw an old ruby-glass scent bottle.
Half crown, lady, that's just givin'
it away. Nice little bit, eh?"
I'll take it for two shillings," ven.
tured Helen.
tits yours, mum. Anything else?
Got 'em all down to war prices"
II may come back this way later, y
murmured Helen, wondering if she had
offered too much She might have got
ten it for one and six.
Hello, dug up anything?"
She started to find Warren beside
her.
ooh, what have you got?" looking
at bullying bundle under his arm.
Never you mind. Doing a little
looting on my own"
Dear, you know you mustn't pay
what they ask first, don't you?" anxi-
ously. "They all ask more than they
expect to get"
"See here" testify, who's doing
this? You go ahead and buy your own
junk. If l see anything I want-Tll
get it,"
Helen turned away vaguely troubled.
He might buy something foolish and
pay, an absurd price. Perhaps they
should have stayed together.
The next moment she was absorbed
in particularly alluring lot from
which she finally selected an ivory
fan, broken but not past mending, a
cameo pin and curious jade locket.
After some bargaining she got the
three pieces for only seven shillings.
1t was dusk now, and oil lights flick
cred over many of the stalls. 1t was
weird scene-this great dark market
space, lit only by those flaring lamps.
Some of the men were now packing
up, but many were still shouting their
wares, eager for a few last shillings.
At a stand farther on Helen found
an old sampler 1t was dated 1768,
with quaint house-and-tree design.
Did this man know its value. Her
heart beat fast at the possibility of
getting it for few shillings.
twenty-five shillings," he an
swered gruffiy, as he went on packing.
"Yer'd poy three guineas at one O. yer
Bond Strait shops"
So he did know Helen's hopes fell.
ooh, l couldn't pay more than
twelve" she murmured
"Five-and-twenty's thu price, mum.
Take it or lave it,
Helen flushed Indignantly, yet she
wanted the sampler. She passed on
slowly, hoping he would call after her.
Where was Warren? She turned
suddenly to look along the opposite
line of stalls. 1t was quite dark now.
What if they should get separated?
Her eyes strained anXiously through
that shabby, jostling crowd.
A long panic-stricken moment. Then
she saw him-a few stalls back.
"Oh!" running to him with joyous
relief. 81 thought I'd missed you"
Had enough? Let's get out of this.
Which gate did we come in?"
Outside, Helen looked back over the
market. They had been
through only a small part of it, and
she thought longingly of the undis-
covered treasures in all those other
stalls.
They made their way back through !
he dark, squalid street to the under |
ground. When they entered the train !
Helen glanced anxiously at Warren's |
'ulky package. What had he bought?
certain purchases he
lad made in the past, she mistrusted
is judgment.
Want to see it now, Ell? All right,
veil give you treat"
He took off the crumpled newspaper
nd proudly displayed a garish shell
OK with a mirror on top! Helen
ulped. 1t was awful!
Pretty good haul, eh?" fitting a
'ose shell in its red paste bed. "Old
ne too. How about that for ten
lillings?"
Ten shillings! If he could throw
way ten shillings on this CHASTITY
ling-why hadn't she bought that
lmpler?
What's the matter" sharply. Don't
ke it?"
"Oh, yes-yes," hastily. 81 was
lily thinking of an old sampler that
n sorry didn't get"
With well feigned carelessness,
arren felt in his pocket.
THAT it?" tossing a small package
to her lap.
Helen tore it open, and with a cry Of
light held up the sampler.
"Oh. you dear, you dear! But how
you known"
Was right there behind you"
In her Joy over the sampler, the aw-
box was forgotten.
Now how about this?' Warren took
up again. Think it bum, Ell? Well, i
it'll make you feel any better-I
ly paid a bob Thought it would
worth that" with chuckle, ito see
u glare at it."
OH" with mingled relief and re-
ltment. You spent a shilling just
TO-"
To get you going. Had to have
ne fun out of this blooming trip,
inf 70 Coma m No crat off horo . T.