Year: 1868

Peggy Lunt was the housekeepers
daughter up to the Gran9e-a pretty,
black eyed lass, red Tipped and rosy
checked, and the most desperate little
coquette that ever drew breath. She
might have married over and over
again, and done well, but she liked to
hirt too we'll, and to keep poor Will
Mercer in a state of tormenting sus-
pense.


Will was a fine, handsome fellow,
well to do in the world-he was the
village blacksmith-and he loved pret-
ty, wayward Peggy with all his heart.
He was faithful to her through all her
foIies, aud patient with her as well,
though she tried his patience terribly.
He bore with her dancing with this
one, smiling on that, whispering with
the other, to his neglect and exclusion !;
he knew that at the bottom the girl
had good enough heart, and he De-
lieved loved him.


But one day gallant came to the
village, who bade lair to distance all
competitors for Peggy'S favor, even
with VIII Mercer.


The stranger was very good look
ing, handsomer than Will, and dressed
i good deal finer; but he had a black
look about him, and a pair of scowl-
ING brows that made some folks speak
i'll Of him. His name was Dick Hare
ton. and he seemed to have more mo-
ney than most folks thereabout.
There was no end to the tiue pres
ents that he made TO pretty Peggy,
gay scarfs and finger rings, and new
gowns, till it was no wonder that the
head OF the girl was turned by that,
| if nothing else; for She was vain as
she was pretty, liked to deck herself
out in inery as well as woman ever
did in this world.


Hareton had a tongue in his head,
too, and he told Peggy such tales of
her good looks and his devotion, aud
the sort OF match she ought to make,
that she scarcely knew herself, and
quite cat Will Mercer in her silly van
/ ity and ambition.


Will was heartbroken, but he would
let no one say a word to him against
| hiS tickle mistress, and went on loving
her just the same as ever. Village
folks will gossip, and some said one
thing and some another, and nobody
thought Peggy Lunt would do well by
marrying him.


Peggy would hear nothing against
him, and as her mother had always
humored her, she had it all her own
way now, and her way was whatever
Dick said.


The Grange was a very fine country
seat, about mile from the village
The Loisers, father and son, had own
ed it a long time, and being a steady
sort OF a family, with no dissipated
youngsters or idle spendthrifts among
them, the property had accumulated
from year to year till they were the
richest people to be found for score
of miles round.


| The old squire was prudent man


and though robberies were scarce en-


ough affairs in that part of the coun


try, seldom had much money by him


for fear of something Of the kind.


But just as the spring months were
coming in, he was taken i'll, and as he


would not let any one else take the


money to the bank, it lay in the house


in strong box in his bed room. He


seemed anxious about it and expressed


considerable desire for the return of
his son, who was absent at the time


that he might consult with him.
One Saturday night, when the squire
lay the sickest, and Mrs. Lunt was ia
king care of him, Peggy had sat W
very late sewing on some finery for tht
morrow's wear. OF the other ser


wants, the squire's chief man had gone
on some business Of his masters, an(
, Bob, the coachman, was supposed tt
be asleep in his room.


Peggy, her work done, had begun t.
, doze in her chair, when she was arou
, sed by loud cries from the upper par
of the house, where the sick squir'
/ was. At first she was too scared t.
stir, but recognizing her mother's voic


she started running to go to her.