Year: 1863

buffers pantry, and took long loo
through the keyhole. The last rays of th


setting sun shohe in through that little wiz


dow, and fell upon the pack lying in hug
state upon the floor. Again the boy walk
ed up and down the hall, again he locke
long and anxiously through the key hole.


Did the pack move little as he stared a
it? What fool he was, he thought i
was all fancy, Of course. Suddenly his gaz
became rivited on one corner of the pack
where seemed to be loop hole. and he saw
as be believed, in the red light, the cleaning
of humane eye. III
| He drew back his own from the keyhole
he shot a bolt into its socket noiselessly ans
then he began walking up aud down again
He thought about the lonliness of the place
and the helplessness of its inmates; he
thought about those two in the kitchen and
himself and about the peddler, and what
might happen. He walked till it was quite
dark, and he could no longer distinguish the
outlines Of the mysterious pack then he
went into the kitchen where the two women
were still talking of the shawls and probab.
ly own-pieces.


where's the old gun p


La, Joseph, what should you want with
that ? It's up there, over the clock


is it loaded? All right said Joseph,
examining it. Now then Ill tell you what
l want with it. I'm going to shoot the
pack


Joseph looked at the two Mortified faced
faces with his own rather pale but deter.
mined.


'Ycu won't squall or anything, if I tell
you what for, will you ?


No; but Joseph-the gunpowder y


'Gunpowder's all in my eye. I'm going
to shoot it, because there's mortal man in
it; and man dosen't get hisself wrap
ped in pack for no good purpose
that's what say. If you're afraid, give me
the light, and stop where you are.'


But the women crept behind him trem-
ulously, and kept silence, while he tried
again if he could see anything through the
keyhole.


Then he opened the door boldly.


If the packs an honest pack said Jo>
seph 1T won't mind shot,


Perhaps the pack really moved, or perhaps
Joseph was little nervous, for the word
was not out Of his mouth when the repor;
Of gun rang through the room.


A dead silence followed it. Joseph's ewes
were fixed in an open stare on the pack
Presently small red spot came oozine
through the coarse wrapping it grew larg.
er. A little red stream trickled down upon
the floor, and crawled towards the bows
feet, then he retired hastily and locked the
door again.


Once during the night, Joseph standing
near window, fancied he heard low whis
tie outside; his heart gave jump, and be
signaled to the woman to move about. and
slam the doors, and make as much noise as
they could. The whistle was repeated once
only, and then all was quiet. But though
the morning light broke in upon the ser
wants they could not 60 to bed or rest, fol
thinking of that CHASTITY thing down in the
buffers pantry. None came but the mas
ter Of the house, no peddler came with
shawls and gownpieces.


When they undid the pack, the hand o
the dead man was found clutching Small
wAiste. and be had belt on, stuck witt
pistols and cutlas. 1t is needless to add
that Joseph was rewarded and sometime
afterwards, one Of gang Of robbers being
caught in buglarly, confessed himself te
be the indentical bagman who left the pack
at the lonely house. and never went t
| claim it. it,. 49, -.