Year: 1877

A lonely country road, with the night closing
upon it; the sun set and the sky black, and white
streaks where he had been the color gone from
all the earth, even from the many tinted naples
and sumacs that an hour before had famed in
their October brilliancy; the air frosty and fresh
Just the night to 90 bowling swiftly home in q
light wagon over well graded road, with the
prospect of bright fire and hot supper at the end
of the journey.


Mrs. Cuthbert wished that her husband would
come "bowling home" as she lighted the lamp and
placed it in the centre of the pretty teatable, so
dainty set forth with her wedding glass and sill
vor the supper would not be fit to eat if he were
much later and Mrs. Cuthbert was too conscienti-
GUS housewife not to feel alarmed at the idea of
her good things being spoiled, but, like the even
tempered little woman she was, she only put an
extra stick on the wood fire cracking on the
hearth, and settled down in her favOrite arm
chair, with her sewing to keep her hands busy,
while her ears were the alert for her husbands
step, or a cry from the baby up stairs.


She was quite alone, it being one Of those Pc
RODS that so often befau American house-keepers,
when the "hep" has taken it into her head to de-
part without waiting for successor to be appoint
ed.


The fire snapped and blazed, the clock licked
on, and all was quiet But if Mr.. Cuthbert had
chanced to looked up, she might have seen face
pressed close against the window pane-an ugly
face with rough beard and tangled hair, bro
ken nose that looked most tunprepossessing fatten-
ed on the glass, and eyes that cleaned greediy at
the silver on the table-but she did not, and all
was quiet.


The clock struck seven, and Mrs. Cuthbert, start
cd, surprised and distressed. She forgot about
the supper frizzling away to nothing in the oven,
and began to worry about her husband-it was
such lonely walk, if it was only two miles, and
she did wish he would come.


Footsteps on the front porch sent her fears to
the winds, and a spirit of mischief took posses
sion of her in their stead the door was locked,
and she would make him wait few minutes to
pay him out for making her wait so long.


She bent her head and pretended not to notice,
even when she heard the steps descend from the
porch and tramp over the grass to the window.


The sash was violently thrown up, and the ugly
face that had been regarding her a short time be-
fore was thrust into the room, and fierce voice
demanded:


"Why don't yer come and open the door for
mep


Mrs. Cuthbert nodded her pretty head, and with
out turning round answered, saucily:
"NO, sir, don't mean to let you in tonight"


The ugly facelooked thunderstruck, then fright
ened and finally two grimy paws clutched the
window, shutting it with crash that made the
glasses quiver, and the ugly face was gone.


"Oh, dear now he's angry-I always do carry
my fun too far cried Mrs. Cuthbert springing from
her chair and rushing into the hall.


"George! Georgep


She turned the lock.


"GeorgeY'


The porch was empty, but she caught sight of
dark figure hurrying up the path to the barn.


"Oh, you're not going to hide from me in that
way, sir !" she called out, running down the steps
and on toward the barn.


The dark figure was swallowed up in the great
black doorway before she reached it.


"0h, you great goose " she said, standing on
the Threshold, "dOn't you suppose 1 can find
your You had better give yourself up at once"


Then she waited. The dark figure crouched
still closer behind the old carriage, and there was
no answer.


'I shall find you, sir; I know every corner"
she gave warning then, with arms stretched out
before her, commenced the search. In and out
among the barrels and boxes she went in the utter
blaekness, calling out merrily now and then that
she would find him and punish him for giving her
so much trouble. Once she almost touched the
shrinking figure; but it held its breath, and she
passed on.


1t was a weird game of hide and seek the dark
figure with the ugly face covering among the
wheels, listening with strange kind of savage
fear to the light footsteps that sounded now here,
now there; he heard them climb the ladder
and patter about in the loft overhead, then come
down again, and the vOice-nOt so merry now
repeat her assurance of finding the truant, and
sudden desire entered his brain to spring upon her
and choke her. 1t would not be the first time he
had done such deed, but her perfect audacity
seemed to paralyze him, and again she passed him
all unconscious. He saw her pause in the door
way, dimly outlined against the sky, and then dis
appear down the path.


"Ef she amt the pIuckiest un !" he growled, as
he crept from behind the carriage. "Hanged ef
she amt ghost or suthin." And with this Pc
culiar comment on Mrs. Cuthbert's bravery, he
shook himself and made his way out of the barn
with sdelong gait, as if he was used to Sinking
in and out Of places.


Mrs. Cuthbert meanwhile sped on to tho house,
her steps hastened by the idea that her husband
might be there-perhaps he had slipped out Of the
barn while she was up in the loft, or perhaps he
had not gone into the barn at all.


Alas for her hopes! The sitting-rOOm was emp
ty, and just as she had left it.


Not despairing yet, she snatched up the lamp,
and determined to search the house. From room
to room she went, calling upon George, and look
ing into every closet and behind and under every
article of furniture, but not glimpse of her hus-
band gladdened her eyes, and at last she sat down
by the baby's cradle and burst into tears.