Year: 1878


ing to her angular form, seemed part and
parcel of the dusty whole.


A pleasant flash lighted her keen blue
eye. and tinge of pink struggled thro'
her freckles as she spied shady strip
of roof on the drying-shed just where 1t
joined larger building. Here was a
resting-place secure from intrusion.


The climb was small matter to the
agile Kit Stretched in the shadow of
the broad. low roof, she drew long, deep
breaths of delight. The cool wind came
up from the river, the long. white caps
curled on the far-off bay, and there was
a low, pleasant murmur of the tide as it
crept softly up the river bank. The lit
tie villages, nestling against the hills
on the further shore, formed a picture
such as an artist would seek with pleas
ure to reproduce, or the poet might
weave with enhancing measures.


But poor, tired Kit, neither artist nor
poet, was untroubled by the romance of
the scene. 1t was enough to lie up there
in the cool calm of the shady roof after
the worry and rush of the heated kitch-
en-. She could give no more than a pass
ing interest to the big schooner from a
distant port. which crept with white
sails set, through the drawbridge to the
wharf above.


Doubtless, Kit might have employed
her time to better advantage. There
were sundry rents in the faded calico
which called loudly for needle and
thread. Soap and water would have
wrought decided change in her COM
plexion, while the refining influence of
brush and comb might have changed the
yellow tangles into shining curls. In the
cool comfort of her present station she
was untroubled by such trifes, content
to pillow her head upon her bony arm,
oblivious of all "outs" in her personal
appearance.


The sunny expanse of the roof grew
less by degrees, the fringing elders on
the clay-bank threw longer shadows on
the parched brick-yard, the hum of la
Dor came family up to the roof, the tide
softly oycrlapped the black rocks and
rugged shore, but Kit, wrapped in slum-
Der. failed to mark these tokens of wan
ing day.


Not till the stars had twinkled out in
the blue above her, and the young moon
had climbed high enough to look her in
the face, did she awake with a start and
shiver to consciousness of things
about her. Supper at the little old
house was too much a matter of chance
to disturb her thoughts, but there was a
vision of the tired, faded little mother
peering anxiously from the battered
porch, and Kit gathered herself up for a
slide down the roof toward home.


"What time O night is it, l wonder ?
There's mans candle shinin' down thro'
the elder. Scared to death, maybe, bout
me. But 1 acas tired, and that's fact.
What's that ?" whispered she, clutching
the shingles to stay her downward course
-"comin' this way, too I'd better
leave"


She had scarce time to drop from the
roof and step behind pile of bricks
when two men crossed the path and sat
down by the only avenue of escape for
the child.


Mischief" thought Kit. straining
her ears to catch the whispered conver.
sation.


"Sure he'll come tonight ?" said the
elder, putting nervously at the stub of a
pipe between his lips.


dead sure p replied the other
Heard the old man tell the boss that
he might expect the money in the morn.
ing"


''And Master William was to bring
it?"


"Sartin that's what the old mar
said. Comm on the midnight train"
"All right then we'll meet him or
the bridge. A little tap on the skull
will settle him till we get the money


"But what if he won't be settled q
said the other.


"Then perhaps he may drop overheard
before we get through with him." re
piled the elder, with a wicked attempt
at laugh, which almost made Kit fain
with fear.


Like fash she remembered tn.
monthly payday was close at hand, anG
gathered from the conversation of th,
villains before her that Master William
was to bring the money on his return
from the city in the midnight train
Master William, the only true frienc
the desolate family had ever known. 1
drove her nearly frantic to hear tn,
scoundrel plan his robbery, and possibl,
murder. so coolly.


One thing gradually dawned upon he
mind. She must reach the station OF
the opposite shore in time to warn hin
OF his danger. Would they never go
and leave her free to act 4? How shoul,
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