Year: 1875




80 you think there's no great danger,
Polly r.


mot the least in the world Mr..
Cramer, you are only TO be gone one
night, you know"


IL don't think. myself there is any dan
ger, but it is quite sum to leave unpro-
tected still no one knows | have it but
Andril ; he's an unprincipled scoundrel,
but not bad enough for burglary; and
Judge Cramcr looked thoughtfully out of
.he window, while Polly, his hired girl,
who had worked for him since his wife
had died some three years before, hustled
about the kitchen.


"Well, Polly, see after the things as
well as you can. l shall be home again
bright and early, if all goes well and Dick
comes on the first train as he promised.
| am going to say goodbye to the chill.
dren and then I'm off," And shutting
the kitchen door he went into the sitting
room. As he entered, his little three.
year old son rau toward him with ont.
stretched arms, and tears in his eyes.


Freddie want to 60, too," he cried.


"Does he ?" said the Judge. taking
him in his arms, and carrying him to a
window, where boy of fifteen sal read
ing "Wel he shall sometime, but papa
is going to meet Uncle Dick this time
and will have to stay all night


Thus soothed, Freddie turned to the
window and fell to watching the horse
outside, who stood impatiently paving
at the door, while the judge, rising and
buttening his coat, said to the boy, ats
time | was going, Ralph. Tell Bell when
she comes that"


Here he was interrupted by the young
lady in question coming in, fresh and
ruddy from long walk.


"Ab, here you are, Bell, | was just
giving Ralph instructions you know,
both Of you as she came up beside
Ralph That | received six thousand dol.
lars, yesterday; | owe that amount to
Andrill over to Newton, have written
to him, telling him that have the mon
ey for him, but have got to meet your
Uncle Dick and shall be away from home
tonight, but if he will be here to.mor-
row | will settle with him. Now | want
you, Ralph, to be sure and fasten all the
outer doors tonight and don't admit any
stragglers on any pretense whatever, for
it was only last week Raton's house was
entered by burglars and all his valuables
taken"


Yes" said Ralph, lust because Ra.
ton was such coward he didn't dare to
crawl out Of bed and get his gun and
shoot 'em, but lay there shivcring with
fear and let them take all they wanted,
just as long as they would not touch him."


"Yo needn't worry, father" said Bell,
"if any one should break in here Ralph
would get his new gun you gave him and
defend us"


Yes" said Ralph, laughing, "let 'em
try once and I'll pepper EN- SO they will
not want to again"


The judge smiled. 81 didn't know l
was leaving such brave hero in charge.
l am afraid though your courage would
diminish if it were put to the test. But
| must not stand here any longer, so
goodbye. Enjoy yourselves while | am
gone" And the judge hurried out to
his horse, and jumping into his sleigh,
drove away at spanking pace, the three
standing at the window watching him un-
til bend in the road hid him from their
view.


1t was cloudy, cold day in the dead
Of winter, zoo cold to snow, Polly had
said but as the short day drew to O
close the feathery flakes began to come
down, at first slowly, and then faster and
faster and faster, so that when Ralph
came in from closing the barn for the
night, he said to his sister, "Polly says
we are going to have an old fashioned
snow storm, and | believe it. Father
needn't have any anxiety about his money.
| pity burglar that would try to crack
a crib tonight.


Two hours later Ralph and Bell sat
before the glowing fire, deeply engaged
in game Of draughts, while Polly sat
in the corner knitting, with Freddie doz-
ing in the chair beside her, when sud-
denly there came sharp rap at the door.
Freddie gave a start and jumped to his
feet


"Did not some one knock ?" faltered
Bell.


"Of course some one Knocked" an
swered Polly, "what are you afraid of?
You look as white as a sheet"


And to tell the truth Bells face was
rather pale as she asked, "But who can
it be such night as this p


"Ill soon see" said Ralph. and taking
the lamp from the table he went to the
door and opened it.


"How do you do? Is this Judge
Cramer's house, or am mistaken ~ said
voice from the dark.


The darkness was intense outside and
it was sometime before Ralph could dis
tingush objects when he could he made
out the form of man, standing On thu
lower step-stout, thick set. and with {
long scarf wrapped around his head
His body was enveloped in a heavy
shaggy overcoat covered with snow.


YES" said Ralph, slowly, "he live
here, but is away tonight"


sis he? Well I'll come in and warn
me" said the man, brushing past Ralph
shaking himself free from snow in the en-
try and going into the room. Ralph fol
lowed looking wonderingly at the strange
who, as he entered the room slowly un
wound the scarf from his neck, saying a
he glanced around the room


"Well, this looks natural suppos
you do not recognize me-" he continued
drawing chair to the fire and cooll