Year: 1876

stepped back little to get better view
and waited for the face to appear again.
But it did not. Then he moved round
to the end of the house and looked up at
the window Oh that side, but with no
better result. If he only knew who the
man was ; knew certainly it was not
Grimp, he would be satisfied. His eye
rested on the low back kitchen, directly
below the end window. If he was only
on that he could look into the room
unobserved by any one. 1t could do no
| harm, either; and he did SO wish to know
who the man was.


The more the Squire thought about
| it, the more convinced was he that it
not He would find out He became
more resolute then, and looked about for
some aid to his purpose. This, after
some search, he found in small ladder,
which he placed against the kitchen and
began to ascend. He got up the ladder
| without trouble, but found the roof so
coated with ice that he had to move with
extreme caution. However, the window
was reached at last, and looking in, he
saw only the widow and Tom Harwood
sitting by the fire.


There" muttered the Squire in dis
gust, after making the discovery, 81
never thought of him! Why in Sam Hill
didn't I remember he was here, and save
all this trouble? Nearly spoiled all my
best clothes, too p


He turned about and was preparing to
go back, when movement down in the
shrubbery arrested his attention and
downward progress at the same time.
For 4 minute or two he remained per-
fectly still then he peered carefully
over the roofs edge. He saw man
standing below among the trees, but who
he was the Squire couldn't make out.
Howbcit, whoever he might be, he seem
ed to he scanning the upper front win
dow very closely. Indeed, this view did
not seem to satisfy him, and like his '.il-
lustrious predecessor he, too, passed
round back Of the little kitchen. The
Squire became alarmed. He would be
discovered now, certainly What should
he do? He glanced about hopelessly
until he caught sight of the chimney-a
large, old-fashioned one, running up
from the kitchen close against and on the
outside of the main building. With
/, h. l,
into the shadow of its deep corner, and
stood close against the wall


''Maybe, he thought, "the man will
go away pretty soon, confound him !''


But the stranger seemed in no hurry
to leave; on the contrary he moved about
a few minutes, and then, to the conster
nation of our friend on the roof, he be-
gan to ascend the ladder. IF ever Squire
Butterfield perspired in his life he did
then. Although it was cold night, he
was in profuse sweat from head to foot.
He gritted his teeth, ,clenched his hands,
bit his lips until the blood came, but
no 7ertheless, the intruder made his way
slowly but surely up the slippery in
cline.


Goodness gracious What in Sam
Hill shall I do?" murmured theSquire in
his desperate fear. 'Id give anything,
yes, anything, if was safe at home. I
wish that all the widows were in Guinea.
wish"


But the sentence was never complet-
ed. The ice-alas, the treacherous ice
on the roof Unexpectedly, suddenly,
without reconciliation or malice afore-
thought, the Squire's feet shot forward
from under him, and with an accuracy
of aim and swiftness of motion seldom
surpassed, he bore down upon the stran-
ger. That individuals hold was very
weak and uncertain at best, and he was
lily prepared for such an onslaught.
Therefore. when the Squire struck, he,
too, assumed an unexpected momentum,
and both passed over the roof together,
the stranger descending feet foremost
into the rain barrel, the Squire making
sad havoc with the widows grape vines
and arbor.


For moment the stranger remained
within the barrel and the Squire among
the vines where he had fallen, both too
amazed and confounded to know what to
do. But only for moment; then they
extricatcd themselves and stepped out
into the moonlight, the Squire with his
coat torn clear up the back, and the
stranger very wet and dripping. And
thus and there, face to face, they met.


ssBrother Butterield P'


s'Mr. Grimp.'


There was momentary silence after
the ordinations of astorished recog
milton. Mr.. Gr1mp was the first to break
it.


"Will you allow me to inquire, Broth
er Butterfeld, what you were doing on
the roof of my house at this late hour of
the night? ?''


''Sartainly you may, Mr.. Grimp. L
came, because-that isl came to sarve
that writ of yourn," answered the Squire
relieved to find some excuse.


"Ahl"


''Yes and would like to know what
business you had up there %


'.I came to see you serve it, said Mr..
Grinsp, with a perceptibie tightening of
his lips.


"Well,' said the Squire, rapidly re-
covering his composure, 'if your writ
don't stick bettern you did on that ere