Year: 1876




always up at cock-crow, did not rise al
nine, they opened his door and found him
on the floor, senseless-they thought dead
at first He had been robbed of his pocket.
book, a watch, and an old fashioned pin
he always wore in his neckerchef-the
painted head of lady set around with
what he used to tell us were pearls-an
ornament older than HE grandfather.


"They found nothing about me, OF
course; but the quarrel and my cut hand
made the case hard against me. The
master, dying, as they thought him, had
been able to speak at odd times, and said
that, to the best of his belief, l was his as
sailant. 1t was dark, to be sure, but in
the struggle he felt that the man wore a
cap, and was the only hand who had
anything but straw hat Besides, he
came from the inner passage and down the
stairs, and did not break in through the
door or windows as burglar would have
done. And was the only missing men,
Der of the household. 80 l lay in prison
with this awful charge upon me, until
they knew whether master would live or
die; and my greatest grief was for Peggy.


"Keep it from her. l begged them,
until she must know it.


"And they were kind and did it, and her
| letters were sent to me IN prison. 1t was
weary time, and the one drop of COM
fort in it came with those letters. l had
had five from her when at the end of one
| came this


"DEAR JACK-I never hide anything from
you and not to boast of my conquests, thing
I'd never do, but just to let you know that
keep no secrets to myself, l must tell you
what has happened.


"Our master has hired man, lazy fellow,
that disliked at first sight, Mark Hulker by
name, and what should he do but take a
notion to me, or pretend to do so, trying his
best to sit up with me after work hours, and
follow me about wherever ! go Of a holiday.
Then he tries to make me like him by telling
me how rich he is. Four hundred dollars he
has laid by, he says, and has a gold watch
like gentleman. The other Sunday l was
dressed for church, and up he walks.


"'Why Peggy, says he, you've no pin to
your collar"


"Said I: L can't afford money for tinery.


"Then says he: Now how lucky it is that
Pve one to give you,' and he pulls pin from
his pocket.


"Jack l couldn't help looking at it 1t
was lady's portrait, with hair all white
though she was so young--like an old
woman's. He said it was powdered as they
did it in old times; and pink dress-and all
about tiny stones-and no bigger than a
silver quarter altogether. How he came by
such thing, goodness knows! But of course
| wouldn't have it. Says he: Now do take
it, Peggy. l want to keep company with
you, and now you know the truth


$50 says l: i want neither your company
nor your presents, and please remember that
hereafter


at was rough, l know, but hate him So
And was none too rude, for he bothers me
yet as much as ever. Though you know if
he were ever SO good and handsome | am al
ways your own Peggy, AID think Of no one
else


when | read that you could have
knocked me down with feather. The
pin was the one the old farmer had lost, l
knew, and it was Mark who was the thief,
and who had tried TO murder him.


~ sent for the lawyer who was to take
my side, and had all along believed me
innocent l gave him the letter


It's old masters pin,' said. What
shall do, sir?'


"And he said: You can do nothing,
my poor fellow, but wait and hope. l
have clew now and I'll follow it,


"Then he went away, and afterward l
heard what he did. He went down to
the place where Peggy lived, and took
her out of danger of eaves-droppcrs and
told her all that had happened. The
brave girl trembled and wept, but she
spoke out.


GO He's innocent she said. I'D not
believe him guilty if an angel told me he
was


And the lawyer said, out of his heart,
though she was but serving lass:


"He's worthy of you, Peggy Grey, l
do believe, and that is saying a good
DEAL


"Then he asked her about the pin, and
the two had long talk. 1t ended in
Peggy bursting into tears, and promising
to do anything and everything he asked
if he would but tell me why she did it.


He told me afterward, and twas hard
work for little Peggy with her honest
heart Bless herl She turned herself
around and made different creature of
herself, and she tried to make Mark HUI
ker think she had been coquetting all the
while, and, oh! how she cried when she
told me that she let him kiss her and put
his arm about her waist. But she gained
her end by it. One night my good old
lawyer and two other men were shut up in
the pantry with Peggy's master, and she
dressed in her best, and waiting for Mark
Hulkcr.


"That night she had promised Mark to
take his pin, and, if he proved he had the
money he Dragged of, to promise to marry
him, and Mark came as merry as could be,
and little the worse for liquor.


GO Now, lass said he, a promise is a
promise There's the money to count and
the watch to look at and the pin to wear.
Now you'll have me?'


"And just then the pantry-door opened
behind him, and a hand came down on his
shoulder.


"' Wen have you, my fine fellow said
voice, and there and then they arrested
him; for the money and the watch and
the pin were old masters; and one who
knew, his son James, was here with the
detectives.


"He gave up all hope from that minute
and confessed everything. How he had
made up his mind to rob old master that
evening before he was dismissed. How
he had seen me climb out of the window,
and so dressed in clothes like me and
made his plans to throw suspicion upon
me.


my Peggy brought me the good news
first-brought it into my cell, and threw
herself, weeping, into my arms, crying
out: You're free, darling; free and clear,
thank Heaven


" They did not hang Mark, for master,
after while, got better and, in the end,
quite well. But they punished him for
the robbery and for something he had
done, of the same kind, before ever he
came to masters.


"And as for the old man, when he was
well he was SO sorry for the charge he had
made against me, though he had honestly
believed me guilty, as I we'll knew, that