Outwitted By A Woman

When John and i were mafrled we begam houeekeeplng in one of the flats down near tho "ferry." People said we were fooUab to try to run an establishment of our own on a. tbouMjmd (lo'ilai-R dalary, but John nelther smoked nor drank, a.ad my inothpr had taugirt nne all the llttle economles of housefkeeplng, so w managed to gel along nlcely, and cvi-ry month sometihing was added to our nt-si egg in t-ix' savlnga bonk. Job Shultï, who ïor ycars had been fireman down at ttoe ohlna pottery ■works. occupied hall ol the f'.at we bad taken, and thouffh both lic and wlfe bekmged to tbe uneducated, hard worklng clase ol Germán emierants, tbey urn' sober and ho and proved to be very .nood ueighbors Indeed. I'" s-nnr Btrawre freak of ii.-i t ure t i win düldran, Frani and Gretehen, were barn mutes. When we tormed thelr acquaintaiice they were a1xu1 elghi yeare old, and ■ 1 tj enter Into all the Bports Lldhood itli as mutíh zrs ■e nnisv com.panions. stiii, it was patbetlc to watch the little things g Ing round so Bllently, and it was oui t sheer plty for thelr lor'Di-n conditioui iliat John and I nndert'ook to miaeter the deal and dumb alp-lj-abel . i readily, hut it was a re I could make my fingere a ieals s i as I earry on a conversation In-telligently. My final trlum'h .u-a ve as mncli pleasure to the little - mysell, and. as i shall show yon. 1 was afterward amply repaid for all .i!'1 pains i I ■' to gii ■ them enjoyment. We liad been marrled Hve years, and in spite o-l I ie g' wmy propheöes I our ood-be advlsers, .lohn was junior member ol the flrm that once einjHoyed ínni. and the stut oí j in 1 e flat had been . xchanged a pleasant residenoe fca a vit.v reI able part ol t lie city. ■ i alter the business inconcern, amd as he was ;.!;" many unexpected trips, 1 was olten lcfi for severa! daya al a tiíne n l ■■ t conipany t'.ian Mts. I p b little at first, but I was reasooable, and soon 'becaine accustomed to loneli One ' ; ary, jnsi after : ters had bsen ñ and tite cur taina drawn, .Tolm carne in hurriedly, and without epeakin.i; weñt quietly upstairs. I was surprised, tor he did not usually leave the store imtil 8 o'clock, and it tJien hut half-past slx. VThen' he catne int the parior a ■ter I inquired anxiously were ilL Befewe answering me he closed the door leading intn the living room. and thea, drawing a ■ i i mine, lie said in a low volee: "I (id not mean To say aoytihlng to you alxjut it. Marión; but you are sueh a brave little woman I am gure I can trust you. "Au attompt to blow the safe was made la.st night, and the adroit way in wliich the would-be buBftler managed to cover np lus vork leade us to anticípate .-i repetition of the visit to-nlght. In order to thwart the gentlenran'a designs I have bronght the money and valuables liome, and have put the box in the lower drawer f the secretary that stands in our room." "HO'v much money is there in it V" I asked, trying to speak in my natural voice. "Neariy fifteen thoueand," answrrer Jölin, in a whlsper. "Why didn't you put it in the bank for safe keeping í" I asked uneasdly. "That was the arrangement; but I'.roini, the assistant caehler, whose business it was to attend to it, forgot hls errand until the bank was cloeed," replied .Tohn. "Dont worry anything about it. dear. Ynu are Uhe only one outside f the iirm thai knows wliat dlsposition lias been made et' the money. and to-niorrow it wlll 1k placed in tlie bank." I was stalsfied wlth the explanation, and thoughi no r.ioi-e about the box upstalrs untii alter the cleck had warni'rt í ir niiie, and it ís nnt probable bhiat I would have thought of it then liad not John been ordered oïf on one of hls mldnlgbt journeys. Just beforelie Btarted he put the key of that Ixix in my hand. sayimg: ■When Mr. Mowry calla for the momey give hlm thi.s. I will not be home to look alter it before the bank closes to-morrow." I feit a queer fluttpring in the regkm oí Tny beart "vhen John kissed me giood-by, but I made myself beHgve that I was vcry brave, and at thf regular time for retlripg went to iny room, cautioning Abram, as usual, to nee that tbc door were all securely fastened. Alter I went up stairs I "wcakened a little, and was on the point of calling Betty to sleep in my room, but fearing that John would lnugli at my cowardice, I Bummioned all my courage to aid, and was soon sleeping as peaoefully is :i baby. I must h'ave slojt soundly, or I would have bcard the freak of the wardrolxj door, and the stealthy step of the tall, lank figure that emerged herefrom. As t wiaa, the flrst lntlmat ion ihat I li.nl ol the prcsence ol an mweicome guest waa a hoaree whisior in iny ear: "Wliere is tliat iron box which your lushanii iiruiiüiii home (rom the store ■Chis evening ?" Opening my eyes, I was almost paralyxed to sec bonding over me a indeou face, the most flendiah ono 1 had over Been. There waa a briííht fire in bh e, grate, and I luid a fair vlW of the villain; but beíorb P could more or utter a cry the cold muïxle of a revolver was preasedi iieruinst In.v head. and that same voicd hissed: "Stil-, or make a noiso at your peril! You ire in my power, but 11 you do as I tril you I will not liarni you in the least. I want the money in t.hat box, and, foul or fair, I iutend to Qiave it." Kully rejilizing my helplrss ïmsition, I told him -vvhere it was, liopins tha1 in ome ay I minlit make my escape while his back was turned. 1 was just measurlng the distance to the door wiiii 'iny eye, wonderlng if it were posslble to peaOh it unseen, when a key turned in the hall door below, and my heart Ihrobbed luxpefully: for tdiat liuln. quiok step that carne lioundlng up stairs could belong to do une but John. In an instant the her "v;is back .- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ü" ihc curtains at I ie bead i my bed, and jus; as John i pened Bhe door he whispered: "II yon betray me ii any way I will kil] 3 ou botth." ■1 leit my watfih lying In fche bureau, and as i train is ara belilnd time, I eoncluded fco run back and get il." .l.ilm nad. ly n;iy of explanation. "Il there is anything in blie uoild ilmt a man hales when trave Ing, ir ia to be without a time].;■■ ■. I)5d you tind it ?" I .asked liuskloping x ha t he would request my asalstance in the scai-c-li. Vos. here it is, all right, 1 gel duI of i ;d, dear; you wiü eatch : are 3 Ou getting along?" returned J "The Btüpid felloiw!" I thought. "Wli.v will he not glve me a chance V" bu my ü.is falbered, "Very well," Thi".i as our eyes m1 said, with my fingere: "For he e ike, do not Leave me, John. Thrre s ,-i robber behind the curbain oí my bed; but he will kill U8 batía ií we try to escape." Wittoont seeming to notice what 1 had said. oJhn turned aroand and replenifjhed fire, Baylng as he did bo: ■You must keep a good fire all mg-ht. Marión. It will keep you trom Eeellng lonely in my absence. Abi-aiu must bring aimther bui-ket of Ci&al bef ire he goes to bed." With the ipoikor in his hand he crossed the rooim and touched the cal] bell; then taking his stand be tiie tire be said with his fing ■Hes! easy, dear: I'U HOC leave y un alone lor a moment." ctly after Abraai made hls appearanee and John sent him for the coal, calling after him to bring the heavy shovel, that the fire might !►■ ■ely covered. When the big, si out fellow return. .1 John said aloud: "Marión, Jump up and find yon wiahed me t-Q leave -.virli Oousln Marte. 1 may have time to run aeróse tíhe rtver when I áin i:i Ohieag'O." I (lid not wait any other eommend, bul . ■ ■ into tile wardrabe iusl as he waid: "Sieze the sl-.ovel, Abrani. and help me bvain I -; ' ho Js lading away behind the bed curtains." .Vbvani obeyed, and bhen Julia spoke again- this time to he man who was wmiting among the efliadowa to despoil our home. ■Step out and show your guilty taoe il you wlsh to leave the voorn alive," he commanded In a tone of autliority. The next minute the wretch stood befoa-e Jo-hn, begglng piteously for lii.s woi-tliless life. When the mask was torn off, John Btepped back in amazement, for in the features of the outlaw he recogalzed Tlie assistant cashier, Hanry l'.niwn. He pleaded for morcy, and I woman like, added tears to his petition, but Joan eaid the law must take its course, and pave htm into the hantts policeman for safe keeping. The fellov liad been on the alert, and so had toept trace of the dieapmee of the monoy, amd naturally enough had followed it up. It afterward carne out thnt -John's dispatch to proceed to Chicago at once wa8'a liever torgéry, of whlch Brown knew nore than he was willing to teil. It was a long time betore I reeovered from the shock I recelved th.it , nlght, and to this da.v John lias dever asked me to Btáy alone doring his absence. On account of some blunder on the part of the state's attorney, Brown was not brought to trial, bui he was wdse enougS to leave the city, and so [ar a.s I Iuioav he lias never made liis appearance in the uelgtiborhood since. Never a day passes that I do not think of our little ellent (ierma.n friends and of the blesslng that cani(ï on us through the kindness shown to them.