Life — March 25, 1899 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

It was an easy matter to raise it and craiel inside.” your service. And you are Miss Cooper?” The lady bowed, and then said in a low tone: “What must you think of me, Mr. Graves, coming here like athief? But I could not bear the idea of my—my—” She paused, “Certainly not,” answered Mr. Graves, brusquely, ‘‘ Your feelings do you credit, ma‘am. Was that your errand here this morning ?” “Yes; but I was interrupted before I could make any search, It was yours, too, wasn’t it?” “Yes; but I got the wrong jar, and had to return it, we must hasten.” Each took a jar, and, forgetting the window, passed out through the door. “ How did you get the key?” whispered Mr. Graves, his cau- tion returning us soon as they were outside, “T slipped it out of the doctor's pocket to-day when he cume to see a friend who was ill,” returned Miss Cooper, in the same tone, Mr, Graves gazed at her in admiration. ** What shall we do with it?” asked she. “* Leave it in the lock,” answered he, with sudden boldness. Then, like two thieves, they stole away together. ** What shall we do with these things, now that we have them?” queried Mr. Graves when they were at a safe distance. ‘I shall bury mine,” said Miss Cooper, softly. “The very thing!” ejaculated he again, with admiration. “Together let us do it. To-night ; but where?” “In my garden,” answered Miss Patience, who had evidently thought of everything beforehand. Out from the village a short distance was the little cottage where Miss Cooper resided, and to this they repaired. Miss Patience produced a spade from the barn, and Mr. Graves Now ze) |] ei eke 253 manfully dug the grave. Then the two jars were deposited side by side, the earth filled in, and patted down until even with the surface. Then Mr. Graves turned towards her. ** Seems like we ought.to have a prayer or something,” he remarked in subdued tones, ‘! Shall we?” “Ob, no, no!" and Miss Patience shivered a little. ‘*It wouldn’t be right, and both of us here in the flesh, would it?” ** Miss Patience,” and Mr. Graves threw down the spade ard turned to her with sudden determination, “ we two can never be strangers again. After all that has passed ; with this guilty secret between us—” He paused. Guilty secret was good. He had not known before his capacity for mystery, and then resumed pompously: ‘This guilty bond—this crime, I might almost say ; we belong to each other, <A part of us is buried “We theo can never be strangers.” in the same grave. The rest should be united also, Will you marry me, Miss Patience?” Miss Cooper trembled, but said, faintly, ‘t You don’t know me, Mr. Graves.” “Yes, Ido. I know that you have the same sympathies and feelings as myself. I liked you this morning, and this gives us to cach other, Doesn't it?” ** Yes,” said Miss Patience. At the wedding, two wecks later, the doctor congratulated them with a twinkle in his eye. ‘* Graves, you thief,” he said, roguishly, ‘‘when am I to be paid for my specimens ?” Luey Foster Madison comicbooks.com