That Girl of Johnson's — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

52 PAT GIRL OF JOHNSON’S. tavern received skimmed milk, but these were special guests, and she gave them the best she had. These were set on the table in as appetizing &@ manner as she knew. The bread was light and well dene; the butter yellow as gold—butter was seldom used in the household ; the pitcher of cider was clear; the mugs they drank from were polished. They ate as hungry men eat; the fare was simple, but to them it was as the best. The woman hovered near them ; no word of theirs should be lost on her ears; such guests were uncommon. They praised the eggs and bacon; the butter was better than any the town could offer; the cream on the milk was delicious. Had Johnson returned? they asked her. Not that she had heard of, she replied, a flush on her face at their words of praise for the cooking. She would know if he had; she knew everything that happened in the place. Did they want Johnson? Had thev been searching for him? Yes, they replied, they wanted Johnson; he was sum- moned to appear in the town in the Green case, of which she had been telling them. He was not over on the oppo- site mountain; they had searched for him there, and shouted until they were hoarse in case he had lost his way, but there was neither sight nor sound of him. The woman said cautiously that he might be hiding there, for the mountain was good for a hiding-place; if he had cause to hide from the law or from any one he knew well there was the place; they might search forever and would not find him. Could not the trial go on without him ? They looked keenly at her. There was little Be oo tagois in her face, still it was not a stupid face. No. they said, and now they were cautious as she; it was necessary to have Johnson; it was believed he could tell considerable about the matter; should me not appear to- day, they must wait. ~-€omicbooks.co