UNWILLING WITNESS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7074, 21 February 1893, Page 4

UNWILLING WITNESS.

LITERATURE

CONTINUED.) I 'Well, what did I tell you? It has j coma out just as I said it would !’ \ * How wasthat.' Mr Newbold ?’ ] 4 Don t you remember wbat I said to 5 yon down'there in your office ?* , ' About Bodewin ? You said, if I’m not mistaken, that his case called for a j woman’s influence ; wasn't that it ?’ , ‘Well what I meant was the social ( thing, you know. Of coarse, you can’t I \ have society without women. Ha has seen a good deal of ns lately, and naturally he tekes more interest in the ease. He’s reconsidered the matter from a more human point of view/ ‘He has not seen much of me lately. He hi*s seen a good deal of my wife and of youp daughter. Is that the point of view, you call human P’ ‘You lawyers are the worst fellows to torn a mad’i wjrdi wrong side out. You know Very, well wbat I mean. Bodewin has dome round—mo*t unexpectedly tp you, but not to me. I knew ho was coming. The rides and the talks and the little dinners have dons the business, and now you can come in with the majesty of the law and claim the credit ot it.’ * To whom.is the c ; edit doe, do you think—jour daughter or my wife ?’ ‘Oh, coroe, Craig ! I’m not going to quarrel with you—not until after the trial.’ ‘There will not be any trial with me lor your counsel, Mr Newbold, unless you drop that littlo theory of yours, pretty sadden too l You can give all the credit you like to your daughter— I beg her 'pardon, and you ought to too—but I want you to understand, before we go any further, that my wile doesn’t help me to win my cases.’ * Good Lord, man! one would suppose ’ Josephine sprang up, hardly conscious of the heavy child in her arms, and carried him back to the dining-room, where Mrs Sammis was folding up i bo breadths of her overskirt. * l do believe there is‘enough left for a shoulder.cnpe,’ she said without looking up, as Josephine entered. ‘Don’t you like those little shirred capes F’ ‘On some people—yes/ Josephine replied absently. ‘ Jf there wasn’t enough to shir, I might put some fringe round it, and trim it with passymeutery Ain’t you been tiring yourself out with him? You look real warm!’ She held out her hands for the child. ‘ He dosen’t tire me—does be, monkins P* Josephine leaned her head against the baby’s clean white pinafore, put on over yesterday’s frock with special reference to her visit. Mrs Sammis looked on with flattered regard. | * You’ve got areal way with babies ! shesaid. ‘ For ah only child yourself, it’s wonderful. I guess y’our one of . the born mothers. You must look out when it comes to marrying. When yon see a.girl with blood in her for two, sbs's sure to pick out a man that hasn't half enough for one, and nurse him the rest of her life, and be as proud of him, like as not, as if he were her first-born and think he’s got a terrible intelecfc.’ Joaepbioe, in her visits to the mine, had been in the habit of using the Sammis baby as an innocent buffer to toward of the mother’s attentions. That day she kept the child in her arms, petting him end recklessly encouraging bis small tyrannies until tbe horses were brought round and her father called to her from tbe piazza that it was time to go. Nothing in all her life lad ever hurt her like those words of his she bad overheard. Josephine bad ever been too ready to flame out on slight provocation, and dispute the paternal authority on trifling points, but this IHOt involved differences ro<* vital even for discussion. Sbs could not open the subject to her father without showing him her scorn for bis pbint of view All the satisfaction she might have had in Bodewin’* conversation was bligbr. ed. Beviewing bis several conversations with her as she was able to recall them, shefaooied she could read lilKlwh cold surprise* abrupt and intimate demand. The first slip had been hers, but she was now ready to believe her father had done his best to put her in the way of, making it. He who should have saved her from her faults had been in league with them against her—was openly exalt, ing in their consequences, with an indency of suggestion which bad even disgusted Mr Craig. Tbe object of her soliloquy was meanwhile comfortably riding behind Per, by (be side of Mr Craig Mr Craig, talking of future improvements at tbe mine to be begun as ‘soon as the trial was over. For now ihst Bodewin bad been won, Mr Newbold, and his lawyer no less, regarded the case as virtually decide ! in their favour. Mr Newbold wondered a little that Josephine’s interest in the trial should have so suddenly cooled. But no doubt she was tired of tbe snbjeet ; it had been presented to her somewhat monotonously of late. She declined to go down with him to Denver on the week of the trial, preferring to stay at the mine with Mrs Sammis. It would not be an exciting visit, but Josephine would have chosen to go back alone to Kansas City rather than make one of the Eagle Bird party on this con- 1 apicuous occasion. Mr Newbold bad hired a light mountain waggon and a team of horses to carrv bis constituents over the range to the end ot tbe track in the safest and speediest manner, fie had also ordered the best breakfast < thi Wiltsie Houde could furnish, to be served at the mid#, whete the partsp

were to nwt on the morning of the, journey. Josephine would gladly Lave escaped the breakfast but her j father had made apoiot of her presiding. ’ However, to her great relief, Bodewin , was not among the guests. At the last moment he had resigned bis seat in the waggon and announced , that he would make the pass on horseback. He came loitering up the trail a few minutes after the Eagle Bird party had set of. He had left his water prof coat in Sammis’d office the last time he had gone through the mine, be said, and had stopped for it 4 on bis way. Josephine was sitting on the steps of the high porch as he rode up. He bad seen her, and it was too late tor her to escape into the house. Mrs Sammis came from the end of the porch, to ask if he would not change big mind and hate some breakfast. He had had a cup of coffee before leaving the camp, ha thanked her, but would she kindly send some one for that coat ? The offlos was Ibcked and Satnmi* had taken the key, but Mrs Sammis thought she knew where there was another key that would fit, Sb© went into the house to find it, and Bodewin sealed himself on the steps below Josephine, It was scarcely possible to avoid some reference to the object of bis journey. ‘ Are yon surprised at my going, alter alfl said to you last time ? ’ he asked.

‘No ; I knew then, in spite of what you said, that you would go.’ ‘ Thank you for your faith in me. I ought to be nneommoulv happy, 1 suppose. True happiness consists in doing what is disagrefloble, doesn't it T Now that Bodewin hadjbegunto talk in this safe, artificial strain, Josephine's courage returned. ‘Perhaps so/ she said, ‘if you do it for the sake of something better than happiness.' 1 You are the most exacting young moralist! Isn’t it enough that you have got me ou the right track at last, without asking for my passport ? ’ Josephine’s face turned scarlet. * I have bad nothing to do with the track that you are on.’ *Am I not your witness ?’ <Toa know that you are not. Remember, the condition of my listening to ynu was that you should not make it personal!’ 2(!To he continued . )|