UNWILLING WITNESS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7081, 1 March 1893, Page 4

UNWILLING WITNESS.

LITERATURE

rcoirrnnnro.) •How did he know I was going alone by the trail P* Bodewin asked. • How does Harkins know anything! If you’d a’went the other way he’d been fixed for yon just the same. Bow did be get joar picture V •What!’ Keesner rose up chpckling and went into the cabin, tallowed by the roused look o£ inquiry in Bodewin's eyes. He fumbled about on the mantel-shelf, and came back with a photograph, which he laid on Bodewin’s Knee.

* There ye are I How’d be git that P* Bodewin stared at the picture in gloomy amazement- He bad not seen it since the day, fourteen years ago, When be stood by toe white draped table in his room at borne, bilking to her of Prank Eoatis, hi* •yes meanwhile wandering absently * from one to aciother of bsr innocent girlish trophies. Il was the day before 'rank came, at his invitation, os that hapless visit. So these years of their separation eh* had kept her brother’s picture. Seldom as #h» might have looked upon it, there mast have been some lingering sentiment which ■ bad pre r «nted her from parting With it. Bodewin was at no loss lo gne»s how, among her poor belongings, it had passed from the hand of Harkins’s lady friend »o Harkins himself, to be finally put to this ingenious use. Harkins had certainly a devilish senke of humour.

‘Why did Harkins give you this, do yon know P Bodewin asked at 1' ngth. •So we wouldn’t miaa our man,’ Keener raphe i. ‘ I never ae: eyes on J you, and didn’t want to, beforehandsee—(or you’d know me when I come to tackle you on the road.’ Bodewin tore up the picture, Ressner looking on and making no objection. It bad served ita purpose, so for at he waa concerned. It had carted another purpose. The picture had been sent to the cabin a month or more before Bodewin was himself brought there. Babe had not aeen many pictures in her life. She bad never known a man’s face like the one this, picture set before her. Poring over it whenever she coutd have it to herself unobserved, there had been time enough for the sowing of those seeds of trouble which are now maturing fast. So, while Tony sulked and Bodewin rested iu his brief exemption from responsibility, and Keesner chuckled over Harkins’s cleverness and counted the • wages of hie own inquiry, Babe was the common victim. That evening by Qandle-light in the cabin Bodewin was looking over a collection of* specimens,’ which represented the financial hopes and disappointment of the Kwaner family for the past two or three years. Jim Keasner waa trying to get a professional opinion from Bodewin regarding a certain piece of quarts he had at that time a particular interest in. It had been t»ken from one of Keener's numerous ‘ prospects ’ which Harkins bad just bonded for ten thousand dollars. Bodewin s safe-keeping until after the trial bad a more important bearing on the sale of Keeper's mine than the value of the property itself. Keesner waa well aware df this fact; but there wan th« bare possibility that the mine might be worth something like' the amonnfc of the bond, 10 which etJe Harkins’s bounty on Bod*wio a captare And detention would not amount to much after all. Highly as Keeaoar reopected his principals Ability, be did not care to furnish an illustration of it iu his own person. It was a privilege to bs associated in holiness with a man like Harkioa : nsterttmless it was a privilege one flight at any moment bo called upon to pay dearly for. Bodewin turned the quartz specimen over on his palm and tried its weight. In order to obtain a fresh fracture he struck it, as it lay on his open band, with another piene ol stone he had picked op jfrom the table. As the quartz full in pieces. Babe, who had bwn leaning over Tony’s shoulder, looking on at the inspection of minerals, drew back quickly. Bb* had got a partial* of the sharp quart* sand in her eys. . She wont away fiom the light and sat apart with a band over her face, refusing to have the eye looked at. Her father leased her. and Tony bullied bar with various methods of extracting tbs sand. Babe would have none of them, and finally weot to bed, saying *it would work out itself before morning/ She came down early ns usual next day and prepared breakfast, making no Complaint. Shs had tied a bandage over the injured eye, and was evidently Suffering, though still obstinate when remedies were suggested. After breaklast Tony went to the corral to feed the horses. Dad Keasner ha 1 taken his favourite seat fora morning smoke, on a corner of the beech sheltered by a hop>vine, and near the cabin window. Ho eonld thus enjoy the atiM September sunshine and keep at the same dine M OJO on Bodtwio, who sat within, whittling, by the hearth. Babe had washed and put awav her breakfast things, moving about silently, as she bad done ever since the formidable stranger’s arrival. She now took down the broom from its oad behind the door, a sign that she wanted the cabin * cleared of men, Bodewin had been at work oh a Maple of matob-stieks, whittling them until each one was as soft and thin at the end an a fine, flat eamel’e-hair brash. With these frivolous-looking implements in bis fingers be approached Babe and said tfefctly, but as if be cxpfeted ber to :

* I want to take that thing oat of voar eye. It is time it was oat.’ * How are you going to P’ Babe asked.

• Gome here to the light, aod I will •how you.’ As she hesitated, Bodewin took the broom oat of her hands, keeping his eyes npon her, and motioned towards the door. He waitsd for her to precede him, grave, courteous, but peremptory, as a physician should be. She obeyed, laughing a little nervously. perhaps at the novelty of finding herself obedient to masculine direction. At his command she eat down on he bench outside, turning her face to the light. * Take off the bandage, please.’ She took it off with fingers that were stigbtly tremulous. Bodewin gave her one of the match-sticks, and showed her how to moisten the whittled end in her mouth until it was soft and pliable as a feather. Then taking her head firmly against his shoulder, be pressed her shrinking lids apart, and passed the slip of wood under the lid from the outer to the inner corner of the eye.

The relief was instantaneous. Babe’s bead drooped. Helpless tears bathed her cheek where the mounting blood was fast effacing the impress of Bodewin’s fingers. He did not look at her at once, but turning to b«r father, showed him the speck of quartz on the soft end of the stick he bad just used. ‘Hisbt!’ said Keesner, taking his pipe from his mouth. * Tony !’ he called leaning to look past Bodewin. * Is that you, Tony ? I thought I beared a man’s feet goin* round the house. Bid you hear him P’ turning to Bodewin. * Yes, I heard of it; I thought it was Tony,’ Bodewin replied. Keesner listened a moment, dubiously and then resumed his pipe. There was nothing surprising in the si'ence that had followed K.*esner’s call. Tony rarely coodesending to raise bis voice in answer to the paternal summons, but made his appearance in due time when it pleased him to come.

g(To be continued.)