A WESTERN LANDLORD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2099, 19 December 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

A WESTERN LANDLORD.

A Stmiy by Mar? Hatstwert, gv*iEP.^oor>.

ABTifon 01 "oE\ijrn or boom," "oli> cvvnitN DVYfI," KTC, AVD KCTrEROFS AXD BTORTES TV WIDEAWAKE, liIPFWfIOTT'a, n\i«PKirs', i-t«. :

—♦-♦"♦ A T«Hsr, \pllago doctor is a young village dnotor, whether he earring ft me<Heino ca<-'t> in the year Ifi^i, or a parr of pill-bag^ in ]^"»7 Bnt all young doctors are not ai larg' 1 and white and full of vigorom bond ai Brother ton waal InEfcend of hi*; ufitjl piU bn«<?, however f he hfid a well-stuffed carpet syr It in bis hrwi &a thn hack rnrablrd with I'im mto Mfllpott. The wht)l9 enowy country was steeped in moonlight, whioh throw bick a cold, knifb like flitter from tho Ice over Sa^ar Creek. Tilie- Rh.idow of a, flour-mill foil over the hack as it jopgod actofs the brir';^, and no lff;ht appeared m the po3*-oillce wlifre'the mail bn.'x ougat to be delivered. It was aftec 10 b'efoek. ' The vehicle stopped midway of the onelang frtiect, at ocoo the caunty road and M''llport's spinal column, and Brothorton alighted with his carpel-bag, exchanging a word with the hack driver. Thia haH-asleep and woather-hardenpd b3ing then bumped ahead over frozen mud to the tavern whic'x appeared to lio direotly hugging the ncuth pole, for mich timber as inclosed Millport opened there wpoe boundless white prpirin. In those railroadlomdaye Chio3go Eeem-d nearly as jreuaote *3 China to the inland UhnoJsan. BrothcFton jumped a glaaed mud loves and monntea that, nnpwcd path used by tho villagers ai « nido w^lk. It ltd direfiy aoroae a drug etora porch, upon whiah he piufed, roppin/* hsuyJl at the door. In time ft light appeared through the window, showing ciifidy j.ira and medicine bottles there dimly dfep'aycd behind the frp^werk of frost, then » tuilv hand unfastaned* the door, a man's voice gi'owiiirjg all the t'mo on the other 6ido of it. Brothenon f,lippeJ into a druggy fttmoaphiTG ami niaook hands with his rfd-beadod, fat partner, who, aetinf; as if tranced by sleep, refastrned the door and took np a tin candlotitic'; covered with stalagmites of ancient tallow. •' Ltf & youv tolks well ?" "Ye", quite well. You didu't expect me to-ni^ht, did yon?" " Yes," yawned ttie parfner, "I vo expected you every night. Wa never know when that hack will pet iv twiy more." " It broke into a slew thia Ride of the Red Tamp tavern," said Brothcrton, " and I thought for a couple of houra we'd have to leave it tliTO and lido tho horpoi in," " You look like you'd been prying 8 hack out of a "lew," ob-'erved 'hi pa'tner lowering his candlestick toward BMtherton'a muddied and fro/°n tiowsera. " Well, old Vesuvius ia red hot." " Blesfod be the devil that tends her fines," said Brothprton. "Now, Doc, now.," remonstrafod th« redheaded man, using tho Western abbrpviation, whioh Bh"&ra away a physician's dignity. Ho piloted a track betwixt elustenug chairs, lefit jast as the town loafers were wont to leave them when breaking up daily and nightly oourfc, to a ctove at the rear of the atore. Though muddy heel marks and the Btains of many months showed undeaneed upon its cylinder surface, it glowed like a red rose from within, find Brotharton throw off ovorcoati hat and (/loves upon a counter and aban doned himself to its heat. In a eeoludod corner near tka stove appeared tho lounge-bed wMch his partner had juit vacated. A similar lair in the opposite corner invited the doctor's weary bones after a fchi#y-mfle jolt acrosa the sweep of prairie wind. " It argues well for our decency that wa retain a littla bit of it when we bunk about so liko doge, don't it TUish ?' ho otoarved with a lam^h, using 8 vil!p-go diminutive for Horatio which Hamlet in nil his musings never hit upon. " You're just back from thorn flesh-pots of luxury the preacher talka abont," responded tho druggist. " You'd turn up your ncrao now on oysters cooked in tho can and e't out of the white mortar." "No, I wouldn't," declared Brotherton, promptly. "So if you've got same in tbo digging and want a single bite yourself, put on two oans to simmer." " Now, listen to that for extravagant," observed tho partner, taking up the candle and going forward in the store. Then he knocked sawdust from a tin oblong, cut the top optm with his pocketknife, nnd reached behind tho ipooao jar for a bundle of crackers. The craokers he brought and spread open fer Brotherton to rrfunch at, while the can of oysters thawed and then began to leak and gputter upon tho stove. " Pepper and Bait and a hunk of butter right up there in the \jhite mortar," he Ruggestod. Brotherton himsolf lifted tho white mortar down and blew a little dust oil' its rim. " Don'li ba so particular," urgod Seoriat. 111 thought it might be tartar emetio," explained the doctor. "But yan'ro too good a housekeeper to eerve mo that way, Secrist. Just as I come back, too." "Well, "now, Doc, tell the truth," urged the fat man, ntrotching hinwlf in a ohair at the ortier nida of the stove and glimmering at hifl friend through half shut eyes. " Whea you oome back from civil-i-zation to a godforsaken place like thia, don't y»u think you're making a fool of yowrsolf ?" " No, I inu't," tejoini'd Brotherton. Ha wag sitting on tha oounter beside his garment?, and his long, strong legs dangled well toward the floor. " Thte ia experience. I like experience, and I don't bko hanging by the eyelids. A man can be hardening himself here while he would colkp^e to nothing waiting for piactiee in a city. It is'nt tiuch a god;fo»eaken place, either." " "A row down at Peg-leg's whisky shop every Saturday night. Mud and Blush up to your cyea in winter. Ague all fall." " That suits mo," said Brotherton. " Secrist snpwe'l on: 11 Preaching only once ft month in the school-houae at early candle-lighting." " There isn't a Christian in town that bears that privation better than you do," laughed the doctor. " 0, I ain't saying tha ruflianly gang in thn neighborhood i^n'c good enough fer mo," cltuc'l lM tho druggist. " I'm only wonderirjg how a fi'llow of your stamp can aland it." " What's hsppened now?" "Nothing," icplisd tho drup^ist briefly, as ho wnt to a front counter nnd got a piece of wrwppiny paper for the purposo of lilting Ihe hot can. " Hero ; hold your bowl. I "Won't you have porno yomreif, Kwt)h? Tho old tumbler v»ill hold them if you give it a steam bath first." " No, I d lather have ?on»e sleep." " You'ro not going to bunk do-wn without tolling ruo all the news ? " " No," said tho fat man, elowly. " What news conW vre soare up, do you reckon, though, in tho two weotoi j^ou'to been gone ? " "But y vou were gnashing about ruflianly

c<"Y"i. I--- ie haven't been any Kr*-' I'novei thnrfi? ' fv'crm'j i*.tc*ed a ij^ativp gtunt, fcittli.g on the sido of hiH couch. " I was o*l? thhib'ns of old Hiram D \on." " No ono h"a lullrd him?" " Ko, K3<>pori<k& Secret, with a dissatisfied snrfne. ' I knaw it's yonr silent, ccn.gple-?q prtition tliat aompbody wiJl kill bim," chuckled the doctor, dinpMg up hi* oysters fr«m the white mortar vuth a broken-handlc'd pewter tppen. " Jtaisby, theso ere a comfort in adversity. You hotter have coma." " Everybody sffys ho Idled a nian onoo," 1 continued S'.crist, leanrnj forward and nesting hia aring on Iris kneeo. "Pi lbj fliijriing'n - husband end him went npx& together, and S'irliisg never was seen alive afterwards." " Yea, I've heard you tell that story a dozen times," said Brotherton, applying hirosol! to lih aonp with the zest of «n hungry man. 11 But Il'Tby doesn't believe it. StirliDg'i body was fon«d whole nnd uatampered with at a hotel. Heart di«?R2<\ congestion, a man's misuse of him«elf that fools d'om'fc know how to tfeserifco \nith a name. And if yeu men Bunwtrted Dixon why eKdn't you haul him ap before the oourU and investigate?" •' It Wnis talked of," repKed Seedst, dospondcmtly. "But he had his explanations ready. Old man T)ixon is smart." " Ruby's well, is the ?" A3 Brotherton roada this In«s"alry he thuew a quick siile pls.nc.Tat his partner. " I thought I heard spmpbody knock," s*id the drup^-ist, timing his head in his palms and listering. 'IVho fire whispered. Without tj*£ frosty wind *wept over village and wood alid lost itHcl'f in the vastnesi of the pcairio. There was ,1 rcid'den fqaeal and soampenng in the wall brhind Broil'.ertou. " It's nothing bat that old rat, ' Baid he. " You'll let that old rat livo to oee his childrens children to £ho last gonoration, before you'll five him a button." " I wj^h somebody'd gu c me a button that'd make irA plecp t«-nisht, ' esclaimod tha druggist. ' ' I ain't sfau-t my eyes since duefk." " You were so drowsy you «ould hardly ey;<3n the door," declared the doctor. " I was pretendin' to bo easy en you, like," prplained hid partner, painfully. " Jerome, there ha 3 something happened sinco jou wsat away." " What ? " exclaimed Brotherton, feeling hij temples expand with inri'Q pulse bt^vts. "ij isn't anything about old Hiram Dixon — or Rjby?" " Was j>ou in downright oarnedt about her, Jero/iuo ? " " I intend t» marry her, that's all," nnswerad the doctor, antrigoniani coming to the front in his face. " Doc, Ruby's dead." " She isn't ! " exolatmed Bretherton, leaping up. " Doe, ehe'fl dead." AtitomrUiciily Brotlierton rubbed hi" finger through the rings which hw soup>bowl made upon the counter, lluby's dehcrtto aqmhne face, flushed tho color of a Much roi),fillpd his vision. Ho did not bdiovc it was now cJay white; that her innocent mouth was pet in death. Up did not upbraid hn pattnerfor puppresaing tho now*. 'JTaere wero ho menus by which S*orisk ooald hava roac'acd him m«re qinekly unless he had driven out to meet the hack. voice, precis 3ing in recital, grew in volume upon his ear. " Blamo old Hi Diton'a picturo I He would have put her in the ground t reive hoars after if it hadn't been for her Aunt Hub? Ann and tb.B neighbors." Brotherton grated hia nails against the wooden counter. " When did she die ?" " A Friday morning five (?iys Ago. I said you ought to of beeo hpro all along," pronounced Hecri?* Impressively, ga^iiig with oornmiseration at tho pallid joisng mm. " They oay ie vraa liko this : Hho wsn pUvin^ with little Nato and to»9ing up a ball. When the ball went into the ai? ehe was alive and well, and when it Southed the floor she wna H dead woman. Doe, the aolor Jida'e go out of h«r cheeks and 3)10 stayed warm. r J?noy put her between foatber bed?, and all the other doctors in town tried thoir beet to bring her ti, but it wasn't no use. I dent believe they knew what it was." " She hasn't bwen ? " demanded Brotherton quickly, coming forward and setting his fooi on the pedestal of the etove. The boot leather smoked, and he watched it as if hi»> hopes were exhaling in tha Gmoke. " No, not jet. But old Hiram Dixon saya he won't keep her auy longer than early t> monow forenoon. He say's he kept her lonaor now than anybody ever wag kept in Millport." " IJe won't have a funeral while there's the slightest doubt." " No, he won't have any moro funeral than he can help. HVI1 3 ufat pop her in tho around and be done vritli it. He'a halping dig the grave to-night to save expense, and a nice easy job they have of it the way the ground's fro7e. Tha women say ho got tha cheapest ottin that could be bought," continued Secrist, dropjjing his facts like pebbles into Brotherton's boiling mind. "Buoy's boy will coma into his hands now. And by the time that boy i 3 21 yenrfl old, if Hiram Dfxoa hasn't the reBt of Stirling's property beddes what disappcrod wlren Stirling ditd, then I ain'd acquainted with ttiram Dixon. It's most all in land, and easy to trustoo out of tile hands of a minor heir. I'll go up with you, Doc." " No, you go to bed and sleep," replied tho dostor, wbo having rnufll^d trim c elf, was changing medioiaea in his pill baga for others on the shelves. " I'll go up with yon," Raid tho fat man, bringing forth hia own garments. "You'll have a tut»3ln with old Hiram. If he'sdug her grave and sbo ian'c dead he'll buqy he anyhow." The wind blew out of the north like mobile and invisible ice. Secrist tied his reel woollen ccinforter in anothor knot under his chin. Before Bsmn houses lay a narrow, firoßty board ai caHsewiy, and aorcrsa this they walked Hinply to avoid the »ough, frozen mnd. A hut of Irga, fjpen : ng by a latch-string, and a weatVier-boarded domicile, with tho door at tho reir, wet 0 closo neighbours. There wb*9 Iwo or three brick houses of some prctensisna, inoloiod by paling?, and a barred and silent general sjorp, which in daylight divided patronago with one at tho other end of the village. On ri'sinj ground stood tho tavern ; a halting placo where thu traveller mughfi biwee faioreolf for the blcnk rido northward. How many a cutting day had Brothrrton taken to that narro-v road im hiu jumper, his horse breasting an unstirred ocean of enow. Then, however, ha cawiod cony, warm faoughtH within hia wraps and furn, which kept him exhilarated. To-night ' the north iroad was the blealteet track ha had ever eeeu. Wanderers on the prairie would be miie to perish; or, should they escape, what comfort could they find in to morrow, anyhow? Opposite the tavern, across a small rarine, and upon a hill stood the largest house in the town. A road curved around it and crawled clown into tho dark woods. It was, however, tho meanest looking house in the town, its sikt only emphasizing its dilapidation. The hoar fiost tried vainly to ornament with eilvor ph:Uug certaim ascent garment? bulging through broken panen, tha crazy nsho rattled, and loose, unplantedwetfther-boaiKfing clapped roaponsivoly. Beorist ftocl the doctor, waiting for admft-

snn b'f'ivo r'fj-t^ on T^iicih they dare i.7t ■^und both at o> re, hea*d fcho wind nowiinq through thi? hc.!lpw mansion as if its vaee»b otrutibers were built rnly for that purnosa. Jjrolhert^n'fl cbiof wi»h had been to fcfkoltaby out of thii p!ac into a home of His e,wn racking. She was rtill so rnhch a little pirl that he nevw rurvbzed her widowhood on her maturity. Her. child raomed a young brother whom he woifH adopt for ldvo ofjif*. It fm'wcs puzz 1 * d him that ft crearare K'ke Ttjby, naturally refined and alive to everything beautiful, should be oast in her lot and bonml to tfeo people who held her. £he heredity which gave darkened «3au2*)tci*3 with childish hand? and feet and living souls to Mrs. Dixon's like could Sot Is accounted for by medical soience. % Mm, Dixoja was etifl afoot acd let tb« young men into her unf urcished hall. Waked stair-steps and giunt bannisters, against which therr shadows were thrown by the moon, Beamed to welcome them as congenial ghosts. Om diicousragecl eancUo bnrne3 in the squaaro room whero most »f the living was done, and whoro dydng t?rs to be •on«Hramuted ; for there in >ht corner stood the marble-liko ablong of sheatg stretched ever the tops of ehaira, conoe&liag what was held b^aeafcji them upon tho coaling hparil. Nosr by, also uphekl by Usp «(hairs, waited a blauk cofila, bulging near the head, but narrowing towards the foot. A strowg sbncMer darted through the doctor at this eight, whioh must have been co conmov to him. Two ether women were watehiag with Ruby. One of them, the landlady of the tvreiu, camo forward to meet ber two bearders, and shoo'; haude with the doctor. She was capable and portly, and talked in a ho'ars9 whisper. Being fho dead giri's Auni Buby Ann, r.he was there fo commands Mrs. Dktn eat down i-n a remoto *c*«6r with her sun bonrvet over ber cyea. She was a very thin croataro, ha7iig cahso garmeats which hung upon her. The centornportiry yodd seldom caught h3r features on accotmt of this immovable ninboo.net, and it vr&s btlievrd filie wauld iis without naving ever fiillr? shown hf r face. Sao was not deaf,, yet whan che made oee of hor scant rcmsrßs Bhe shouted it, and people shouted to her in retirrn. Tho mnjor part of her time wa's ov»<l-"ntly spent in meditation, and IJaring lliiftm Dixon for her second husband was deemed a BuQicient exeusa for thia. Aaui Enby Ann put a Eplint-bottomed chaij; and thvi ono redker befora a seated and cavo Hko fircplaco where eomo green sticks were we9pit>c upon rusty fire-doga. The doctor Eft hia pill-bBRS aad hat npon tha splinfc bottomod chair, and the landlady andefgtflad'in'g him, took np the candle. Dhiing their c«nfrrenee her voitsa never ro°e abtne the hoarse whi?par proper to th* occr.oion. •' Did you pit word ? " eiie inqurrad. "Not until Sacrist told me, niter I got cut of the Irick." " I am glad y.-u're on hand, for %©'s r'arin' around to bury I'er whethpr or no." Shft ca^t a look of conttnjpt at her siiter who could keep a husband in no batter subjection than Hiram Dixon wa<? kept. " I give her up, and then agin' I £0 and try one« moie wuh feafhera under l.i.r no^e and a looking glasa hold to her mouth. 1 oan mighty near see & dimness on the glass, aad y«t I ain't sure ol that, neither." S-flitig t^t Brothevton did not lift tho eotner of the eheet-rsreophagUß, Aunlsr>sby Ann raiafd it herself, exposing little J*uby by tbo yellow toHgue of tha oandlo. Slironda were ju9t pa9sisg out of nso then, so Itiby was clad in her heat dresa of thin, black Bflk, the ekrves fleming aw«^ from her elbewa and ! Icavinp; her arms protcole4 ky muslia onilejslcoveq. A broad collar of neecftWork itst turned down well towards her shonldei^i and fastened at her -throat by a mighty brown and whke cameo pm. Her deli&aJe Jae« was nut yet pinched or snnken, ita uniflaal whiteness seeming m?rply to deepen tha darknots ol her h>2ir. Tna minuto blue tilery of her eyelid vcin3 and the network 9* h?r templta oaughli the gaw of cfne vlio HtrC^ietl hor. A pu^^ostion of colour lika aurwral light appe?rpl upcri her lip 3 and choeki. " She loffka nnt'raH, dori'fc she, Doc?" whispered the landlady with emphatic hoar-se-nes.i " T n r," replied Brotherton, ceding down upon hi knees and applying hia car to hor th^t and henr ' She eiidn'f; say which not t'othar, but down ebe tnmLled," shouted Mm. Blxon frmn lter corner, turning the mouth of her sanhonr.pf; U|?waß.'d from a tmnce o^ meditation. and having difvhai^ed thia canvcuea'tional baUfhu tiytim lowered it"? munJe. Biothcrtoo and the landhdy held a c«nfereHCQ which ended in much trampling oh tho .naked floor nfnd sora- 1 shifting of the mean f nrniture, at whioh hia partaer ani the nefgHbaur assisted. Mr?. Dixon sj*t client, and Faw rrer daughter's bod-y transferred to a table, with ft pail oi water bendo ii, and the doator'a morocao c^^e of instmaxenta gHtterinp; beneaHi the feeble candle li^ht. S wrist p^ked tlie fire and kept bis faea strictly chimnoyward. At the table long pauper) alternated with whnpers and chan«os ef poeifcion. Water occafionally dripped on tho floor. Mis. Dixon could behold Brotherton'u haggard c-x-preß3ton, and the quick pcatuas with winch the bock of lu3 hand rusbed moisture from his forehead. " Three dootora Ims pra hec »p," she shoutfd. and ng^in dropped her iUßbonnet mouth, leaving the fact to kit it« mark. There was a clock pcrewed to the wn.ll, with piopappla ahapad weigHts hanging by oVifcim. It had the pitcoift air of draqf*i*</ its own vi'cera, and was altogether cuc'i an incompleto cloc4c as the master of «»ch a hon<;e mij'ht depire ; but its iron hands kept nace with time, and they indicated Wht li'other. ton had b&en Bxperimentuig moce than an hour wbon the pet oi naked feet b3came irrcpulaily dhitinot 9n Che naLpd itaira, and the eitting-rcom door was thrown opm so wklo as to bump against Mr. Dixon's knee*. " What did you gIT; up for, Nate?" whiapereJ the landlady, meafcing him and lifting him to Bit on the cutve of her arm. Tho ohild was in a linsey drees, under which scanrf; ddaping ho enddlpd hif lors, while he searched the group around tho table with large, dark eyes rtnd bosna to whimper. " Hrr and Nat« was tns«in' the ball togother an-1 pingin' Lord Lovel," shouted Mra. Dixon. Slip bent h«r BUHfoormeted liead once more snd eat raotionlc?3, as if waiting to be reloaded. Tli'3 landlady turned her face feom tka Übl« and oarried him around to tha dontor. " Uow do yon do, Nate ? said Bfothsrtoi, taking one of \m aguertioted daws and kissing it. " I wvub my maw, weyt out Nate, putting up h»a trembling undor-lin, " Gall her," fiaid Brotherton, taMng tho child upon his own arm. " May, 0, maTl" called Nate. "0, I'm afraid up-itnira alono. If ak« her wake, Docker B'utteitonl" Tns young man moved orra one ©f Italy's arms. " If yon ortn't rouse her, Nato, she's buyond th,e K>ach of lovo nnd tioppair. Oa'll he* again " " Doe , Doc. 1" rcmoctratod tha laHdlady. "If you sat hi-*i to taloia' o» wa »dyer will git him peaneficd agaia." " And out of hei bosom graw ft r*J, red rose, and out of his 1 !! grew a briar," shopteJ Una. Dixon. HorTiffees b»mg again flrroritmiefl

by i><3 cpn.iiig dear, tV* &r<?.v hencK teg«tfo?r as if ccil'a^icg. It was an old man who earns in. H« 6yti ' the cjaro to Mae gosdei Bpoa the table. Wit iron g»qy halt m£» With iroa-jrey b«wd ™e» his abaelt b«n'e« and formed a orisjfjy riftwti reaching his tfionKlsn". As % sn», van a»i rruoy seaeoflS' wear ki^l jpfc d«sn Hvmc wotfji fcrfiis ancient a»d ill-beared dc>*kmf"iS was freshly jfl&'*j4 with frtwrn mad •*»«*, and hfs d<i*k paws wene yellow* by er*f qvwro to the frayed caat »i»cwk BhukNis &» door po that a rcspessiv* AprfiJtrraa foxoigk rh<3 whole house, he dejoawisd at oftCfi: " Who's n raeddKn' wrth thit esrp»o ? a "Xha Biatc of IlHn»iz, A repKcd Siertit from the fire^laeo. " Ths State ol llMbms k« g^k ««k »f mj houet theia," nid the old man, "waffiwc l^ti hoiry shag* "'I dim't b«ep a naudical «*11« m;" " Hiram Bixon," spoke cmt tk« IkKdlWl. "ain't yxx wtlhn' tr«ry means iliinW !»• tried to ccc if lih'o Itk i* B«b# ?.' "I am," and ttio dmgguii, "smdPja* tk« •Unstable." " Yon can't buwj her i«-ia«rr«.\r, MfS«xo*," •aid Brothtrfcotir '■ I am »ft re«dy t« pitQoant« her doad." " I'll bury her to-morrow as cmx* a"s tVit b«u riies," garid old Hiram I)ixo». " An 4 I knowed yoij eeuldia t \€A a iend troman Irtrra a liva one." He carao forward in hh »eial pto«p«A a»i BtiiT«ired posture, aad Kate, with one nr-ai aroim^l the docksn's seek, veatcked hna fe»r*hiTiy. " I'll bury Ktr to-aiorftw, and ni fnston h« *p fn few coMh now, to Jwep mei<>Hocß onL. kn& I'll cc* on ii tit* rest of kfea time, H notiliißß ehre'll do." " Hiram Dixow, &t* you pMStssti? " «HGd out Ruby's aa»t. " lifjt linn aIoHK," e»fi flw d^tttr, lvfekenuij; through his lipi, " •»}? bm fhfrt sb«'i moT»d deeeouy." " Keap yen» iirty, thiyay kanili c*, tkea," di«t«tcd the knilady, " end let f««k«» Mi See. Smith's wife mA m« put h«- ih." " Tiiftf gv«w amd they tvair t* Aia tiiwrck Bteepla top, and there they couldn't gc* n* higher," ibouted Mri. Bixo*, ftv*ei«s h«c quotation at tfee eeiHagoTcr fiw hea^a of ksr dk«etdant inmat-ea. xThateTn t«o1i©« *h* felt at eeeing her (iKO^ktn'i bo^f P^**^ ™ its lost rcseptacio was •mkceßlcd within A« m«ezl« of kWa sa»lionn«4 amd »ft*e no «x- " N^w I hop* yeu're •»»»*■«*," aiii Auot R<iby Ana to the eld maa, b«£i«mnn t« wwp and wving her nose baiwaMi i»c thomb jumL opij ftDgsr, whan th« last eiatkling ield «f Ruky'a drapery wat l»ii B*raijhi. *I£ thoy'T« all, aye» t« Do*. Bjoßiert»a, gir« Imc up, I •'poso I'll have to." u I'll be satisfied when Me strem i* *ikt bo place," reptfei Hifon Dkoa, itH«s tb« lid wkh mf>h tnlkmi ezastnrrs that sfa feH herself impelled to add with bitivg eiasnro: " I believe you'd l&o to h*w Kat« in there, too," The old mas looked ap, tnd b;^ »nsotarfM in the dim light seemed to flume like wolf eyes. Ho wsa esftjqparatacl to a p»int bsytsnS his endutaaae, mmL Hato'u Hn^y irrt»a wa« within easy rsaeti. Oae of the boy'i bare feet clenched a round ef ttie eha-k whreh ewppoiled E-iby'fs head, a3 ha lifted himself nf to leot do\r« at her. " I'M put him in," tt.il oU Hiram, ExabMng thu koy, and rnehuatly the stemjlaa o» the rtof Bccme4 rent by iTate'a si-risk to hii mother. Borne mnlft'd soAind rain;lod tfce noise h« rmads, tjnd the tWtov I"MTg firs* t» reacb him w?.« the first fo s>re K-abj'-s open Be wfti holding her child RMiS«r era •! his arms an* lilting ke* hejift with t-h« otka?, whr-n Mre. DJtcia fic«d off tha eonoiasion of tfebt doygeral battad wHh wh<«li Yw nrind km bc-n so kGavily efaargefl kf Ini'by^ kat iepotition ef it: " And ttisre they e«twio«i >a a hr,n« 1»y«'8 knot for i;W *ra« lowrs to RdKr«, 'mi*B, 'mire; hr nil tr»e loveipi te adwirs."

TuaoKtioTjs of Raby SH*«iit'« h«n«e ■*iH Itog-H 1 abeut MMlpoi>t. T«m may jed keir ho.v hha trwd t-s aore, feet ©aald na4; feo,w 35iji!i«rto« let Hirawi do hli wovet kt wrdf r to test the effeei o( ft iboek, wii liowk* tocsk her away aft* th*ir mawiftsa. t«fPMg niinm Dixoatlfrarlyramole fioai hsrself anA her «>n thencefaiwatd. * A high school boildfng to-iiy oeciy»iei fke hill where tb» old konse atoo«\ and R iby'i njipVaasnt stepfather has lain fey ysturifcass. looked and grass-bound, in the outgre»« grave-yard, his wdio—presumably v,ito her gun bonnet oror her eyos—beside him. Tlw ißilroad and tel^kon? eo^cot Millport whh' all tho world, a«d tie ion.n oan hardly balrevc aueia tales told of its eaily yewuk.