Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-12-02

heard all about it when one Of the
neighbors was talking with Ben,
though he didn't want me to know
about it."
Mile had listened to this with
curious mixture of feeling, for Squire
Johns was declared lover of hers,
and though she had not yet accepted
him, she had been pleased with his
attentions, and had certainly given
him encouragement. Moreover, he
was to receive his final answer in
three days from that time, and she
was not sure that the answer reserved
and laid away for the time was NO
True, Mile was not in love, with
him, but she had waited SO long in
vain for that extatic state of feeling
she had heard and read Of so much,
that she thought she was not capable
oflove, and that to like anyone was
as much as she could expect. But
she certainly liked Squire Johns as
we'll, if not better than anyone else;
and his love must certainly be disin-
terested, for he could not know that
but now Mile stopped. Could he
not? Might he not have found out
in some way? Ifthis story wastrue,
would such a man be likely to marry
poor girl: For Mile Warner was
really an heiress in a small way.
She was sole inheritor of a small, un-
encountered farm from her father,
and five thousand dollars in bank
stock. But the farm was two hun
bred miles south of the town where
she was now visiting and assisting a
cousin with her work, as she had al
ways helped her mother when she
was at home-capable, industrious
little girl, as she was.
This story agreed with things she
had heard limited, but only limited,
and even the next momentsmoothed
over, for Squire Johns wasa rich and
influential man, and people could not
afford, without some reason, to lose
his favor. Could he in reality be so
great a scoundrel?
She could judge better about the
truth of the story when she had seen
Ben. Who was he? Two or three
inquiries had amounted to nothing
The children spoke as if everybody
must know who Ben was. Was he
an uncle, cousin, hired man, or what?
Evidently somebody very Old, by
the way Hetty spoke of him. But
she shrugged her shoulders as she
looked out at the rain which had not
yet abated.
Young Ben Hazwell, out in the
field pitching up the last load of hay,
leaned his pitchfork against a tree,
and took off his straw hat to cool his
forehead. His gaze followed the hay
cart, went over the broad lands and
returned.
"The hay has all gone in" he said,
with long breath of relief. 81 could
not afford to lose one load now.
don't know that j can do il; bit if l
can sell part of the land / may; it
will be hard pull, though"
The young man followed the cart
into the barn. The storm was at
its height when he went toward the
house, by the back way. He stopped
in surprise, as through the window
he saw some one standing at the ia
BILE, with arms bare to the elbow,
kneading bread. 1t must be Martha.
No; those fair white arms are not
Martha's, neither can that slender,
graceful figure be hers. AS he came
nearer, he could distinguish a bright,
sparkling face. She was laughing
and talking with Hetty; and evil
IDENTIFY giving her the directions for
what she was making. Hetty was
watching her, eager and absorbed.
Little Eva was sitting at the table in
her high chair, working at piece OF
dough.
ga tate for Ben" said Eva. 1t
was as black as her little soiled hands
could make it; but it did not occur to
! her that that could be an objection.
1t was pretty sight, in that long
desolate home; and Ben stood there,
unconscious of the pouring. rain, gaz-
ing eagerly at the young stranger
himself model of manly proper
tons, till the voice of one of the men
! calling to the oxen awoke him from
his reverie.
BY and by there was a sp!uttering
of water heard in the next room by
Hetty.
"Ben has ome"-running hastily
forward and opening the door.
"Ben has tum!" echoed the little
gill, clapping her hands and lisping,
as he came in, bright and smiling,
to see what she had for him: II is
made tate for 90, is"
He caught her up In his arms and
gave her kiss, while she laughed
and shouted; but his eyes were seek
ing the stranger. a,