Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-13

Il
Maggie and her mother | couldn't be
particularly attentive to Irene without
their knowing it. And Bob Humphrey'n
be around most of the time, and it won't
be long before | have the whole village
talking the matter up.
Never mind that, Joe, never mind
that It'll be all right when Scott gets
home. I'll give you the biggest kind of
fee.
''Well, Deacon" cody replied the
young lawyer, ''it's a pretty tough case,
but I'll take it on one condition"
''What's that?"
'EWhy, so long as it's only fun, and
all that, I'll go ahead, but if it seems as
if / was doing any harm, anything real
bad. you know, I'm to be at liberty to
back out"
'Well, I don't mind, so long as you
let me know in time"
And so the deacon and the lawyer dis
cussed their plot to their satisfaction,
and when all was settled the latter took
his own way down the broad and grass
| grown street Of the village.
'.The the old shark" he muttered, as
he strolled along. '.What on earth put
it into his plotting old head to pitch on
me for his tool? He never was more
than half decent to me before. / reck-
on I'll earn my fee, but III be fair and
square with Bob Humphrey. What
would Irene say if she knew what was
up? Wouldn't those black eyes Of hers
| strike fire."
Now it happened that of late, I'M
known, perhaps, to the deacon, there
had been growing up more than little
closeness of intimacy between Joe
Gaines and Bob Humphrey, and that it
was treachery to his friend as well as
unfairness to the pretty heiresS, to
which the young lawyer had allowed
himself to be bribed by the deacon's
| promised fee.
A deep fellow was Joe Gaines, and a
marvellous manipulation of social affairs.
! Again and again. as days, and weeks,
and months went by, did Deacon Pilsey
| congratulate himself on his admirable
selection and chuckle in his inmost be-
| ing as he witnessed the well-cOntrivcd
success of JOe's manuvres. There were
pic-nics. and drives, and entertainments
/ of various kinds, but in vain did Bob
/ Humphrey invite or propose; the young
lawyer was sure to be beforehand with
| him, and it almost seemed as if sweet,
urassuming. quiet little Maggie Pilsey
! herself, the deacOn's daughter, had joined
the secret league against her friend Irene,
so otter was some excuse devised by
which she was made to appear in the
latter's stead.
Then, too, were the home evenings at
the deacOn's house, when the subtle
minded old plotter could have Rugged
| himself with satisfaction as he sat by and
| witnessed with his own eyes the admira-
| BILE manner in which Joe worked for
his fee.
st takes a lawyer after all, said he
to himself Il don't much care what he
charges. / only hope he'll keep it up
that way till Scott gets home again. And
then to see Bob Humphrey! Why, the
| feller's got the perseverance of the saints
but he amt nowhere with Joe Gaines. ="
As for Irene Wyer herself. her red lips
laughed and pouted, and her bright
black eyes sparkled and deepened, and
her life seemed flowing onward very
pleasantly. as if no deep laid plots and
Screenings had any power over her or
| her happiness. Moreover. through il all
Joe Gaines seemed to maintain the most
complete external semblance of frank
hearted friendship with Bob Humphrey
/ Odd as it may seem, the young lawyer
also found that his practice had under
gone a very sensible increase, caused
mainly by the warm, though covert.
cnconiums which the good deacon's
heart compelled him to utter here and
there, in his keen appreciation Of his
young friends tact and management.
Time viii fly. however, and the mails
brought at last to Pilsey homestead the
welcome news that its absent hope and
heir would shortly return. There were
letters from Scott Pilsey to his mother.
and his sister Maggie, and to Irene Wycr
and even to his old crOnies and school
mates, Joe Gaines and Bob Humphrey.
and to each he had doubtless some mat
ter of special interest to communicate
No noisy, smoking. disgusting railway
trains as vet vexed the retirement and
repose of the village, but at last, on
morning when all things were in a state
! of almost painful expectancy of his ar
rival. not the ordinary stage coach. hut
a private hired carriage, heavy with
trunks and packages. bore Scott Pilsey
to the door of his fathers home.
In an instant the little verandah was
full of those who awaited him. but
when the deacon's tall, sun-burned and
bushy-headed son sprang out upon the
grass, he turned his back to the veran-
dab for moment, while he aided the
movements of a graceful, well-favored.
dark featured young lady. who followed
him. and whom, even in the first warmth
of his welcome home" he introduced
as my wife, my Lucia"
Maggie Pilsey Rugged her and kissed
her. and so did Irene Wyer and so. in a
moment more. did old Mrs. PIlSev. and
the deacon was too wise a man to seem
altogether astonished, while Joe Gaines
and Bob Humphrey were fairly boisterous
In fact, Scott Pilseys California bride
was so overcome by the warmth of her
greeting, that the poor thing forgot her
pride, and burst into tears In half a
minute after that there wasn't lady
visible, and then Bob and Joe knew
enough to leave the deacon and his son
to themselves. The young men walked
off arm in arm, but they We're back again
before the day was over
The deacon's face was a trihe serious
but not exactly cloudy. and before long
he managed to get Joe Gaines off bv
himself for bit of private conversation.
And so, Joe, said he, ''you and the
rest knew all about this matter of SCOTS
some time ago ~
tWell, yes Irene told me in conf
dence, and then, when they wrote and
told Scott how matters were here. he
wrote to congratulate us, and begged ms
not to spoil his surprise to yuu. We
couldn't tell after all that, you know.
''Ahem well-no-I can't say: but
p'raps not, / can't be mad with Scott.
for she's brought him big rancho and a
mine; but what am to do with YOU
now like Bob Humphrey first-rate
-Iallers did like Bob-and now it can't
he Scott, don't see as ort tointerfere
You've armed your fee, and I'll pay it !:
but, then, you see, there amt no more
use.
.'Oh no, not bit, interrupted joe
bob is good fellow, and he and Mag
gle are just suited. Irene and | think
that Maggie couldn't have made a better
| match and ,rn thirl- Gnnat,- l. -