Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-07-05


village talking the matter up"
"Never mind that, Joe, never mind that.
1tll be all right when Scott gets home. I'll
give you the biggest kind of fee."
"Well, deacon" coolly replied the young
lawyer, "its pretty tough ease, but I'll
take il on one condition"
"Whot's that9" @..
"why, so long as it's only fun, and all
that I'll go ahead, but If it seems as ifI
was doing any harm, anything real bad,
you.know I'm to be at liberty to back out"
"Well, 1 don't mind, so long as you let
me know in time"
And so the deacon and the lawyer dis
cussod 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.
1.-THE old shark T. he muttered, as he
strolled leisurely on. "What on earth put
it into his plotting old head to pitch on me
for his tool? lie never was more'n half
decent to me before. l reckon I'll earn
NY fee, but ~ he fair and square with
Bob Humphrey. What would lrehe Say
if she knew what was upP Wouldn't those
black eyes of hers strike fret"
Now, IL happened that of late, unknown.
perhaps, TO the deacon, there had been
growing up more than little closeness of
intimacy between Joe Gains and Bob
Humphrey, and thus it was treachery to
his friend as well as unfairness to the pret-
ty heiress to which the young lawyer had
allowed himself to be bribed by the dea-
cons promised fee.
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 con-
gratulatc himself on his admirable selec-
ton, aud chuckle in his inmost being as
he witnessed the well. contryed sue
cess of Joe's man9uvres. There were pic
MICS, and drives, and parties, and enter
tanments of various kinds, but in vain
did Bob Humphrey invite or propose, the
young lawyer was sure to be beforehand
with him, and ii almost seemed as if sweet,
unassuming, quiet little Maggie Pisev
herself, the deacon's daughter had Joined
the secret league against her friend Irene,
so often was some excuse devised by which
>
Then, too, there were the home evenings
at the deacon's house, when the subtitle
minded old plotter could have hugged
himself with satisfaction as he sat by and
witnessed with his own eyes the admira-
BILE manner in which Joe Gains worked
for his foe.
at takes II lawyer, after ALL" he said, to
Ia Il
ges. 1 only hope he'll keep it up that way
till Scott gifts home again. And then to see
Bob Humphrey! Why, the ieller's got the
perseverance Of the saints, but he amt no.
where with Joe Gains"
As for Irene Wyer herself her red lips
pouted, and her bright black eyes sparkled
and deepened, and her life seemed flowing
onward very pleasantly, as if no deep-laid
plots and schemes had any power over her
or her happiness. Moreover, through it
all Joe Gairfs seemed TO anaintain tho 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 undergone
very sensible increase, caused mainly by
the warm, though covert, encomiums
which the good deacon's heart compelled
him 10 utter here and there, in his keen ap-
probation of his young friends tact and
management.
Time will fly, however, and the mails at
last brought TO the Pilsey homestead the
welcome news that its absent hope and
heir would shortly return. There were
letters from Scott PilSey 10 his mother
and his sister Maggie, and to Irene Wyer
and even TO his old cronies and school
mates, Joe Gains and Bob Humphrey, and
TO each one he had doubtless some matter
of special interest TO communicate.
No noisy, smoky, disgusting railway
trains as yet vexed the retirement and re-
pose of the village, but at last, on morn
ing when all things were in a state of al
most painful expectancy of his arrival, not
the ordinary stage-coach, but private hir-
ed carriage, heavy with trunks and pack
ages, bore Scott Pilsey to the door of his
fathers home.
In an instant the little veranda was full
of those who awaited him, but when the
deacon's tall, sun-burned and bushy- beard
ed son sprang out upon the grass, he turn
ed his back to the veranda for moment
while he aided the movements of grace
ful, well-favored, dark featured young la
dy, who followed him, and whom, even in
the first warmth of his "welcome home"
he introduced as "my wife, my Lucia"
Maggie Pilsey hugged her and kissed her,
and so did Irene Wyer, and so, in mo-
ment more, did old Mrs. Pilsey, and the
deacon was too wise man to seem alto
gether astonished, while Joe Gaines and
Bob Humphrey were fairly boisterous. In
fact, Scott Pilsey's California bride was so
overcome by the warmth of her greeting,
that the poor young thing forgot her pride
and burst into tears. In half a minute af-
ter that there wasn't lady visible, and
then Bob and Joe knew enough to leave
the deacon and his son to themselves. The
two young mon walked off arm in arm,
but they were back again before the day
was over.
The deacon's face was Il trifle serious, but
not exactly cloudy and before long he
managed TO get Joe Gaines off by himself
for bit Of private conversation.
"And so, joe" he said, "you and the
rest knew all about this matter of Scott )
some time ago!'
"Well, yes Irene told me in confidence,
and then, when they wrote and told Scott
how matters were here, he wrote to con-
gratulate us, and begged us not to spoil his
surprise to you. We couldn't tell ailer all
that, you know.
"Ahem well-uo-I can't say; but
p'raps not. / can't bo mad with Scott, for
she's brought him big rancho and mine
but what am to do with you now? like
BIB Humphrey first ra;e-I alters did like
Bob-and now 1t can't be Scott, don't see
as l ort to interfere. You've armed your
fee, aud I'll pay it, but then, you soc,
there ain't no more use
"oh no not a blt," interrupted Joe.
"Bob is good fellow, and he and Maggie
ara inst guilnl Irapa and l thinly thaf