The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-28

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Then, too, there were the home evenings
at the deacon's house, when the subtle
minded old plotter could have hugged him
self with satisfaction as he sat by and wit
messed with his own eyes the admirable
manner in which Joe Gaines worked for
his fee. rI.
"It takes a lawyer, after all, he said to
himself. 81 don't care much what he
charges. l only hope he'll keep it up that
way till Scott gifts home again. And then
to see Bob Humhrey! Why, the feller's
got the perseverance of the saint, 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 schemings had
any power over her or her happiness.
Moreover, through it 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 undergone a very sensible increase,
caused mainly by the warm, though covert,
encomiums which the good deacons heart
compelled him to utter here and there, in
his keen appreciation of his young friend s
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 to his mother and his sis
ter Maggie, and to Irene Wyer, and even to
his old cronies and schoolmates, Joe Gaines
and Bob Humphrey, and to each one he
had doubtless some matter of special inter-
est to communicate. ..t..I l
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 state of al
most painful expectancy of his arrival, not
the ordinary stage-coach, but private
hired carriage, heavy with trunks and pack
ages, bore Scott Pilsey to the door of his
fathers home. .,urr Ili. !.
In an instant the little veranda was full
of those who awaited him, but when the
deacon's tall sun-burned and bushy-bearded
son sprang out upon the grass, he turned
his back to the veranda for a moment,
while he aided the movements of 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 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 a 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 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 men walked off arm in arm,
but they were back again before the day
was over.
The deacon's face was trifie 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's
some time agow
".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 after all
that, you know" ''
"Ahem well-no-I can't say; but per-
haps not. i can't be mad with Scott, for
she's brought him a big rancho and mine;
but what am / to do with you now 3? l like
Bob Humphrey first-rate-I alters did like
Bob Humphreys first-rate-and now 1T
can't be Scott, don't seeas ort to inter
fere. You've earned yourfee, and I'll pay
it; but, then, you see, thereaint no more
USE"
,"oh no; not bit" interrupted Joe.
" Bob is good fellow, and he and Maggie
are just suited. Irene and think that
Maggie couldn't have mad better match,
and we think Scott has done splendidly
WE'LL"
"Irene and you?" exclaimed the deacon
"Yes, of course. I've explained to
Irene that can't afford to lose my fee. l
told her so at the beginning, and she said
7 must earn IL. Seems TO me I've done