The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-02-13

l6b Iu0 huuW Ii piulOs lHi
And so the deacon and the lawyer dis
cussed their plot to their satisfaction
and when all was settled the latter took
his way down the broad and grass
grown street Of the village.
"The old shark |" he muttered, as he
strolled leisurely along. What on
earth put it into his plotting old head
TO pitch on me for his tool9 He never
| was more'n half decent to me before. I
reckon I'll earn my f,e, but I'll be fair
and square with Bob Humphrey. What
| would Irene say if she knew what was
MP? Wouldn't those black eyes Of hers
strike fire? ?"
Now it happened that Of late, un-
known, perhaps to the deacon, there
had been growing up more than a little
closeness Of intimacy between Joe
Gaines and Bob Humphrey and that it
was treachery to his friend as well as
uniairness 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 q
marvellous manipulation Of social affairs.
Again and again, as days and weeks
went by, did Deacon Pilsey congratu-
| late himself on his admirable selection,
and chuckle in his inmost being as he
| witnessed the well-contrived success Of
Joe's maneuvres. There were picnics
and drives and parties and entertain
ments Of various kinds, but in vain did
Bob Humphrey invite or propose; the
young lawyer was sure to be before
hand with him, and it almost seemed as
il sweet, unassuming,.. ..quietlittle Maggie
Pilsey herself, the deacon's daughter,
had joined the secret league again her
friend Irene, so often WAS some excuse
devised by which she was made to ap-
pear in the latter's stead.
Then, too, were the home evenings
at the deacon's house, when the subtle
minded old plotter could have hugged
himself with satisfaction as he sat by
and Witnessed with his own eyes the ad-
mirable manner in which Joe Gaines
worked for his fee.
"It takes q lawyer, after all, F" said he
| to himself. II don't care much what
he charges, only hope he'll keep it up
that way till Scott gifts home again.
And then to see Bob Humphrey Why
the fellows 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
schemings had sny power over her or
her happiness. Moreover, through it
all, Joe Gaines seemed to maintain the
most complete external semblancc of
frank hearted friendship with Bob
Humphrey. Odd as it may seem, the
young lawyer always 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 to
utter here and there, in his keen appre-
citation of his young friends tact and
management.
Time will fly, however, and the mails
brought at last to the Pilsey homestead
the welcome news that it's absent hope
and heir would shortly return. There
were letters from Scott Pilsey to his
mother, and his sister Maggie, and to
Irene Wyer, and even to his old cronies
and schoolmates, Joe Gaines and Bob
Humphrey, and to each he had doubt
| less some matter of special interest to
communicate.
No noisy, smoky, disgusting railway
trains as yet vexed the retirement and
repose Of the village; but at last, on a
morning when all things were in state
Of almost painful expectancy OF
his arrival, not the ordinary stage
coach, but private hired carriage,
heavy with trunks and packages, brought
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, sunburned, and
hy-headed son sprang out upon the
| grass, he turned his back to tho veran-
dab for moment, while he aided the
movements Of graceful, well-favored,
dark featured younglad who followed
him, and whom, even in the first warmth
Of his welcome home," he introduced
- "my wife, my Lucia."
Maggie Pilsey hugged her and kissed
her, and 20 did Irene Wyer, and 80, in
1 moment more, did old Mrs. Pilsey,
and the deacon was too wise man to
seem altogether astouished, while Joe
Gaines and Bob Humphrey were fairly
boisterous. In fact, Scott Pilsey's Gal
ifornia bride was 20 overcome by the
warmth Of her greeting, that the poor
thing forgot her pride, and burst into
tears. In half minute after that,
there wasn't lady visible, and then
Bob and Jos knew enough TO leave the
deacon and his son 10 themselves. The
young mon walled Of arm in arm, but