The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1873-06-21


smile. at seems like signing away my
hearts blood to give stranger claim oa
the old homestead"
A slow rel burned through Amos VIII
sons cheek. 81 wish you wouldn't speak
OF me as stranger he said, hastily, with
an involuntary glance at Della which no
one but Paul Leicester cav.
II mean any one not relative, Dir.
WILSON, replied Lindsay, eoberly. You
know had hope OF help rom my cousin
in New Orleans mentioned 1t to you.
Mr. Wilson listened and nodded tho 'ght-
fully.
well, the fact that ] have applied to
YOU shows that hope has iailel me, and 80
well say nothing more about it. Perhaps
Won had better write the deed out now, Mr.
Seldom.
MIR Seldom bowed pleasantly, dipped
his pen in the ink, and Tor while the
faint scratch OF the pen on the paper, and
the loud ticking OF the kitchen clock were
the only sound in the house.
Mr.. Lindsay leaned has face on hls
hand and looked seadily on the floor, the
slight twitching Of the muscles about the
mouth being the only sign OF emotion one
could discover. Mrs Lindsay, white and
still AS statue, her face little dropping,
sat few feet at the let of her husband.
ahile Della retained her old positi on
her mothers chair, troubled shadow in
her soft, brown eyes and over the sweet,
Young face. Harry, avid aud perple ed
hid his face in the folds OF her dress, while
in a group at the open window were gath
cred the rest of the children.
How unnatura'ly still it was. How in
contrast to the freshness and brightness OF
the sky aud air! Looking from the open
windows one saw long reaches OF eoniy
undulating prairie bathed in golden
light, while away to the right, blue,
sparkling river, sentinelcl with cotton
woods and sycamores, and overhung with
pale, translucent mists, flashed and rip.
Piled between its velvety banks
No wonder Dean Lindsay shrank from
the thought Of his fair heritage being com
promi ed, but there was 10 help for it. and
he had got to make up his mind to think
OF it as no longer his, but as subject to
Amos Wilson's authority. lie could hard
ly keep from groaning aloud as he ran
over III his mind the half score or more Of
fine farms belonging 10 Wilson, all OF
which had first been mortgaged to him.
AS his was being now, to raise the necessa
I ry money to keep them from being given
/ up altogether And then, one after the
other, they had been given mp, and Amos
Wilson was the possessor. Would his 20
in the same way? Would there be few
years OF struggle with li-luck-blight aud
drouih, aud mldew-and then his chill
dren be homeless? lie started with a
nervous shudder and glanced up Amo,
Wilson was leaning Il l.Itle forward, look.
ing stead lily at Della, with a strange fire
lighting his sleepy eyes
The deed j. ready Tor Your signature
Mr. Lindsay Seldom said brislly, your.
and Mrs Lind.ay's'
. His voice broke the weird smell which
hal seemed to hold them, aud Paul lei
cester got up from his seat by the kitchen
door, aud came aud stood by the table
while tie deed was signed, and the money.
seven hundred dollars, counted aud given
to Mr. LINDSAY, who, in turn, handed over
the mortgage OF the Homestead to Mr.
/ Wilson. Then be turned abruptly and
went out Seldom looked alter him viii,
his quick, bright eyes bat no one else ar.
/ peared TO notice 1t az beng anything UNI
sual that hired man should Iutrude hi.
presence ulon such au occasion.
And now that business j. over. will
take the opportunity @, saying a word
about tins same Paul Leicester
FIRST. he was stranger iu Ia ton. tia,
is be bad been there lut little over two
months, having come carly in April II,
bad seemed so anNous Tor employment
aud offered TO work 500 ch-sph. viiha'
and upou such easy terms-uot a.k.n. o,
payment until Christmas that NJ Lind
say bad thought &, beet to take him. %.
could not work tbc large re- M alone and
was especially anxious 60 DO u good deal
td- season. 20 t.y aai recover himself