The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-04

her past the Ilne Olu uOuestcdu VI tue
Growers, now the sole property of the
present family representative, and she
had noted only too precisely the renovat-
ing and identifying process on which
Dan was expanding half the proceeds OF
that years liberal wheat crop.
Carpenters, GLACIERS, painters; and all
the Dorcas Society was in arms, she
knew, about the extravagant waste with
which the old-fashioned interior was
transforming.
More than one village critic had added
to his other charitable thoughts the sur
mise, "Looks kinder bad for Bill
Emmons :" and Barbara herself could
have assured them of the correctness of
their reasoning.
She was too kind-hearted, however,
not to add to herself, $50 much the
better, too, for Mrs. Hawkins. Neither
Dan nor would object to her living on
the old place till we could find a buyer.
1 only wish she could raise the money
and;buy it herself"
1t was, therefore, as the mistress of the
renovated mansion behind the naples ut
the turn of the road that Barbara Haw-
kins was considering herself when tea
time came, and she was quite willing to
hurry back into the parlor while her
ready-handed step-mother supervised
their solitary "help" in putting away
the tea-things.
BY the time poor Bill Emmons made
his appearance, after his long days
drudgery in the one law Office of the
village, where he was the junior, and
therefore perhaps the working partner
by that time Barbara was ready, civilly
as she received him, to wish he would
postpone his call until she could Gre
ceive him in so much better style. J"
And yet that night, of all nights, the
young lawyer had made up his mind to
put his fate to the test, "and win or lose
it ALL"
Not bad fellow was Bill, and he had
more than once reflected how charming
ly convenient was the location of the
Hawkins homestead, and what ire
mendous lift the possession of that and
the productive little farm belonging
thereto would give to a struggling
young lawyer like himself. The fact
that he was over head and ears in love
with Barbara made the whole affair alb
solutely beautiful.
Sad was the trial to his impatient feel
ings, therefore, when all the eloquence
of which he was master-and he had
long considered himself master of the
situation as well-only resulted in
obtaining for him a promise from Bar
bara that she "would consult her step
mother"
Such a change it would make for
her if should leave her!" sighed Bar
bara.
"Not at all, not at ALL" eagerly ex-
claimed Bill "She could live with
us, you know. Every body likes her.
Tn sure do. She wouldn't be in the
way at all. "
But vain was all he could say or do,
except that Barbara's vision of the Grover
farm and house may have receded some
what as she listened to the pleading of
ersuitor. She almost hoped Dan might
not come that evening, for not only the
present situation had its charms, but it
might have its perils as well. Dan
Grover was not man to be trifed with,
she knew, for all his quiet, self-contained
ways.
And so it was with something of feel
ing of relief that Barbara listened, at
last, to the bur of the big kitchen clock
striking 8.
1t was at the same instant that the
shadows of two who were walking side
by side in the moonlight fell on the gate
in singularly unified manner; and then,
as the gate opened, Barbara sprung to
her feet with slight exclamation. She
ho1 oil 30 ha low
seat, and she had not seen fit, or had
forgotten, to light a lamp.
There may or there may not have been
any cause for surprise, but the way of it
had been this: No sooner were the tea
things out of the way than Mrs. Hawkins
remembered an errand she had in the
village, and had slipped quietly out to
perform it. Nor would so simple mat
ter have taken two long hours, but that,
just as the widow was stepping across the
little foot-bridge mt the brook, the form
of tall, broad-shouldered, vigorous man
of, say, 30 summers stood before her, and
deep voice remarked:
Right about face, please. j want a
bit of talk with you, and there'd be no
chance for it at the house."
Not word said the widow, as Dan
Grover drew her arm in his, but she
thought, Ii he wants to speak of Bar
bara, he's right, for Bill Emmons must
be there by this time. What fool she
is He don't begin to compare with
DAN"
1t must be confessed, however, that it
seemed wonderfully pleasant, even when
Dan turned up the shadowy lane toward
the grove, and when he seemed disposed
to put off his express business and to
talk of his farm and his house, and at last
of himself.
at have everything around me fixed
rs nicely as 1 could ask for, he remarked
at length; "but 1 grow lonelier every
day. The fact is, I've determined to
have wife, if I can get the one want;
but there's only one in all the wide
world. I'd be lonelier than am now
with any other"
"Why don't you speak to her, then ?"
said the widow, with half-choked feel
ing in her throat. "She's very sensi-
bic girl, but don't think it would be
right for me to try to influence her. L
believe woman has no right to marry