Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-18
he old-f.shioned interior was transform

the turn of the road that Barbara Hawk
ms was considering herself when tea time
came, and she was quite willing to hurry
back into the parlor while her ready hand
ed step-mother supervised their solitary
sshelp'' 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 Barba-
"a was ready, civilly as she received him
to wish he would postpone his call until
she could ''receive him in so much better
style.'' And yet that night, of all nights,
the young lawyer had made up his mind to
put his fate to the test, land win or lose
it all'
Not bad fellow was Bill, and he had
more than once reflected how charmlngly
convenient was the location of the Hawk
ms homestead, and what a tremendous lift
the possession of that and the productive
little farm belonging thereto would give to
struggling young lawyer like himself.
The fact that he was over head and ears in
love with Barbara made the whole affair
absolutely beautiful.
Sad was the trial to his impatient feel
ings, therefore, when all the eioquence OF
which he was master-and he had long
considered himself master of the situation
as well-only resulted in obtaining for him
promise from Barbara that she "would
consult her step-mother."
'sSuch change it would make for her if
I should leave her ?" sighed Barbara.
mot at all, not at all,' eagerly ex-
claimed Bill. s'She could live with us,
you know. Everybody likes her. Pm
sure I do. She -wouldn't be in the way at
ALL
But vain was all he could say or do, ex-
cept that Barbara's vision of the Grover
farm and house may have receded some
what as she listened to the pleading of her
sutton. She almost hoped Dan might not
come that evening, for not only the present
situation had it's charms, but it might have
it's perils as we'll Dan Grover was not a
man to be trifled 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-r-r of the big kitchen clock strik-
ing nine.
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 a
singularly unified manner; and then, as
the gate opened, Barbara sprang to her
feet with slight exclamation. She had
been sitting close to the low window seat,
and she had not seen fit, or had forgotten,
to light 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 cut Of the way than Mrs. Hawkins
remembered an errand she had in the vii
large, and had slipped quietly out to per-
orm it. Nor would so simple matter
have taken two long hours, but that, just
as the widow was stepping across the little
foot bridge at the brook, the form OF tall
broad shouldered, vigorous man of, say,
thirty-fve summers stood before her, and
? deep voice remarked:
ssRight about face, please. I want bit
of a talk with you, and there'd be no
chance for it at the house."
Not word said the widow, as Dan Gro
yer drew her arm in his, but she thought,
eff he wants to speak of Barbara, he's
right, for Bill Emmons must be there by
THIS time. What a fool she isl He don't
tegln to compare with DAM
It must be confessed, however, that ii
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 him
self.
81 have everything around me fixed as
nicely as could ask for he remarked at
length "but grow lonelier every day
The fact is, I've determined to have a
wife, if I can get the one [ want; but
there's only one in all the wide world. I'd
be lonelier than I am now with any
other.''
ssWhy don't you speak to her, then p
said the widow, with half-choked feeling
in her throat. ''She's very sensible girl,
but 1 don't think it would be right for me
to try to influence her. / believe woman
has no right to marry without loving"
Quick as lightning every different from
Dams ordinary calm, slow style-was his
responsive query: "Have you always been
of that opinion? Have you acted on it ~
The plump, soft hand on his arm was
jerked away in an instant, and Barbara's
step-mother was almost sobbing with an.
CRY and wounded feeling, as she stepped
back from him, exclaiming: "How dare
you! What have you to do with that ?
Ask Barbara for her secrets, if you will
Mine are my own"
EXACTLY" responded the stea dy minded
Dan, but his voice was shaking now in
spite of his self-control. "You have told
me part of your secret, Marian Hawkins.
| whether you meant to or not. / knew you
could meyer have loved him. Now I will
| tell you mine. You are the one woman
without whom I must forever be lonely
You have been only too faithful to Bar:
bara, or you would have seen it before"
Rapid, earnest, passionate, grew the
strong mans words as he uttered them
and he closed with sudden forward
| movement. Before the widow knew it
Dams arms were around her, and even hel
tears betrayed her.
1t was too late for anything but to lei
Dan have his own way. Such willfu
fellow he was, too. And when at last the
widow insisted on going homeward, theil
arrival at the gate was signalized by just