The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-07-05

Gurney II say? 7?
With many misgivings, Hiram made his way
to the stable. He went into 'he building,
came out, looked down the road, up at the
house, and then swore.
"Gone!" he calculated. "Gone, an don't
know where, The little mare amt here, an
don't know who's got her. Well. might as
well look out for a new place. might! /
rather think this has fixed me! Howsumeyer
l want su'thin' to eat, an, what's more, I'm
goin' to hev it. Hollo!"
Hiram was going up to the side door of the
house when this exclamation escaped him.
There, under the window, he saw imprinted on
the yielding soil, clear cut impression of
mans boots. He stopped and examined the
foot prints, Evidently they greatly interested
him
swell, he sohloquized at length, standing
up and regarding the tracks in the earth like
tipsy Robinson Crusoe; "wel, there amt but
one man round here as wears such narrer-
heeled, stylish-looking boots as them. There
amt no mistake about it, the feller as wore them
boots was Captain Kenrick An the tracks
amt more'n two hours old. Hes been here,
then, an, cusS it all didn't see him. He's
probably gone off ridin' with Mrs. Gurney.
Now, there's no sense in my takin' the bread
an butter out O my mouth, an six dollars
week out O my pocket, for nothin'. Here's the
evidence that Captain Kenrick has been here.
There's no dodgin' it. He made them tracks,
an shall tell Gurney that there's been one
visitor here to-day an I shall tell him who it
was. l shall say the captain stood under the
winder here a-talkin,-what In Moses was he
standin' here for if wasn't talkin ?-a-talkln
with Mrs. Gurney, an she a-leanin' out an
whisperin' an latin, an'-oh, I calkerlate can
fix it up all right"
With a sudden remembrance that he was
hungry, Hiram went up to the door. Turning
the knob, he stepped back in wonder
"Shet," he said, "an' locked So Katie's
gone, too!"
Hiram's face again grew perplexed. Here
was another problem to solve-and all on ac-
count of the contents of that flat bottle.
''Katie's with her," he decided, promptly,
"an' the captain has been here, if he amt
With her now"
There remained but one more obstacle for
aim to clear from his path. 1t was past the
time that he should have met Mr.. Gurney at
tho railway station. However, Hiram's mind
was of highly ingenious turn.
"Ill pretend, he said, reiectively, "that the
COWS broke into the lower corn-feld, an
tore down forty feet of fence, an while was
iixin' it up, Mrs. Gurney went OF with the
horse"
Hiram had no sooner invented this fiction
than he deserted the carriage coming up the
celve it with his usual solemn, decorouS coun-
tenance.
Just at dusk, as Hiram was rubbing the
little mare down, Mr.. Quincy came into
the stable. He, too, had seen the tracks in
the little fiower-bed, unIer the window, and
he knew that Hiram's broad soles never made
them.
"Wen, Hiram, he said, with an air Of care
lessness, any visitors =
Hiram cleaned the card he was using, looked
at it attentively, and said:
81 ruther guess there was l ruther guess
sou can see where Captain Kenrick stood In
under the sittin-room winder, a-talkin' with
Mrs. Gurney-he a-leanin' up against the Vim
Ter, an she a-leanin' out.
Mr.. Gurney scowled darkly. II he himself
had not seen and examined the tramped flower
bed, he would have had suspicious that Hiram
was not telling the truth, for his wife and
Katie had already said that Hiram had not
been seen around the premises during the
greater part of the day. AS it was, he felt
like choking Hiram, kicking himself, and muir
dering Captain kenrick-but he dared not
think of his handsome young wife for minute.
Without more words, Mr.. Gurney walked
slowly up to the house, clenching his hands and
cursing in the dusk, while Hiram shut up the
stable, and went to the cow-yard about his milk
ing, congratulatipg himself on his fellcitous
imagination.
AS the stable doors swung together, an un-
peered out over the edge of the hay
NOW and its owner, after satisfying himself
that he was alone for the night, crawled back to
his nest, and, taking from his pocket short,
Llack pipe, he lighted it, settled back comforta-
bly,, and began to smoke
There was no caste at Cozy Dell. Mr.. and
Mrs. Gurney, Hiram and Katie, all ate at the
same table-and either of the two servants
would have felt insulted if any more aristocratic
mode of dining had been proposed.
'.By the way" said Mr.. Gurney, slipping
his tea, "did you tell Captain Kenrick to-day
that l had concluded not to take that land,
Helen?"
II tell him?" said Mrs. Gurney, with
puzzled look. 81 haven't seen him since last
week.
0What J" said Mr.. Gurney, lifting his eye
brows " 1 understood he had been over here
to-day"
He glanced sharply at Hiram, but that
worthys attention was wholly absorbed by
large slice of cold beef.
"Whoever told you was mistaken" said
Mrs. Gurney, quietly, though her blue eyes
Sparkled as she passed Katie cup OF tea. She
had seen the glance at Hiram, and was an.
moved. AS for Hiram, he felt that he was fast
being placed in an uncomfortable position, and,
without Fitting his eyes from his plate, lie said,
Il s'pose told him that Captain Kenrick
was over here to-day. An l s'pose, now, saw
Captain Kenrick a-standin' under the sittin'-
room winder."
Indeed ~ said Mrs. Gurney, cuttingly, sat
what time of the day did you see him trampling
down my flowers, pray Z?
been mentioned that his mind was eminently
inventive He remembered theapparent fresh
ness of the tracks.
II should Judge" he replied, with deliberate
exactness-"I should judge it was five o'clock
in the afternoon.
"You have remarkably eyesight," said Mrs.
Gurney, smiling. q think you said you were
down in the lower corn-feld back of the house,
from before dinner till nearly sunset, repairing
a broken fence"
All. Hiram, there was miserable pitfall you
had not thought of 7! 1t is absolutely necessary
to perfection in lying, it is said, that the liar
should have good memory. This essential
qualification Hiram lacked and, accordingly,
lie grew very red in the face, and stammered
an indistinct reply, which Mr.. Gurney cut short
by saying, coldly:
at is of small consequence. Of course,
whether Captain Kenrick has or has not
been here to-day. However, Helen, l noticed
that some one has been trampling down your
flowers sadly, and, by the looks, should say
recently"
Mrs. Gurney flushed up. But at that instant
Katie gave wild scream, jumping from her
chair. and nearly overturning the table.
1.-THE barn. the barn. she exclaimed,
pointing through the window. All eyes turned
i'll the direction indicated. The barn was on
fire
Mr.. Quincy and Hiram dashed out of the
house. The horses and the CO. were soon
driven to safe distance and when they were