River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-07-05

here. There's no dOdgin' it. He made
them tracks, an shall tell Quincy that
there been one visitor here to-day; an
| shall tel. him who it was. / shall say
the captain stood under the winder here
a-talkin'-what IN Moses was he standin
here for if he wasn't talkin'.-a-talkin
with Mrs. Quincy, an she a-leanin' out
an latin, an-Oh, | calkerlate l can fix
it up all right"
With sudden remembrance that he
was hungry, Hiram went up to the door
Turning the knob, he stepped back in
wonder.
''Shet," he said, IAN locked up, So
katie's gone, too"
Hiram's face again grew perplexed.
Here was another problem to solve-and
all on account of the contents of that flat
bottle.
"Katie's with her." he decided, prompt
", IAN the captain has been here, if he
amt with her now"
There remained but one more obstacle
for him to clear from his path. 1t was
past the time that he should have met
Mr.. Quincy at the railway station How
ever, Hiram's mind was of highly in
genOus turn.
LII pretend" he said, reflectively,
that the cows broke into the lower corn
field, and tore down forty feet of fence,
an while | was fixin it up, Mrs. Quincy
went off with the horse,
Hiram had no sooner invented this
fiction than he deserted the carriage COM
ing up the road, and went down to the
stable to receive it with his usual solemn,
decOrOus countenance.
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 iiOwer-bed, under the window
and he knew that Hiram's broad soles
never made them.
"Weil, Hiram" he said, with an air 70
carelessness, "any visitors?'
Hiram cleaned the card he was using,
looked at it attentively, and said:
Il ruther guess there was. | ruther
guess you can see where Captain Kenrick
stood in under the sittin' room winder, a
talkin' with Mrs. GuIney-he a-leanin'
up against the winder, an she a leanin'
out"
Mr.. Quincy scOwled darkly. If he
himself had not seen and examined the
trampled flower bed, he would have had
suspicion 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 numbering
Captain Kenrick-but he dared not think
of his handsome young wife for minute.
Mp nv
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-yaId about his milking, con-
graduating himself on his felicitous inn
aginatiOn.
As the stable doors swung together, an
unkept head peered out over the edge of
the haymOw; and its owner, after satisfy
ing himself that he was alone for the
night crawled back to his nest, and. taking
from his pocket short, black pipe, he
lighted it, settled back comfortably, and
began TO smoke.
There was no caste at Cosy Dell. Mr..
and Mrs. Quincy, 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.. sip Quincy,
ping his tea, " did you tell Captain Ken
rick to-day that | had concluded not to
take his land, HELENE"
Il tell him" said Mrs. Quincy, with a
puzzled look. Il haven't seen him since
last week"
What said Mr. Quincy, lifting his
eyebrows; Il understood he had been
over here to-day"
He glanced sharply at Hiram, but that
wOrthT's attention was wholly absorbed
by large slice of cold beef.
Whoever told you was mistaken" said
Mrs. Gurneey, quietly, though her blue
eyes sparkled as she passed Katie a cup
of tea, Size had seen the glance at Hi
ram and as annoyed. As for Hiram, he
felt that he was fast being placed in an
uncomfortable position, and, without lift
ing his eyes from his plate, he said, dog
gedly:
II s'pose told him that Captain Ken
rick was over here to-day. An l s'pose,
now, saw Captain Ken-ick a standin'
under the sittin-r winder.'
"Indeed, - said Mrs. Quincy, cuttingly,
'at what time of the day did you see him
tramping down my flowers, pray!'
Here was dilemma for Hiram; but il
has been mentioned that his mind was
cminently inventive, lie remembered
the apparent freshness of the tracks.
Il should Judge" he replied, with de
liberate exactness-"I should Judge it
was five o'clock in the afternoon"
4 III. l.S
| Mrs. Quincy, smiling Il think you said
you were down in the lower cOrnfeld
| back of the house, from before dinner till
nearly sunset, repairing broken fence
All, Hiram, there is "A miserable pitfall
YOU have not thought of. tits absolutely
necessary to perfection in lying, it is said
/ that the liar should have a good memory
| This essential qualification Hiram lacked
and, accordingly, he grew very red in
/ the face. and stammered an indistinct re
PLY, which Mr.. Quincy cut short, by say.
ing, coldly:
:" Ii is of small consequence, of course
4 whether Captain Kenrick has or has not
been here to-day. However. Helen,
/ noticed that some one has been tramplne
down your flowers sadly, and, by tho
/ looks, | should say recently
l Mrs. Quincy flushed up. But at that
instant Katie gave wild scream jumping
from her chair, and nearly overturning
/ the table.
- The barn the barn. she exclaimed
/ pointing through the window. All eyes
/ turned IN the direction indicated. The
/ barn was on fire.
Mr.. Quincy and Hiram dashed ont O
i f.r..-4s~ zxr.44 t1sf r.4tx.e xr-s.s-<