Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1880-08-25

couA vie with James Harbury, and his
temper md bearings we're alike gentle
he Ind cne fault-thcnqh peEhape all
people would mol rll II 7Atlt-tove Of
hUhey. That be M one 81 The 'swsTm-
81" farmers In the district was univers-
ally believed. md the most saving Of
men. Too saving, his wife would tell
him-and where Wa the use Of IL. she
would ~, considering she had neither
chick nor child?-&nd every now and
then she would make the money fly, for
she was q dear lover Of smart attire and
81 having pretty things about her.
James would Vince and bid her to be
careful; but he never went the length Of
telling her she had spent too much. He
MA fond OF her and she of him.
"Neithef chick moi child" In that
lAct had lain . sharp sting. They had
BEEN marricd eight years now, and the
sling was wearing itself away. Time
~softens al things. He had never given
her cause for an unhappy thought-until
tonight. He had never had any secrets
from her, except that he never could be
brought TO tell her what the exact sum
was that he VA enabled to put by at the
end 81 each year. Dinah Ann Harbury
did not care Tor that; she knew that,
however much II might be, II was all for
her
But she did not dare for this; this
mysterious secret which had come to her
hearing tonight. She knew how good
looking James was, how universally he
was liked by man aud by woman, and
what q kind heart he had-she put il
"soft"-and something like jealousy
began to torment her spirit.
When James cam in again, the sup
portray was at one end Of the table, and
Dinah Ann, an unusual light in her eyes,
eat ut the other end, near the lamp, hnv-
ing taken up her knitting. The farmers
general manner, was easy and placid,
though he had certainly seemed restless
after leaving the gig, but now he Was
calm again~
"well,' she said, ~ he cut himself a
slice Of the cold boiled beef, "and how
did you hnd White Bessf"
"Oh, she seems comfortable, he re-
piled, looking round for the mustard
pot.
"You deceitful villaini You know
yon did not 60 near the stable" thought
his wife. "Yo,1 are sure you think SOP
she added, aloud.
"Ay. White Bess will be all herself
tomorrow, Dinah Ann"
ITS more than / shall be" thought
Dinah Ann, "unless / can come to the
bottom Of this"
He ate his supper nearly in silence.
like . man who il mentally preoccupied.
And he enjoyed it, too, for he was very
hungry.
"Jannes, do you ever hear anything
now Of that Emma LnndY"
James Harbury laid down his knife
and fork In surprise at the question and
looked across at his wife, whose face was
bent over her knitting.
"Do / ever hear anything OF Emma
Land?" he repeated. "What can make
you ask that, Dinah Amp"
What can make me ask it.? I don't
know. The query happened to come
into my mind. Why should / not ask
it,"
"Ihere's no sense in it-that / sec.
but doyouf"
do what 1"
Ever hear Of herr"
Why, you know she went out to-
where was it?-thc West Indies, l think
TO her friends t~here--ever 30 long ago.
Nigh upon eight years il must be. You
know she did, Dinah Ann"
"But she may write from the West In
dies. Perhaps she does. Does she write
to you?"
He shook his head 10 imply a negative
and occupied himself with his supper
again. Emma Land had oDce upou q
time been o somewhat sore subject be-
tween them, for Dinah Aun was jealous
in the old days.
"Do you ever see her, James
"See who?"
"You know. Emma Land"
81 cant think what has put all this
into your head tonight, Dmah Ann.
How Is it,"
but do you?"
"DO / what 2"
"See her"
why, how could I see her p return
cd he, in q sort Of helpless tone, TINT his
wife fully thought was put on. "Shc is
in the West Indies and / am here"
"She may not be in the West Indies
now"
~ don't know where she is. She's
there for all / know-and I'm sure it
does not matter"
"sAsk no questions, andyouM hear no
stories,'" thought the wife, quoting the
lines familiar to her in her schoolgirl
days.
"I should not ut all wonder, James,
but that Emma Land has come back
again"
MAYBE. Two or three years ago we
heard she had married out there"
"Who heard il? Who said il 2"
81 know ! heard il, / remember it
quite well. But AZ to who said it, 1
forgot that-your brother, / think.
That she had married q cousin"
"Oh! Notthat that's unlikely, for she
WAS ready to marry anybody. She'd
have married you, yon know. She laid
traps for you"
"That's about true, I believe; but l
did mot fall into them, Dinah Ann"
And, laughing good-naturedly, James
Harbury turned from the supper-trny to
reach his pipe. DinAh Ann rang the
bell, resumed her knitting and fell into
an unpleasant revcrie.
A few days passed away, things going
on smoothly At the farm. Dinah Ann
had recovered her temporal least she
displayed no signs Of it being ruffied.
James Harbury mas a. usual, ave that
at times he seemed . little absent and
thoughtful. One afternoon he went up
stairs to change his everyday coat for q
better ono.
Where are you going?" cried Mr..
Harbury quickly, ~ he came down again.
"Oniy into Northam! / shall be
home early"
Into NoFtham! Its not:market day
No; but I've got . little business
there about those sheep, you know, Di-
nah Ann. / shall get them at my own
price, alter all"
"Of course you win. / told you 10
AL along. But / do wonder you could
NOT wait until 70, morrow"
"Oh-market-day's Always busting
l Haw. ana kr~MnA~ L.ye c~~s In.. -