The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-09-27
THE PRESS.
mot a Word to Dinah Ann
lcoNcLuDED FROM SATURDAY


''Why, YOU know she went out to-where
was it?-the West indies, l think-to her
friends there-ever so long ago. Nigh upon
eight wears it must be. You know she did,
Dinah Ann"
but she may write from the West Indies.
Perhaps she does. Does she write to you?'
He shook his head to imply a negative
ana occupied himself with his supper again.
Emma Land had once upon time been
a somewhat sore subject between them, for
Dinah Ann was jealous in her old days.
"Do you ever see her, James?"
''See who?"
'sYou know. Emma Land.'
Il can't think what has put all this into
your head tonight, Dinah Ann. How is
it?'
'sBut do you?'
'sDo | whatp'
'sSee her.
''Why, how could / see her?' returned
he, in a sort of helpless tone, that his wife
fully thought was put on. 'She is in the
West Indies and | am here.''
''She may not be in the West Indies
now"
II don't know where she is. She's there
for all l khow-and Pm sure it does not
NATTER
"'Ask no questions and you'll hear no
stories, =" thought his wife, quoting the
line familiar to her in her schoolgirl days.
81 should not at all wonder, James, but
Emma Land has come back again."
"May be. Two or three years ago we
heard she had married out there"
''Who heard it? Who said it?''
81 know l heard it; | remember it quite
well; but, as to who said it, l forget that
your brother, l think-that she had married
acousin.''
''Oh! Not that that's unlikely, for she
was ready to marry anybody. She'd have
married you, you know. She laid traps for
you"
That's about true, l believe; but | did
not fall into them, Dinah Ann" And,
laughing good naturally, James Harbury
turned from the supper tray to reach his
pipe. Dinah Ann rang the bell, resumed
her knitting and fell into an unpleasant
reverie.
A few days passed away, things going on
smoothly at the farm. Dinah Ann had re-
covered her temporal least she displayed
10 signs of it's being rufied James Har-
bury was as usual, save at times he was a
little absent and thoughtless. One after
noon he went up stairs to change his every
day coat for better one.
'sWhere are you going?" cried Mrs. Har-
bury, quickly, as he came down again.
''Only into Northam. I shall be home
early"
NOTGudms us uOb iudThct-udy.
mo, but I've got a little business there
about those sheep, you know, Dinah Ann.
shall get them at my own price, after all. -
''Of course you will. l told you so all
along. But do wonder you could not wait
until tomorrow"
'sOh! market days always bustling day :;
one forgets half ones business or has not
time to do it. Anyway thought I'd go in
this afternoon"
81 Should like to go with you, James"
Mr.. Harbury received the lmpulSlve pro-
position with blank look and had no ready
answer at hand.
81 want to buy new silk gown and order
best cap and ever so many other things.
Yes; l will go with you, James. won't be
five minutes getting ready"
''But-Dinah Ann-not sto-day. | can't
take you this afternoon. You shall 60 to-
morrow instead"
Why can't you take me?'
Business" he replied shortly. And, his
gig being just brought round, White Bess in
the shafts, he got into it without more ado
and drove away, calling out goodby to his
wife.
ssI'll be even with you, Mr.. James," nod
ded she.
The sun was setting when he drove in
again and around to the stable yard. Leav-
ing his horse and gig with Evans, he was
CT0SSluS W Tie uOuSt, Wucll LID dt1ChoiOii
was caught by huge volume OF black smoke
putting out of the chimney of narrow build
ing that was formerly made to serve as a
brew-house and wash-house until larger
one was built. As it was of no use now,
was not, in fact, used for any purpose what
ever, or entered by anybody from month S
end to months end, Mr. Harbury naturally
thought of fire. He rushed to it like mad
man.
In the fireplace under the furnace fire
blazed away upon which more coal had re-
Gently been thrown. Whittier than death
James Harbury made one frantic move to-
ward it, while yell of what really seemed
like terror broke from him. Another yell
succeeded, and still another. Then he col
lapsed utterly and fell upon low wooden
stool in wild despair.
''Good heavens p exclaimed Dinah Ann.
who had been STOPPING over some blankets
in far corner. 'What in the world is the
matter? Is it spasms, James? Let me run
for the camphor."
'sCamphor, indeedp' exclaimed the un-
happy man. ''Bring poison rather-poison!
You've ruined mev'
"He's off his head" was the pitiable sug-
gestion. ''Let me rub you, james. Where
is the pain? In the chest?"
He flung his arms around in all directions
so that she could not get to his chest or any
part of him. 'Who lighted this ire?' he
gaspsd. - r,
fue in the proper washhouse has taken to
smoking fearfully. The blankets are to be
washed, tomorrow, and will be put to soak,
tonight. But what is the fire to you, James,
that you should be put out about it"'
''It's everything to me-" he answered
family. give hundred pounds have been
burned up in itp'
Rising from the stool, and Dinah Ann
wondered the creaky old thing had not come
sat down by the table and buried his head
upon it. She found him so, his face hidden
in his hands.
"Now James, you must tell me what all
this means, if you are not quite out of your
senses. Come, 1 intend to know"
"Yes, you may know it now,' he replied,
lifting his face and its despair. chad placed
in the fireplace of that old furnace in my old
green pocket-book $500 in banknotes. And
they are burnt-they are burnt, Dinah
Annp'
Dinah Ann paused. 'Where did the
notes me from?"
''From your brother-to me- A long while
ago, years before knew you, lent friend
over e400. He ran away with it to Austria
liza, and lost my money and set him down
as a rogue. But he is not So dishonest as l
thought him; ne has made MS fortune out
there and is back again in London, and last
week he transmitted the debt and interest to
your brother for me, $500. 1 brought the
notes home the night Harry drove me
here"
Sand now just tell me, James, how you
could think of putting bank notes into such
place as furnace fire hole?'
81 did it for safety. Nobody ever went in
there, and the furnace was never used"
''Safety! Was there not your bureau up
stairs in the bedroomP"
''That's never locked."
''Why, it's always locked"
"Anyway, the key was not to be taken out
of it."
sab, see what it is-you were afraid
should see the money and want to spend
it,"
'sAnd so you would. Dinah Ann, sum
like that, coming unexpectedly" he meekly
reioined ssRonnetS and frillS and fresh