The Red Cloud chief., 1880-09-16

farming interests: simple-minded ana
simple-maunered people, who lived q
their u~neventful lives in the routine Of
daily duties. The small market town
of Northam, four miles distant, was
sleepy and primitive. eve awakening
from its slumbers ave on the weekly
market day. II had its person: its doc
tor; and its lawyer-Harry Leete; all
three of them being nearly as simple n
the farmers. Not simple In point OF In
tellect, it must be understood; but as TO
life aud manner.
This, Thursday, was market-dsy.
James Harbury had gone TO It. in the
gig Of a brother farmer. Peter Hall. his
own mare, which he either rode or
drove generally. being sick. he was q
tall, slender man Of thirty-nine years,
very fair with exceedingly handsome
features and mild eyes. looking as u
like the popular notion of a farmer as
man could look, and presenting .
marked contrast TO his agricultural
neighbors. So far as appearances
went, none of them. poor or rich. could
vie with James Harbury, and his temper
and his bearing were alike gentle.
He had one fault-though perhaps
all people would not call it a fault-loye
of money. That he vas n OF the
''warmest" farmers in the district was
universally believed. and the most
saving of men. Too saving. his wife
would tell him-and where was the use
of it, she would ask, considering that
she had neither chick nor childe-and
every now and then she would make
the money fly. for she was a dear lover
of smart attire and of 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 was tond OF her
and she Of him.
..Neither chick nor child" In that
fact had lain a sharp sting. They had
been married eight years now, and the
sting was wearing itself away. Time
softens all things. He had never given
her cause for an unhappy thought-un-
til 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 was enabled to
put by at the end of each year. Dinah
Ann Harbury did not care for that she
knew that, however much it might be.
it was all for her.
But she did care for this; this mystic
rious secret which had come to her hear
ing tonight. She knew how good
looking James was, how universally he
was liked by man and by woman, and
what a kind heart he had-she put il
scotland something like Jealousy
began to torment her spirit.
When James came in again the sup
per-trav was on one end of the table
and Dinah Ann, an unusual light in hel
ewes, sat at the other end, near the
lamp. having taken up her knitting
The farmers general amer was easy
and placid, though he had certainly
seemed restless after leaving the gig
but now he was calm again.
"Well," she said. as he cut himself
slice of the cold boiled beef, chow die
YOU find White Bess?"
..Oh, she seems comfortable" he re
piled, looking round for the mustard
: pot.
You deceitful villain! You know
you did not go eaH-be-stable," though
r his wife |@Sou are sure you think so!
, she ~REDi, aloud. .
E Fan, Sur. White Bess will be all hersel
-Sohnsobrrow, Dinah Ann"
'e over It's more than l shall be-" though
,fDinah Ann, unless l can come to tn
" bottom of this"
4 He ate his supper nearly in silence
like a man who is mentally ~preoccupied
And he enjoyed it, too, for he wa
I very hungry.
l James, do you ever hear anything
o now of that Emma LandP"
James Harbury laid down his knit
and fork in surprise at the question
r and looked across at his wife, who's
II face was bent over her knitting.
..Do | ever hear anything of Emm
Land?" he repeated. "What can max
you ask that, Dinah Ann?"
ssWhat can make me ask it? l don
know. The query happened to com
S into my mind. Why should | not as
itP'
'sThere's no sense in it-that l see.'
'.But do your"
"Do what?"
Ever hear of her?"
s.Why, O know she went out to-
where was it?-the West Indies, Thin
Ito herfriends there-ever so long ago
Nigh upon eight years, it must be. 70
know she did, Dinah Ann"
I but she may write from the We:
b Indies. Perhaps she does. Does sh
n write to yOuP"
q He shook his head to imply a neg;
tive, AID occupied himself with his SUI
per again. Emma Land had once upo
a time been q somewhat sore subje'
I between them, for Dinah Ann VIZ
~ Jealous in the old days.
!? ..Do you ever see her, JamesP"
.'See whoP"
Al ssYou know. Emma Land"
is 81 can't think what has put all tn
into your head tonight, Dinah AM
1T How is it?"
.'But do you?"
b. ..Do l what?"
sSee her."
..Whv, how could L see herp" return
n ed he. in a sort of helpless tone, tn
his wife fully thought was put o.
..She is in the West Indies, and L q
Of here"
e. ..She may not be in the West Indi'
is now"
I'd IL don't know where she is. She
r. there for all l know-and I'm sure
d does not matter"
TASK no questions, and you'll he
no Stories" thought his wife, quotir
the line familiar to her in her schoC
% girl days.
II should not at all wonder, Jane
ye but Emma Land has come back again,
- MAY be. Two or three yea
ago We heard she had married O.
3 there"
of "Who heard it? Who said it?"
IL know / heard it; l remember