The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-09-23

leuu HluBeu 10 any eATLnly tn1n8 Without
scruple. All lawyers do"
This rural district, remote from the
haunts of willy men of the world, was
given over entirely to farmers and farm
ing interests; simple-minded and simple
hammered people, who live ont their un-
eventful lives in the routine of daily du-
ties. The small market town of Northam,
four miles distant, was sleepy and
primitive, never awakening from its
slumbers save on the weekly market
day. 1t had its parson, its doctor, and
its lawyer-Harry Leete; all three of
them being nearly as simple as the
farmers. Not simple in the point Of in
tellect, it must be understood but as to
life and manners.
This Thursday was market day. 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 tall,
slender man of 80 years, very fair, with
exceedingly handsome features and mild
blue eyes, looking as unlike the popular
notion of a farmer as a man could look,
and presenting a marked contrast to his
agricultural neighbors. So far as ap-
pearance 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 fault, love
of money. That he was one of the
warmest" farmers in the district was
universally believed, and the most saw
ing of men. Too saving. his wife would
tell him, and where was the use of it,
she would ask, considering she had
neither chick nor child? And every
now and then she would make the money
fly, for she was dear lover of smart at
tire, and of having pretty things about
her. James would vince, and bid her
he careful; but he never went the
length of telling her she had spent too
much. He was fond of her, and she of
him. ---. .-.--- ,....
"Neither chick nor child" In that
fact had lain q sharp sting. They had
been married eight years now, and the
sting was wearing itself away. Time
softens all things. He had never given
hsr 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
wHs 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 mys-
terious secret which had come to her
hearing 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
" soft and something like jealousy
began to torment her spirit.
When James came in again the sup.
per-tray was at one end of the table, and
Dinah Ann, an unusual light in hel
eyes, sat at the other end, near the
lamp, having 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.
"WeH," she said, as he cut himself g
did 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 near the stable, thought
his wife. "You are sure you think SO ?
she added, aloud.
"Aye. White Bess will be all hersel
again tomorrow, Dinah Ann"
cts more than shall be-" though
Dinah Ann, "unless can come to thu
bottom of this"
He ate his supper nearly in silence
like man who is mentally preoccupied
And he enjoyed it, too, for he was yer.
hungry.
"James, do you ever hear anything
now of that Emma Land?"
James Harbury laid down his knit,
and fork in surprise at the question, ant
looked across at his wife, whose face wa
bent over her knitting.
"Did ever hear anything of Emmi
Land?" he repeated. "What can max
you ask that, Dinah Ann?"
"What can make me ask it? 1 dom
know. The query happened to com
into my mind. Why should 1 not asl
it?"
"There's no sense in it-that I see.
But do you?"
"Do 1 what?"
"Ever hear of her?"
"Why, you know she went out to-
where was it?-the West Indies, thinl
to her friends there-ever so long ago
Nigh upon eight years it must be. Yol
know she did, Dinah Ann"
"But she may write from the Yves
Indies. Perhaps she does. Does sh
write to you?" -..
He shook his head to imply a mega
tive, and occupied himself with his sup
per again. Emma Land had once upo
time been a somewhat-sore subject be
tween them, for Dinah Ann aUas iealou
in the old days. ....
"Do you ever see her, James?"
"See who?" E-5g 4
"You know. Emma Land.
"I can't think what has put all thi
into your head tonight, Dinah Anr
How is it?"
"But do you?" e.
"Do what?"
"See her?
"Why, how could 1 see her ?" re
turned he, in sort of helpless tone
that his wife fully thought was put Oh
"She is in the West Indies, and al
here"
"She may not be in the West.Indie
now."
"I don't know where she is. She
there for all know and L IN sure it doe
not matter"
"'Ask no questions, and you'll hes
no stories, thought his wife, quotin
the line familiar to her in her school-gi
days.
"I should not at all wonder, james
but Emma Land has come back again
"May be. Two or three years az
we heard she was married out there
"Who heard it? Who said it ?"
81 know heard it; remember
quite well. But as to who said it, l fo
get that-your brother, I think. Th'
she had married cousin" -4 r
"Oh not that that's unlikely, (,
she was ready to marry anybody. Sine
have married you, you know. She la
; traps for you"