The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-12-16

1
that he should ask the same question Mr..
Babcock had asked, namely, whether she
had any suspicion as to whom the animals
belonged.
! "Well, one of them I observed had a
terribly crooked horn"
"Precisely-it's Babcock's heifer;
should know her among q thousand. She
was black and white, wasn't she?"
swell, now think of it, she was ;
one seldom sees so clear q black and
white on COW"
ITO be sure. They're Babcock's ami
mails fast enough. Well, let ME see
what you want is just fair estimate, 1
suppose"
"Well, I should say $50 was as low os
he ought to be allowed to get off with p
"Oh, but I fear that it will seem as if
I meant to take advantage. Suppose we
call it-say $751;"
"Just as you please, of course but
hanged if I'd let him of for cent less
than 800, if it were my case."
And If he refuses to pay?"
"Why, keep the animals until he
comes around, that's ALL"
But there's one thing I neglected to
mention-our gate was standing open ;
that may alter the case."
"Not at all; there's no law against
keeping your gate open there is against
Every well thank you for your ad-
vice, said Miss Letitia and MI. Small
departed with as smiling q face as Mr..
Babcock had worn.
But at milking time that night he
made a strange discovery-old Brindle
was missing!
AT about the same hour Mr.. Babcock
made similar discovery-the black-and-
white heifer was nowhere to be found
A horrible suspicion seized them boil,
"a suspicion that they would not have
made known to each other for the world.
They waited until it was dark, and
then Mr.. Babcock stole around to Miss
Letitia's and meekly asked leave to look
at the animals who had committed the
trespass. He would have done it without
asking leave, only that thrifty Miss Le-
titia always shut her barn doors at night.
While he stood looking over into the
pens where the Cows were confined, and
trying to negotiate with Miss Letitia for
the release Of the heifer, along came Mr..
Small in quest of his Brindle.
The two men stared at each other in
blank dismay, then hung their heads in
confusion.
It was useless to assert that the dam
ages were too high, for had they not
fixed them themselves? It was useless
to plead that Miss Letitia was in a man.
ner responsible for what had happened,
on account of the open gate, for had
they not assured her that that circum-
stance did not alter the case? It was
useless to say she had no right to keep
the COWS in custody, for had they not
counseled her to do SO? As-to going to
law about it, would they not become the
| sport of the whole town.
"'He that diggeth q pit, he himself
shall fall into it," said Miss Letitia,
who read what was passing in ,hci,
minds as we'll as if they had spoken, for
the light from Isaac 3 lantern fell full on
their faces. "However, on one condi-
ton I will free the cows and forgive the
debt"
"What is that?" Both thought the
question, but did not ask it.
"The condition is that you promise to
put q new fence in place of thu
old one that separates your estates, di-
viding the cost between you, and that
henceforth you will live together peace
fully, So far as in you lies. Do you
promise?"
"Yes," muttered both, in a voice
scarcely audible.
"Shake hands upon it, then," said
Miss Letitia.
They did SO.
"Now let the cows out, Isaac; it's
time they were milked," said she.
And the men went away, driving their
COWS before them, with a shameface,l
dir, greatly in contrast to the look OF
triumph with which they had before
quilted her presence.
The fence was built, and the strif,
ceased when the cause was removed
but it was long before Miss Letiti, s
part in the affair came to the public ear,
for she herself maintained a strict
silence concerning it, and she enjoine,
the same upon her man-servant, Isaac.