The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-25
" NOT A WORD, MIND, TO DlNAH ARN!'

Dinah Ann herself, the Spea%iers Wlle,
having strolled down the garden in the
sweet stiffness of the summer night,
heard these suggestive words as the gig
pulled up at the gate, and her husband
descended from it. She was q pleasing
little woman of seven or eight and
thirty, with dark brown eye, albright,
fresh face, and q natural propensity to
take her own way, in the house and out
of it. Drawing back from the gate be-
hind the well-kept hawthorn hedge, she
waited for what was to come next.
mot word, tor your life, mind, to
Dinah Annp'
"No fear" "replied voice, " hieh she
recognized as that of her brother, Harry
Leete; "I know what women are.
Shed be for-revolutionizing the
house, and herself. too, once let her get
an inkling of this. No fea-, James! Take
care on YOUR side that you don't lose
,has-or let Dinah Ann find it."
"T'll take care. When are you COM
ing to smoke qniet pipe with me? l
shall want your advice as To-
One Of these evenings" interrupted
the lawyer. as he drove on up the lane.
Goodnight"
James Harbury, substantial farmer
and agriculturist, came through the gate
and turned to fasten it. Had he turned
the other way, to the left instead OF to
the right, he would have seen his vile.
standing against the hedge as close as
she could stand, almost into 1t. he did
rot see her, and went straight up the
path to the house. When his footsteps
had died away, Mrs. Harbury wound
her light summer gown over her black
silk apron, caught hold of her lilac cap
strings, lest the cap should fly of, and
ran swiftly up the narrow sidewalk,
got lound to the back, went through the
house, let drop her gown and entered
the sitting room, all calmly, nearly as
soon as her husband.
"Got back" she exclaimed, with q
look of surprise:
just come" replied the farmer;
Harry drove me up in his gig"
What brings Harry up here in his
gig at this time? and why did you not
come back with Hall?" inquired Mrs.
lIarbury, who liked 10 be at the begin
ming and the end of everything.
"Harry hau to come" said the
farmer" who seemed to be wa liking
about rather restlessly-and who never
thought of such thing as refusing to
satisfy his wite's questions. "He got q
message from the Down farm to 60 over
there without loss of time. I thought l
might as well come with him, Dinah
Ann. AS to Hail, left him stuck in the
tap-room of the 'Tawny Lion;' he
didn't order his gig to be ready before
ten O'clock"
"Just like Peter Hall! You'd have
taken the reins yourself, James, |
reckon, had you come back with him."
ooh, he'll not get as bad rs all thai?
But, say, Dinah Ann, it's a sad thing
about Partridge at the Down farm. A
day or two ago he went cut with his
haymakers-and you know what man
he is to work when he does set about it
got into q heat and drank lot Of cold
cider. 1t struck to him, for death, they
say: and Harry is gone to make his
will"
What dreadful thingw exclaimed
Dinah Ann, who had a feeling heart,
with all her curiosity.
lay, It's. think I'd like snack OF
cold beef, Dinah Ann. though it is late.
got talking to your brother in his
Office and missed my tea; SO I've had
nothing since one O'clock dinner. While
Phoebe puts it, III just 60 and take a
look at White Bess."
"White Bess is all right" said Mrs.
Harbury. SO much better that Evans
thinks you might have ridden her. No
need to 60 and see her now"
"Better, is she! l should like to give
her looE."
He took up his hat, which still lay
On the table, and went out. Mrs. Har-
bury's eyes followed him; they were full
of speculation, and her mind also.
81 don't believe he is gone to look Mt
the mare" soliloquized she. "He'd
not disturb her, now he hears she is all
right. And how absent and fdgetty he
seemed! There is some mystery, and |
should like to know what it is. l won
der whether-I should not think-no, I
should noS think he can have stolen out
tomcet somebody" she concluded, her
tone dubious: in spite of the stress laid
on the mot"
Stepping lightly into the kitchen, and
giving her orders to Phoebe about the
supper tray, she caught up an old water
proof cloak that hung in the back pass,
age, threw it on to hide her light dress
and crept out after her husband. 1t was
very light and beautiful night; in fact,
it could not be said to be yet as dark as
it would be-and that is never dark in
the fine nights of summer.
"For hiM to lose lis tea," ran hel
thoughts, "of all things! 1t must bt
uncommonly urgent business to induce
James 10 forego a meal of any kind.
60 wonder what secret they have go
between them. Not word, for you,
life, mind, to Dinah Ann cries he. NJ
fare, answers Harry, l know wha
women are-and she'd be for revolu
tionizing the house, and herself, too.
Yes, that I should; but it's them II
revolutionize, not myself" she emphati
cally pronounced. "It may be that oil
love affair cropped up again tina
woman who threatened to bring al
action for breach of promise whel
James married me. Perhaps she ha
been writing letters to him Mind yol
don't let Dinah Ann find it, says Harry
Or pcrhaps-perhaps James has bee
foolish enough to let her meet b i'm
Harry, not married man himself, an
llwycr, would lend himself to on
earthly thing without scrnple. All law
ersdo."