The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-25
This rural district, remote from the
hannts 11f willy nan of the world Was

the routine OF daily duties Inc sma
market town of Northam, four mile
distant, was sleepy and primitive, neve
awakening from it's slumbers save o
the weekly market day. 1t had its pal
son; its doctor; and its lawyer-Harr
Leete; all three of them baing nearly q
simple as the farmers. Not simple i
point of intellect, it must he understood
but as to life and manners.
This, Thursday, was market day
James Harbury had gone to it, in tn
gig of q brother farmer, Peter Hall, hi
own mare, which he either rode or drov
generally, being sick. He was tall
slender man, of thirty years, very fail
with exceedingly handsome feature
and mild eyes, looking as unlike tn
popular notion of a farmer as man coul
look, and presenting q marked contras
to his agricultural neighbors. So tar a
appearances went, none of them, poo
or rich, could vie with James Harbury
and his temper and his bearing wer
alike gentle.
He had one fault-though perhaps al
people would not call it fault-love O
money. That he was one of the warm
est farmers in the district was univer
sally believed, and the most saving o
men. Too saving, his wife would tel
him-and where was the use OF it. sh'
would ask, considering she had neithcl
chick nor child?-and every now ant
then she would make the money fly, fol
she was dear lover of smart attire ant
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 fond of her and she OF him.
"Neither chick nor child" In tina!
fact had lain sharp sting. They hao
been married eight years now. and thu
sting was wearing itself away. Time
softens all things. He had never giver
her cause for an unhappy thought-unti
tonight. He had never had any secret:
from her, except that he never could bt
brought to tell her what tue exact sun
was that he was enabled to put by at the
end Of each year. Dinah Ann Harbury
did not care for that; she knew tha,
however much it might be, it was all fol
her.
But she did care for this-this
mysterious secret which had come tc
| her hearing tonight. She knew how
good looking James was, now univer'
sally he was liked by man and by wo'
man, and what kind heart he had
she put it "soft"-and something like
jealousy began to torment her spirit.
When James came in again, the sup
pert tray was at one end of the table, and
Dianah Ann, an unusual light in her
eyes. sat at the other end, near the lamp,
having taken up her knitting. The farm
| sr's general manner 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 a
slice of the cold boiled beef, land how
did you find White Bess?"
ooh. she seems comfortable" he re-
pied, looking round for the mustard
| pot.
"You deceitiul william! You know
you did not go near the stable" thought.
his wife. "Y You are sure you think SO, "
Ay. White Bess will be all herself
tomorrow, Dinah Ann" =.
It's more than I shall be-" thought
Dinah Ann, UNLESS l can come to the
bottom of this"
He ate his supper nearly in silence,
| like a man who is mentally preoccupled.
And he enjoyed it, too, for he was very
hungry.
James, do you ever hear anything
now of that Emma Land ?"
James Harbury laid down his knife
and fork in surprise at the question and
looked across at his wife, whose face was
| bent over her knitting.
do ever hear anything CT Emma
Land? ?" he repeated. What can make
YOU ask that, Dinah Ann?"
"What can make me ask it? don't
know. The query happened to come
int 1to my mind Why should 1 not ask
"There's no sense in it-that I see."
"But do you?"
"Do what?"
"Ever hear of her?''
"Why, you know she went out to
where was it?-the West Indies.
think-to her friends there-ever SO long
ago. Nigh upon eight years it must be.
| You know she did, Dinah Ann"
But she may write from the West
Indies. Perhaps she docs. Docs she
write to you?"
lie shook his head to imply mega
tive, and occupied himself with his sup
per again. Emma Land had once upon
time been a somewhat sore subject be.
tween them, fer Dinah Ann was jealous
in the old days.
"Do you ever see her, James?"
"See who?"
you know. Emma Land?"
Il can't think what has put all this
into your head tonight, Dinah Ann.
How is it?"
"But do you ?"
"Do l what?"
"See her"
why, how could I see her?' re.
turned he, in sort Of helpless tone,
that bis 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 I know-and I'm sure it
does not matter"
"Ask no questions, and you'll hear
no stories,'" thought his wife, quoting
the line familiar to her in her school
girl days.
II should not at all wonder, James,
but Emma Land has come back again.
MAY be. Two or three years::ago VIC
heard she married out there"
"Who heard it? Who said it?'
II know | heard it; remember il
quite well. But rs to who said it, for
get tha.-your brother, / think. That
She had married a cousin"
cob! Not that that's unlikely. for
she was ready to marry anybody: Shed
have married you, you know. She laid
traps oryou." :.
did not fail in!o them, Dinal Ann
And, laughing good-naturcdly, James
Harbury turned from the supper-tray tc
reach his pipe. Dinah Ann rang the
he'll, resumed her knitting and fell into
an unpleasant rcverie.
A few days passed away, things going
on smoothly at the farm. Dinah Anr
had recovered her temper-at least :sh'
displayed no signs of it being rutfled
James Harbury was as usual, save that a
times he seemed little absent ant
| ouC "SAo " "
stairs to change his everyday coat for
better one.
Where are you going?" cried Mrs
Harbury, quickly, as he came dowl
again.
"Only into Northam! I shall b.
home early"
Into Northam! It's not marke
day"
mo; but I've got little busines
: there-about those sheep, you know