The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-09-23
THE HUSBANDS SECRET.


"Not word, mind, to Dinah Ann
Dinah Ann herself, the speakers wife,
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 a pleasing
little woman of seven or eight and thirty,
with dark brown eyes, bright, fresh
face, and natural propensity to take
her own way, in the house and out of it.
Drawing back from the gate behind the
well-kept hawthorn hedge, she waited
for what was to come next.
"Not word, for your life, mind, to
Dinah Ann 1"
9No fear !" replied voice, which she
recognized as that of her brother, Harry
Leete; 81 know what women are. Shed
be for-for revolutionizing the house,
and herself too, once let her get an ink
ling of this. No fear, Jamesi Take care,
on your side, that you don't lose that
or let Dinah Ann find it."
"Ill take care. Whea are you COM
ing to smoke quiet pipe with me /
shall want your advice as to --''...s
"One of these evenings interrupted
the lawyer, as he drove 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 wife,
standing against the hedge as close as
she could stand, almost into it. He did
not 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, ,caughthold of herlilac cap strings,
lest the cap should fly off, andran swiftly
up the narrow sidewalk, got round to the
back, went through the house, let drop
her gown, and entered the sitting room,
all calmly, nearly as soon as her hus-
band. ,z
"Got back |" size exclaimed, with
quite look of surprise.
"Just come" replied the farmer (;
Harry drove me 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.
Harbury, who liked to be at the begin
ming and the end of everything.
"Harry had to come," said the farm
er, who seemed to be walking about
rather restlessly- and who never
thought of such thing as refusing to
satisfy his wife's questions. He got q
message from the Down Farm, to go
over there without loss of time. ]
thought I might as well come up with
him, Dinah Ann. As to Hall, left
him stuck in the tap-room of the Taw-
nv Lion; he didn't order -hiis gig TO De
ready before 10 o'clock" i.rz
"Just Like Peter Hall You'd have
taken the reins yourself, james, l reck-
on, had you come back with him"
"Oh, he'll not get as bad as all that
But, i say, Dinah Ann, it's a sad thing
about Partridge at the Down Farm. a
day or two ago he went out with his hay.
makers-and you know what a man be
is to work when he does set about it.
got into q heat, and drank q lot of colo
cider. It struck to him for death, they
say and Harry is gone to make hi
will"
"What a dreadful thing r' exclaimed
Dinah Ann, who had feeling heart will
all her curiosity.
Gay, it's. L think I'd like a snack C
cold beef, Dinah Ann, though it is late
got talking to your brother in his of
fee, and missed my tea, SO I've ha'
nothing since / o'clock dinner. Will
Phoebe puts it I'll just go and take
|, look at White Bess.
"White Bess is all right" said Mrs
Harbury. $50 much better that Eva
thinks you might have ridden her in to
day.. No need to go and see her now.
"Better, is she? I should like
give her look.
He took up his hat, which still lay o
the table, and went out. Mrs. Harbury
eyes followed him; they were full {
speculation, and her mind, also.
'sI I don't believe he is gone to look s
the mare, soiloquised she. "He'd Nc
disturb her, now he hears she is a
right. And how absent and fdgety
seemed There is some mystery agat
and should like to know what it is.
wonder whether-I should not think
no, should not think he can have stole
out to meet somebody" she concludes
her tone dubious in spite of the stre
laid on the "not."
Stepping lightly into the kitchen al
giving her orders to Phoebe about Il
supper-tray, she caught up an old waite
proof cloak that hung in the back pa
sage, threw it on to hide her light dres
and crept out after her husband. It w
avery light and beautiful night; in ia
it could not be said to be yet as dark
it would be, and that is never dark
the fine nights of summer.
"For him to lose his tea, ran b
thoughts, " of all things It must
some uncommonly urgent business
induce James to forego meal of al
kind. I do wonder what secret the
have between them. Not q word, f
your life, mind, to Dinah Ann, cries b
No fear, answers Harry. I know VIII
women are, and she'd be for revolutio
izing the house and herself, too Ye
that I should, but it's them I shou
revolutionize, not myself" she empha
cally pronounced. at may be that G
love affair cropped up again that wol
an who threatened to bring an action
breach of promise when James marri
me. Perhaps she has been writing Il
ters to him. Mind you don't let Dim
Ann find it, says Harry: or perhaps
perhaps James has been foolish enou,
TO let her meet him. Harry, not ms