Connecticut western news., 1880-08-11
THE HUSBANDS SECRET.
A Story of Righteous Punishment

A Story of Righteous Punishment
 s'Not 8 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 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 weI-kept hawthorn hedge, she waited for what was to come next.
 tNot word, for your life, mind, to Dinah Ann P
 "No fear p replied voice, which she recognized as that of her brother, Harry Leete; "I know what women are. She'd be for-for revolutionizing the house, and herself too, once let her get an inkling of this. No fear, James Take care, on your side, that you don't lose that-or let Dinah Ann find it."
 "Ill take care. When are you com ing to smoke quiet pipe with me? I shall want TOUT advice as to- 9
 cone of these evenings" interrupted the lawyer, as he drove on up the lane. "Good-night P
 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, standind against the hedge as close as she could stand, almost into it. He did s1et see her, and went straight up the path to the house. When his foot step 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 rounS to; tie back, went through the house, et>,drop her gown, and entered the sitting-room. all calmly, nearly as soon as her husband. :, --s--ss =. .,~.. =
 'Got back l'' she exclaimed, with quite a 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 2 gx;saids the farm CT, who- seemed to be walking about rather restIessly and who never thought of such 8 fRng as refusing to satisfy his wife's questions. "He got message from the Down Farm, to go over there without loss of time. I thought I might as well come up with him, Dinah Ann. As to Hall, 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, Ireckon, had you come back with him.
 ooh, he'll not get as bad as all that But, I say, Dinah Ann, it's sad thing about Partridge at the Down Farm. A day or two ago he went out with his hay makers you know what man he is to work when he does set about it. got into heat, and drank lot of colo cider. It struck to him for death, they say; and Harry is gone up to make his will"
 "What dreadful thing l" exclaimed Dinah Ann, who had feeling heart with all her curiosity.
 "Ay, 'tis. I think I'd like snack O. cold beef, Dinah Ann, though it is late l got talking to your brother in hi office, and missed my tea; so I've hat nothing since one o'clock dinner. Whil. Phoebe puts it I'll just go and take { look at White Bess."
 "White Bess is all right" said Mrs Harbury ESQ much better that Eva1 thinks you might have ridden her in to day. No need to go and see her now.
 Better, is she? should like to giv' her look"
 He took up his hat, which lay on tn table and went out. Mrs. Harbury' eyes followed him; they were full o speculations, and her mind also. "I don't believe he is gone to look a the mare" i" soliloquized she. "He'd no disturb her, now he hears she is all right And how absent and fidgetty he seemed There is some mystery agate, and should like to know what it is. l Iwon der whether-I should not think-no, should not think he can have stolen ou to meet somebody" she concluded, he tone dubious in spite of the stress lai on the "not."
 Stepping lightly into the kitchen, an giving her orders to Phoebe about tn supper-tray, shecaught up an old water proof cloak that hung in the back pas