The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-18

uuder a suppressed excitement. He
, cheeks rivaled the bit of SALIVA she haC
put in her hair; two or three times
saw her brown eyes filed with tears
She wore a red merino gown with somt
soft lace about her neck, and neve
since her girlhoOd had she looked NOR,
, sweet and fair. After supper | went on
to see after the stock, and looking from
!, the stable door / saw what seemed Il
me The fiutter of a red gown in the
dusky cleaning, down under the big
chestnut trees, aSd peering through the
darkness | saw my wife standing there
talking earnestly with Dick Knowles
He was in his shirt sleeves, and leaned
idly upon rake. with which he haC
probably been gathering the under
brush that numbered the boundaries o
the farms. Jane had likely gone to lool
after her young turkeys and haC
stopped, | thought, to have a chat witt
Dick. Time was when he would have
come up to the house and talked with
me, but / remembered sadly that there
was no pleasure in that any more. MOI
did my wife mention that she had seen
him. She knew that Dick and were
not what we had been to each other.
That night my foolish wife lay wide
awake for hours. Every time l turned
my weary eyes to hers l found them
opened wide. She. lay quite still. Hell
face was white, save for a feverish spot
that burned on either cheek. Once she
put her hot little hand on mine, but ]
turned away in grim Impotence, begin
ming to believe we were both bewitched
For, now that matters had been settled
one way or the other for the nation,
began to think of my farm. 1t had al
ways been pleasant to me to remember
that owned those broad acres, and to
part with them for a mere matter OF
opinion would certainly be a grievous
wrench to me- But all that was past
praying for now. Dick and 1 had been
hOt-headed fools, but we must abide the
consequences. Out our way a mans
word was as good as his bond, and in
this case it was a double covenant be-
tween us. Besides, the gulf had widened
between Dick and me since this stormy
campaign; hot words had passed be-
tween us. knew he would rather hang
himself than take back his farm if his
candidate was defeated, and no power
on earth could induce me to accept of
mine under like mischance. The deeds
were there, the property must change
| hands. Yet how could Dick or | rob
each other in this miserable way? But
could ever enjoy the possession of my
| land again if | owed it to the leniency of
Dick Knowles? Or would he take his
back from me under the sting of a ike
obligation? 1t was wretched MIDDLE
either way, and, worn out with contend
ing emotions. toward morning fell into
heavy slumber
When | awoke it was broad day, and
| was not surprised that Jane was up
and dressed and already downstairs.
She was thrifty housewife, and arose
with the lark. | hurried on my clothes,
beginning to realize what an important
day it was TO me, to Dick Knowles, to
thousands of miserable wights who had
fooliShly placed themselves in a ike
predicament. As threw up the window
the morning air poured in, puugent as
wine; soft bright haze blurred all the
sweet landscape that lay before me.
The farm was James, to be sure, and
perhaps at that moment had not rood
of earth that could comfortably call
my own; but as long as L owned Jane,
her farm was in a certain sense mine,
and rs | went down the stairs and into
the dining-room, from thence to the
kitchen and cellar, and out into the
garden and out-houses, | began to Won
der where this most precious of all my
earthly treasures could be. Out in the
barn-yard | saw my black boy sam with
Il load of wood he had brought from the
cedar swamp. l thought Jane must be
hunting for eggs in the barn.
Have you seen my wife, Sam?" L
called.
Yes. sah," he said. opening his
mouth from ear to ear; Il sec her bout
n hour ago ridin' with Mr.. Knowles
down to Blankton. He was drivin' like
all possessed: them ere bays o his n
was all in lather."
Istood looking at Sam a moment.
almost as open-mouthed as he; then |
laughed. '.Ha! har' laughed Gone
riding. eh?'
1t wasn't necessary that Sam should
know what hurricane his words had
raised within me; but if man wants to
appear unconcerned when he is dis
traught with a sudden terror, he never
should essay laugh. Mine echoed in
my ears like the CHASTITY chuckle of
mailman.
Then | turned on my heel and went
back to the house, to the bedroom. l
began turning over the articles there,
the blood beginning to boil in my veins.
| ranSacked the bureau drawers, tossed
the bedclothes on the floor. Knocked
through the looking-glass; Heaven
knows what was looking fora note,
perhaps 10 tell me why she had stolen
out of bed and gone away with Dick
Knowles. what plot they had been
Matching the night before, what misery
had come to her and to me. Great
Heaven had |, then, been fretting over
the loss or the gain of a piece of land.
or the easiest way to the heart of
friend. when all | held precious on earth
was, perhaps. lost to me forever. and
the once friendly heart was rotten to
the core? | remembered all-everv-
thing-her white face with the red stains
upon her cheeks. the wild sleepless eyes,
the little hand she held ont to me in
vain. If had taken that little hand in
mine-if l had grasped her close
Jane Jane Jane - cried, sinking
on the bedside and burying my face in
my hands.
And all at once, as if in dream,
heard the sweet voice of my wife say,