Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-05-15
III


VII leave the reader to surmise-
Ill
One early aul1m MONDAY. John and
Meggy were shamkling slowly down the
road that led to the orchard gate Of
Glen Nook.
As they approached short turn in
the road. tree that came staggering
from the Ak, and fell with a crash, 80
startled the drowsy mare that she
swung swiftly about. hurting her rider
with great violence. to the ground.
The worn and sinewy hands Of the
woOdman were as gentle as women :,
as they bore the bruised form iutO the
sunny east q amber of the Lester
home.
for days he lay as unconscious be-
meath the snowy counterpane as If IL had
been his shr0ud; but at last the patient
watchers were awarded by twitching
Of the emaciated face and the slow up
lifting Of the heavy eyelids.
| As the sOftened. kut still keen ewes
OF the invalid peered through the tan
gled sage-brush o. eve brOws. they
looked into the quiet, speaking depths
of eyss. sglow with at least q passion
ate. if not more tender interest
Bui, If the eyes gave 4 suspicion of
the hearts secret, the lips did not; for
they only said: ''Duir mOn," and this
so coclly thai John looked again at the
dark eyes; but they were speaking no
longer.
Now I win not betray the confidence
of tie little woman by disclosing her re-
solve. which almost startled herself:
but | viii tel yUu her strategic plan OF
actlon- IL was very simple. trivial. "
the reader may saw Merely the subduing
of his stubborn viii (Which she Justly
impeached IS = high-handsd tvrant),
and this not so much 10 her own viii as
70 his better and truer nature
Did she succeed? Let us see.
You viii remember, nv dear, for
charity's sake. that be and She. and the
sense of the proprieties of both were
nairely Scotch.
On the morning sitter his recovery of
consciousness. Jeanie came into his
rOOm and as she arranged the flowers
OF a fresh bouquet she had gathered.
said:
=. 1e maun tax some parritch, lOo.''
. Manu-" thought John. each sep
arate bristle of his misogyny erect
Il dinns wush Ony parritch." he
growled-
Dime ye2" thought Jean;e. "II
sa d We maun-" But she would not AZ
que, this little woman She only said.
with the sweetest ar of Difference
- VIII We hae il warrum or cAuld?n
winna-"
With a most artless. pre-engaced
manner she arose. saying:
Il guess ye had better hae it war
rum"
As the door closed softly behind Der.
John buried his head in the pillow,
mutterlng- Sic . wee bit saGcy
bodie' -
Soon the door opened and Teanie az
peared. quietly stirring dainty bowl Of
'-parritch "
Turning to the male attendant
Watfy. who did not seem 10 do much
else than to sit on the edge of his char
and bob his weak eyes Al the sick man
she said.
-.Leeft the mon up gentle"
In few moments John found him
self bolstened upright in bed. with tbs
look Of protest on his rugged face shad-
ing almost into one Of supplicafion.
= Moo tax yer parritch, that's a guild
mon"
-Jeanie. woman. dinna I tell ye''-
But the bowl was in his lap, the spoon
IN his hand, and she was hnmming her
way through tie hail What could he |
cos Only what he did.
When Jeenie returned to take the /
hals-dnished bowl 70 The kitchen John /
saw, or thought he saw, inst the susu5- /
ciOn of q smile stirring in the placid /
depths OF her ewes: and he read. or
thought be read. its meaning.
A few davs afterward Jeazie sat 6v
the window OF the invalid's room. /
thoughffully plying her needle.
Through the open windows came y
fresh sweet breath Of ssir. cooled bv A
brief shower. and scehted by the ner-
fume caught from the white censers of
the apple e-blOssoms which il had swung
IN the wide orchard The breeze kissed
gratefully. the forehead of the sick man.
who lay dreamily gazing at the busy
spiuster until he was thrown into the
greatest discontinue bv Jeanie's fold
ing her hands over her work. and gaz-
ing shrewdly and refectivelv at him.
'-D'ye ken what wur thinkin' aboot
puir mon2''
AnupheaTal Of the pillow as the shag-
~ head plunged under it was her ONLY
answer.
John designed this rather Hl-consid-
cred maneuVer TO be interpreted As
meaning that he ''didna ken or care. =
But the tranquil woman was pleased to
leave il uniuferpreted
Il wur a-thinkln' how Draw We wsd
lux in bOnny cap. trimmit wii-hoy
viii We hae il trimmifs'
''Waes me- SIC daft whigmeleerie- =
blurted the Disconnected man the
of his bronzed face deepening
and wrifhing into something which
might have been = grimace or a smile.
II seemed so little at home there that
decidedly incline 10 the latter belief.
think Jeanie did, too: for. as the
heaving Of the pillow revealed the fur
rowed face. look Of serene satisfaction
settled on her own.
A7d John saw that look and read II.
BIS first impulse was TO resentment. as
Ipen and obstinate as needful: but the
luict AR Of always seeming TO defer 10
ais wishes lalthOugh il was evident she
never did defer 70 them), looked 50 in
yeniOus and 50 winning that he had not ,
heart to resort TO resentment OF strat-
" he knew nothing As near rs he
could approach to II was 10 form the
1oicy of neutrality. of nOn-commit- I
nent But in the deeper diplomacy of
Ieanie. il was indispensable that he ,
lhOuld be committed. So she contin-
red:
''Shall we say trimmit wi cherry-red
II WI blues'' ,
''Jeanie, woman. hae mercy I am !
lae stanmrel- | canna put NV pow in !
nv sic Dag rs that"
les; be was committed [,