The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-10

to pay another year OF TINS
but pardon me, good sir. This is
no business of yourn; but you asked me
a question, and T got agoin' and didn't
know how to stop, seem that the rise
in nv rent had Just been made. But,
believe me, good sir, | amt IN the habit
of telliu' this stuff out o school. You're
the first man not one Of us that l ever
opened my head to on the subject. l
wouldn't like that Silas Carter should
hear what I've been %tellin', cause
d,yo1 see, such things sound so differ
ent when ther're told secondhand.
Have no fear of me, my good man, "
returned the stranger heartily. My
name is Sidney-George Sidney. |
have met young Maxwell, and should l
chance to meet him again you may be
sure l shall give him a gentle hint of
how things are going on here. Is there
any one on the estate who, you think,
would be entirely Mt and competent IN
every way for al agent / Carriers
place."
Eyes. SIR" answered Malcolm,
promptly, and heartily; Il know just
the man, savin' my wife's presence.
It's her brother-John Guilford. He
used to rent a farm here, but he got
Disguised with Carriers uppishness and
left. He's now with Sir Oliver-a sort
of useful man about the old castle, but
not engaged permanently"
Did you ever write to your young
master? p"
NO, sir-never."
II suppose you-can writeT"
The honest, hard handed farmer
colored up 10 the eyes; and before he
could speak his wife answered for him:
GOOD Sir. Malcolm's got into II sort
of careless way of speaking, but l do
assure you he has a good education.
As for writing, he's done that ever since
he was a child; and Mr.. Carter1l tell
you if he'll tell the truth-that my hus-
band has Strengthened out his accounts
and written important letters for him
more than once. Malcolm won't speak
for himself; but I'll speak for MIN"
Mr.. Sidney nodded and smiled and
changed the subject. He asked NAL
colin about his land, about his crops,
and about the best methods of treating
land for different kinds of seed. And
then he asked about the quality ofthe
land of the various large farms of the
estate, and sought to know how they
were carried on.
To all his questions the farmer not
only gave intelligent answers, but he
offered many thoughts and suggestions
that might have been of real value to
the owner OF the land.
At 9 o'clock Malcolm suggested that,
as it was late and very dark, with rain
still falling, Sidney had better spend
the night with them, if he could put up
withtheir homely accommodation. He
accepted the offer gratefully.
The good wife provided him with a
clean, comfortable sleeping-room and
gave him a comfortable bed in which
to sleep, and on the following morning,
after a good breakfast, the weather be-
ing clear and bright, he babe his en-
t~ertainers a kindly adieu, promising
them that, if he should ever be in that
region again, he would not fail to call.
Both Malcolm and Susan thought it
rather strange that the mar had made
them no offer of return for his enter
tainment; and yet they were glad that
he had not, for they would only have
refused it, and thus, perhaps have hurt
his feelings. But very likely the man
was poor, like themselves. They re-
membered that he had no jewelry,
nor ornament of any kind.
That afternoon Malcolm h~arnessed
his horse and rode to the village, where
he found great connection. The squire
young Mr.. Philip-had arrived at the
Hall, and it was believed he was going
to spend the ummer on his estate. Who
had seen him? Nobody. But they knew
he had come because his luggage had
come.
II went up to the Hall last evening"
said the keeper Of the village inn, "but
he was not there. They told me that he
had been there, but he'd gone OUT
just then a servant from the Hall ar
rived on the spot--the largest village
store, where the postoffice was. In a
moment he was piled with questions.
Where did the squire 90 to last
night?n the landlord of the inn asked
him.
II don't know, the servant answered.
He took his gun about the middle of
the afternoon, yesterday, and went off
into the woods, he said, to start up q
| deer; and if you'll believe it, he didn't
| get back till this morning. I don't
know where he stopped. / can't mag
inc.
Malcolm Wansley felt dizzy. His
head seemed to whirl and his throat to
fill up.
Without q word to anybody ne got
back into bis wagon and drove home
drove up to his door just as q light
chaise from the Hall pulled up, In
which was n OF the squire's grooms.
Malcolm was wanted at the Hall at
once. He was to ride with the messen-
ger.
III nlor41o1 nnon IaaAa - LII IL.