Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-16


heart Of hearts, she made n resolve,
which. out OF consideration for her,
viii leave the reader to surmise.
Ill
One carly autumn MONDAY. John and
Meggy were stumbling slowly down the
road that led TO the orchard gate Of
Glen Nook.
As they approached n short turn in
the road, n tree that came staggering
from tho AK, and fell with n crash, so
startled the drowsy mare that she
swung swiftly about. hurting her rider
with great violence. To the ground.
The worn and s'ncwy hands Of the
wOodman were n gentle as woncn's,
rs they bore the bruised form Into tho
sunny east chamber of the Lester
home.
FOR days he lay rs unconscious be-
meath the snowy Counterpart rs il il had
been his shrOud; but Mt last the patient
watchers wee awarded By n twitching
OF the ema lated face and the slow up
lifting Of the heavy cyelids.
AS the sOftcncd. hut still keen eyes
OF the Invalid pecred through the tan
glet sagc-brish ot eye brows, they
looked into the quiet, speaking depths
OF eyes, aglOw with nc least passion
ate. II not n more tender interest.
But, II the eyes gave n suspicion Of
the hearts secret, the lips did not; for
they only said: ''pur mOn," aud this
so coolly that John looked again ut the
dark eyes; but they were speaking no
longer.
Now will not bc,ray the confidence
OF the little woman by disclosing her re-
solve. which almost startled herself;
but | will tell you her strategic plan Of
acton. IL was very simple, trivial"
the reader may say. Merely the subduing
Of his stubborn will (Which she Justly
impe lched as n highhandcd tyrantj,
aud this not 50 much To her own will as
10 his better and truer nature.
lid ~h' succeed? LIT us see.
lou will remember, my dear, for
ciarity's sake. that he and she. and the
sense of the prUprictics Of both were
naivcly Scotch.
On the morning after his recovery of
consciousness, Jeanne came into his
room and. as she arranged the flowers
Of fresh bouquet she had gathered,
said:
"le maun TAX some parritch, noo."
Manu- thought John. each sep
aratc bristle Of his misogyny erect
81 dinna wush Ony parritch," he
growled.
"Dinnc yep" thought Jeanne. 81
sat We maun." But she would not Ar
que, this little woman. She only said.
with the sweetest air of Difference /:
WI We hac It warrum or cauld?"
IL Wilma"
With most artlcss, pre-cngaged
manner she arose, saying.
81 guess ye had letter haze it war
rum.
As the door closed softly behind her.
John buried his head in the pillow,
muticring: "Sic n wee bit saucy
bOdic.n
Soon tie door opened and Jeanne an
pearcd, quietly stirring dainty bowl of
"parritch
Turning to the male attendant
Watty. who did not seem 10 do much
else than tO sit ON the edge of his char
and bob his weak eyes at the sick man
- she said:
Left the mon up gentle"
In few moments John fOund him
self bolstcrcd upright in bed. with the
look Of protest on his rugged face shad-
ing almost into one of supplication.
Moo TAX yer parritch, that's a guild
mon.n
"Jeanie. woman. dinna l tell ye"-
But the bowl was in his lap, the spoon
in his hand. and she was humming her
way through the hall. What could he
dop Only what he did.
When Jeanne returned 10 take the
hal'-,inished bowl to the kitchen John
saw. or thought he saw. Just the suspi-
cion OF n smile stirring in the placid
depths Of her eyes; and he read. or
thought he read. It's meaning.
"A few DAYS aftcrward Jeanne sat bv
the window of the invalid's room.
thoughttully plying her needle.
Through the open windows came n
fresh sweet breath of air, cooled by n
brief shower, and scented by the per
tune caught from the white censcrs of
the apple 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
spinster until he was thrown into the
greatest discontinue by Jeanie's fold
ing her hands over her work, and gaz-
ing shrewdly and rcnectively ut him.
Dye ken what wur thinkin' aboot.
puir mon?'
An upheaval of the pillow rs the sha0-
gy head plunged under it was her only
answer.
John designed this rather ill-consid-
cred vancouver to be interpreted as
meaning that he ''didna ken or care -
But the tranquil woman was pleased To
leave it uninterrupted.
II wur a-thinkin' how Draw We wad
lux In n bOnny cap, trimmit wi'-how
will ye haze it trimmit?'
"Waes me! sic daft whigmeleerie. /"
blurted the Disconnected man. the
wrinkles Of his bronzed face deepening
and writing into something which
might have been grimacc or a smile.
II seemed so little at home there that
decidedly incline to the latter belief
think Jeanne did, too: for. as tho
heaving of the pillow revealed the fnr-
rowed face, look of serene satisfaction
settled on her own.
And John saw that look and read I.
His first impulse was to resentment AZ
open and obstinate as needful: but the
quiet air oil always seeming to defer to
his wishes (although it was evident she
never did defer to them), looked 81 in
genious and so winning that he had not
heart to resort to resentment. OF STRAIT
egg he knew nothing. As near as he
could approach to il was to form the
policy OF neutrality, of non-commit-
ment But. in the deeper diplomacy Of
jeanne, 1t was indispensable that he
ued:
or wi blue?" 10"
"Joanie, woman. haze mercy. am
nae staumreL | Gamma put INV pow in
ony sic bag rs that"
Yes; he was committed.
Jeanne busted herself a momen, IN
picking the dried leaves from the win
dow-plants, and then, as she Turned
toward the door. said:
a IA