The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-30
FABLE THE THIRD.-CoSrrxrED.

anu DIIHSHS 4i'HIe Il TdTIlcT MaTTlSN.
But she assureIly could not 20 on
lingering there for a man who did not
come.
Father will be glad TO see you when
ever You like said she. The invita-
ton was not very graciously given; but
she did not feel gracious. and could not
seem to be what she was not by merely
trying, even if she had tried. But
Enoch Marrish could not expect every
thing all at once: and she had not bid
den HIM 90 away.
So he walked beside her back to Legs
Croft talking OF the harvest and of
money, and otherwise making love
after an invis bic fashion, but never
once mentioning Stephen. No he
could not have come across him at
Manchester; that was clear. Nor was
the truant about the place when she
got home. Nearly two days without a
word-it was getting strange.
why, where Stephen? asked Tom
BlackthOrn as the three We're sitting
down to supper The master of LeyS
Croft (if such he could be called) had
recovered his old rather self-glorious
ways since Fortune had smiled again,
and looked his neighbor in the face, or
rather above his head as if their being
still debtor AMI creditor were merely
an empty form, only waiting to be
swept away by a stroke of the pen. Il
tell you what, Patience, when YOU re
Mrs. Harrow. YOU must keep your man
20 meal-t.mcs; unless, maybe, at har-
vest, and such Ike times. Inever kept
dinner waiting, no, nor supper, since l
was born. This won't do"
He over at Manchester on business,
father" said she.
business, ch?' said her father, who
seemed in an especially jovial mood.
Il say. Marrish. taough-don't that
put you in mind of an old time or two?
Business at Hunchester;' Lord what
pccIS of wild oats that used to be bin
for. But forgot; you never sowed that
sort of crop. No, nor Stephen. Come,
lass. you needn't begin to look like a
cabbage rose. Stephens as good lad
rs Marrish there used 10 be. When he
avs business, he means business; and
my business, too. And | wish some
Others had been more like him." said
he, with a sudden change; and Pa
tience knew that his own joke had re-
minded him of his scapegrace son.
but that's neither here nor there
Fall TO. neighbor, and give us the news
of the day"
There seemed no particular reason,
after all, why Farmer Marrish had
come over to Legs Croft, for her father
did all the talking. The truth is that
Farmer MarriSh was haunted with the
uncomfortable fear that Stephen might
have given the King the slip after all,
and might turn up at Legs Croft before
bedtime. People who mold circum-
stance must expect good many I'M
comfortable hours And if anything so
inconvient should happen, it would not
do for him TO be out of the way. So he
even OutStaycd his welcome, and, to
spin, out the time, took more than one
nightcap; which, rs it was at another
mans cost, he could for once well
afford
Tom Blackthorn had taken more
than two nightcapS. and felt all the bet
fer for them. You mustn't mind your
old fathers Jokes, lass said he. If
it hadn't been for that Young Harlow
l m;ghtn't have had another Joke left to
come. What a thing it is to be pretty
girl. Poor Marrish-hanging round
the honey-pot when all the honey'S
gone. But bless nv soul-what am |
saying? Another joke-another joke,
my dear; that all There give me
kiss, and to bed. Make Stephen keep
early hours. There's nothing like EN-
nothing like EN- in the world.
They're the way to be healthy, wealthy
and wise. And It's the early bird picks
up the worm. And early SOW. early
now"
But it was not Enoch Marrish who
that night put in practice the wisdom
of the ancientS. He knew that he had
put his pillow into furrow from which
there was no backing. however crooked
it might be. Whatever happened now,
he must not let such lie as he had told
prove to have been told in vain. And
there was still many a chance against
him. Stephen Harlow was no con-
temptible enemy. ready to run his head,
like Tom Blsc6thorn. against any post
that stood handy. Nor was Patience
a simpleton. to be taken in by any COM
mon SANDER. There was the post,
which even the most hurried soldiers
would find time to use. There would
be letter to Patience, surely; and one,
no doubt, to his EMPLOYERS besides. The
latter could be easily dealt with. He
could write TO MessrS. Preston and bid
them send letters for Stephen Harlow
under cover to himself; or he could 90
to Millport and tell his own story. if
need were, without the Blackthorns
being a whit the wiser. But letter 10
Patience herself was another thing. and
must be dealt with in another way.
And how to deal with that chance took
him ali night to consider. For he was
slow, though sure.
Patience Backbone had no reason
for wakefulnesS. She trusted Stephen
even as she trusted herself and more.
Had he met with any accident he must
have heard; and then he was not the
sort of man whom accidents befall He
was lucky. and he was strong. Yet
something like people call PRESENT.
ment when it happens to come before
misfortune troubled her; and she was
long in falling asleep and quick in wax
ing. The morning light and freshness
sweep away presentimentS like the cob
webs they are. and so they did hers.
Stephen would be over by breakfast
time, to be sure. But he was not over
by breakfast-time.
She was getting really anxious. She
did not make even a pretense of break |
ing the neck of her mornings work. !
but, throwing shyneSs and certainty of |
village gossip to the winds, went to the