Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-29

AUTHOR OF "A GREAT HEIREss," "Qui1u
Ar LAST" "A REAL QUEEN" KAAL's
DIVE" ETC, ETC
FABLE THE SEOOND.-CosTrNUKp.
Boyhood was upon him again. and. at 9
risk of scratched hands and torn clothes,
it must be done. Perhaps he might find
some of the big stones with which he
and Patience, when playmates, had
spent hours in trying to make a secret
way for themselves across the brook in
its darkest place; that would be . find,
indeed.
So he scrambled from among the
rushes into the rough coppice where
water ran, and wondered a little what
had become of all the mountains and
valleys, lakes, torrents and waterfalls,
chasms and precipices, that he remem-
bered so well. In truth. it was not that
all these things had grown smaller, but
that his own legs had grown longer. But
there was all the old smell of damp clay
and decaying leaves to bring back the
old charm-which, besides, borrowed
sweeter and better fragrance than the
new
He was just swinging himself round
the bole of tree that by hanging over
the water. roots and all. barred the
way, when. in regaining the bank, his
foot slipped upon the soft clay, and he
went head foremost into a tangle of
bushes. And he fell, not into the mud,
but across whai was the last thing he
dreamed of finding there-the body of .
man. hidden among the brambles,
bracken and reeds.
Stephen sprang TO his feet in anything
but agreeable surprise Nor was his
surprise rendered any the more pleasant
when the body scrambled to its feet,
and proved to be an active young fell
low of his own age, with a wild and
hunted look in his ewes, and wearing a
soldiers red jacket over a shirt opened
at the breast, and foul with mire and
ooze. He wore no hat or cap, and his
close-cropped hair did not add to his
appearance, considered as q trespasser
Retired farms in those days were wont
to be haunted by just such fellows
able-bodied vagrants who, on the
strength of an old red jacket, to which
they might have no more right than to
q pair of epaulettes, would extort char
ity by whines or threats or lies. and
would think little of firing a rick if
biackmail were refused. The discharged
or disabled soldier or sailor was among
the commonest Of pests; and small
wonder. considering the way in which,
when they were of no more use, they
were apt to be thrown away. Stephen
would not have seen one of the breed,
real or sham, skulking within hail of
Leys Croft for guinea and more
But Stephen was not the only one of
the two who was startled. Each man
stood staring. to see what the other
would say or do. till all at once
Good Godr' cried Stephen. '.it's
Dick Blackthornr'
Farmer Blackthorn's son and heir;
Patience's brother, and in that garb
and guise! What could it mean-to
what had he come? That he was in
some hopeless plight, whatever it might
be, was plain; and not even Love him.
self could make an eXpectant BRIDE
groom rejoice in the prospect of such q
brother-in-law as he saw before him
now.
I'm Stephen Harlow. Don't you
know me? In Heavens name. Dick
Blackthorn. what's come to you? What
are you doing here?" asked he who had
been born lucky of him who had been
born with nothing better than silver
spoon.
To do him Justice, the tramp hung
his head and looked bitterly. nay, rath.
er miserably and abjectly ashamed.
Its hanged hard" he muttered.
''that fellow can't take forty winks
by brook. when he's thirsty and tired,
without another fellow tumbling oyeI
him as if he was log of timber. It's
hanged hard. It's a free country, least
wise; so they say. suppose your being
Stephen Harlow, though you don't look
much like it don't prevent your letting
. chap alona You let me be-"
1T does, though. Dick" said Ste
phen. And I'm not going to let you
alone. No-don't think of jumping
the brook. I've got the longest logs,
and you never could beat me ss run.
VNC1 SihSC VIC al Jul uIsG IdCC W
the gate of the paddock. Are you going
home?"
MAY be yes-may be no." said Dick.
sullenly. "All you need know is, I'm
going to do what han ged please"
Apart from he sullen shame, and the
mire, and a certain weakness of feature.
Dick Blackthurn was not bad-looking
young fellow. and in better clothes and
cleaned might, so far as appearance
went, have justified his sisters belief in
her only brother. He was by no means
unlike Patience, with the same COM
plexion and with nearly the same eyes
and eyebrows; but with this differ
ence-that while hers were straight,
honest, and true as the day, his were
sidelong and shifty. And SO with the
features all through, down to the chin,
which in Patience was as firm as it was
fine-in Dick, as fine as it was feeble.
In short, Dick was a taller and more
stalwart Patience with the strength
squeezed out of her; Patience turned
male and spoiled in the turning. What
the contrast was between the two young
man Uho stood faco tn faCo amnnO fha