The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-09
The FARM HAND.

him because he's not an Adonis, ought
we. dear? He's not to blame because
he is so unpleasant to look at Don't
notice him if his face isn't agreeable to
you, Matte"
The girl was very fair of face herself.
and slender and dainty as flower
She was Farmer Lees only child, and
had been raised very tenderly by her
parents. who, although not exactly
wealthy. could well afford to give their
lovely child good education and many
luxuries. Six months before, she hao
graduated from Madame Ms fin
ishing school for young ladies. and
since had turned the heads of two-thirds
of the honest young farmers in her
country.
She had been speaking TO her mother.
and speaking to her over her graceful
shoulder. as Mrs. Lee hustled about
busy with some preparations. while
Matte stood at the window. AS her
mother finished speaking what we have
recorded, a shutting figure slowly
crossed the open space without. going
toward the stable. 1t was not a pre-
possessing figure, and the face above Il
was simply repulsive. Perhaps its ugli-
ness was greatly due to a great liyid
scar, which crossed it from temple to
chin, going down the cheek. over the
hip, terminatingrbelow the chin. 1t al
ways made Matte shudder to see that
horrible scar, and she shivered now,
even though the eyes that looked up
and met hers for a moment, as the new
farm hand passed outside the window,
were steady eyes, with light in them
that might have glorified another face
and lashes dropping over them, long
and silksn as the lashes of a girl; eyes
of deep, dark. mysterious blue, from
which that hideous scar took all beauty,
in the eyes of the girl, who turned i'm
patiently TO her mother.
You Will be back before night, man.
mar" T7'--
"Yes. Matte; you may look for Us
any time after sunset"
Give any love TO auntie, and tell her
1 will ride over to spend day with her
soon. Are you quite ready. mamma ."
Yes, my love, when put on my hat.
Jim has gone to get the horse and bug
gy."
Il saw him 20. Let me tie your bon
net strings. There. tying them deity,
see you of. Don't remain out after
dark, dear"
Her mother laughed as they went to-
gether out to where Mr.. Lee was al |
ready waiting for his wife at the door.
and the farm servant, Jim, was leading |
around the staid chestnut horse. hsr- |
messed 10 hight buggy. Matte kissed |
her mother, then her father. and |
watched them drive off. Some how she !
felt strangely and depressed. She did
not notice the farm hand until be spoke
10 her.
You look as If all wasn't right. Miss
Matte. Is there anything can DO for
you before go back to the ieldy"
She started little, and unconsciously
shrank from him.
mo, nothing" she answered. Moth
ing is wrong, but L am little lonely"
Then she went In, and the blue long
dashed eyes of the man followed her un-
til she had disappeared; then he
dropped his head and went, in his
usual shutting way, on to the field, and
Matte saw no more of him until he
came in at O'Clock, hurrying TO escape
the sudden wild storm which had gath
cred and burst in an hour. Matte
stood at the kitchen window, looking
out at the heavy drops, listening TO the
sharp peals of thunder. frequently
shrouded in the lurid flashes that light
ed the darkening world. briefly and
the stolid help" was pre-
pairing supper, but glancing occasion
ally toward the window at which Matte
stood.
They'll not come home tonight
she said at length; nobody would let
them out in such storm as this, Miss
Matte"
''They must have started before It
broke" Matte answered, shrinking
vaguely from the thought of icing alone
in that great house on 4 stormy night.
with these two: then a sharp. fierce
peal OF thunder crashed from the sky.
above, so sudden as to make her giveia
cry OF startled terror; and. as the
followed it. bright. binding.
fantasiical. she found strong hand on /
her arm, drawing her back from the ,
window. y,
You are in danger therer' Tie
voice was strange to her, rich. clear /
commanding. and with Z ring OF educa-
ton in IL. ShelOoked up suddenly. and !
met those blue peculiar eyes. her own I
as she did so. for in them she /
read something - something strange.
and pitisul and weird. It seemed 10 her
: moment later he had turned awar. !
the figure that had been straight as /
sspling dropping once Rnore. The hand |
that had lain slernly on her arm now |
falling hstiessly at the side OF Jim. the /
farm hand; but Msttie's heart was !
throbbing wildly, fearfu.ly. as might the |
heart Of a newlv-caged linnet
The storm continued, fierce as one OF /
those that sweep the southern flowers,
bat not so brief. for when Matte went |
with the help" to bar the doors and !
fasten the windows securely il was still |
raging. and they knew that Mr.. Lee aud |
his wife would remain with the later /
sister for the night.
You are afraid. Mss Matte, I'll |
sit y with you" the servant said when |
bed ume had come. but she said it with |
yawn. and Matte thanked her and \
declined
Il am not afraid y she said: and then
again meeting those strange blue eTeS.
which fell as she met them, a tremor
went over her. Was il fear2
she vent TO her room and tried to read.
hut the rnunierS the hffndinr c-fa~a.