The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-24

| The girl dropped her eyes um1dly.
| "Idon't think so, she murmured.
"What a brute she must think me, !"
Steve reflected. with some self disgust.
He turned carelessly to the corner
where the broom stood:
.Isn't this pretty far gomez" he
said, with a conscience stricken glaiice
at its stubby end.
| And the teacher nodded.
Your water pail seems 60 leak, !"
the director went ON, indicating the
empty bucket and the wet floor.
Yes the girl assented.
's1'll see that you have new ones"
Steve concluded.
And he was rewarded by CRATE
full glance from the teachers soft
eyes, as she took her hat from its
nail.
He took her lunch basket from
her hand as they started away to-
gether, and, having taken it, could
hardly surrender it short ut Mr..
Larkin's gate.
He was a little reluctant to surren-
der it even them. For their first
awkwardness had quite worn off:
their walk had been far from unpleas-
ant, and they were feeling very well
acquainted.
He walked home in an agreeable
absorption, repeating to himself
the things she had said, and recall
ing her pretty way of saying them.
He di not pause to consider that
it was old John Sanborn's daughter
of whom he was thinking; he was
only conscious that she was a bright
young girl whom it was charming to
look at and listen to.
His pleasant mood was rudely in
terrupted by little Mr.. Larkin, who
dropped in that evening.
Lyme Doty couldn't have the
school" he observed, with a chuckle,
"but it looks as though he was GO
ing 10 have the teacherl"
"What?" said Steve, with a sudden
unexplainable sinking of the heart.
"He's hanging around consider
able, anyhow" said Mr.. Larkin.
"Went to visit the school last week.
and. he was asking me to-day
whether Molly's got any way
of getting home Friday night. He
said bed just as lief take her in his
buggy as not. Molly generally walks;
but guess she'll be glad of a lift"
"You don't mean to tell me-" said
Steve, warmly, ''that she'd have
anything to do with him?"
Mfr. Larkin stared. What could
Steve care with whom old John San
born's daughter had to do?
But he only said, deprecatingly:
"Well, Lyme's good steady fell
low"
'Humphl'' was the scornful reioin-
der.
The young man unused long and
seriously when his visitor was gone,
and went to bed with a lighter heart,
having come to a firm conclusion.
When then teacher closed school
the next Friday night she was feeling
rather worn out, as she was apt to
feel at the end of the week; nor did
the prospect of the four miles walk
home serve to cheer her.
She locked the door and started
down the path with a sigh.
A neat little buggy was coming
briskly up the road. Molly gave a
start as the driver pulled up the
horse and sprang to the ground.
It was the young director, and he
was coming toward her.
Il won't make any excuses, Miss
Sanborn," he said, with a humorous
solemnity. II won't say I'm going
over the river on business, and hap
pened to think you might like to ride.
The truth is that it's a carefully laid
plot. Will you be an alder and
abettor?'
The little teacher laughed apprecia-
lively as he helped her into the
II must stop at Mr.. Larkin's and
leave my dinner pail" she said, de-
murely.
Mr.. Larkin was standing at the
front gate. He stood staring at the
young director, as the latter assisted
the teacher to the ground and sat
down on the horse block waiting for
her.
"Lyme Doty was here after oily
just now," he said gaspingly. s1sent
him down to the school house."
"We met hiE," said Steve. "You
see,o he added, making a bold at
tempt at carelessness, but speaking,
nevertheless; in a shame-faced way,
and avoiding the little mans eye.
"You see l feel as though It's my
bounden duty to keep Lyme Doty
away from her. Pure impudence, his
hanging around her that way"
The little teacher came tripping
back. and the young directors buggy
whirled away in a cloud of dust.
''Steve Tenney's taking Molly home
In his buggy said Mr.. Larkin,
joining his wife In the kitchen and
sinking dazedly into a chair. II
guess the worlds coming to an
end!"
"Steve Tenney amt fool" his
wife responded practically. Il knew
he'd get over that ridiculous notion
OF his-and especially after he'd seen
Molly"
'sSays he's doing it from sense of
duty" said Larkin, chuckling slowly
as the humor OF the situation dawned
upon him. "Wonder how far his
sense of duty will take him?"
ri shouldn't be surprised at any
thing!" said Mrs. Larkin mysterious
ly..
The Larkins-and, perhaps, Lyme
Doty-were the only people who were
not surprised when the new teacher
gave up the school at the end of the
term and was quietly married to the
young director.
The chairman of the school board
is wondering over it yet.