Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-02
And Mrs. Ford forgot Jim in pleasur-

But at the end of fifteen minutes there
was CHATTER below and a rush up stairs.
''Why, I've been looking for you every
where!" said jim, in injured tones, lift
ing Rob from his shoulder to the top
stair.
He sat down in the window seat. Miss
Stowe sat near the window.
''Is there anything you want, Jim?"
SAID his sister, with severe eyes upon
him.
But it was doubtful whether Jim heard.
He was springing after the spool Miss
Stowe had dropped.
II want to show you that old coin |
told you about, Miss Stowe" he declared
''See-171O Oh, stop that shipping and
look at it.''
But Miss Stowe, smiling and family
flushing, looked at it over her shipping.
"Who drove into the yard?" Mrs. Ford
demanded, cutting a gore at wrong
angle with nervous hands.
ooh, jeff Lowry! | must tell you
about jeff, Miss Stowe. He's been wear
ing a beard for two years, and he went
down town the other day without it, and
the fellows didn't know him. Hes"
Il thought you were going driving
with him." Mrs. Ford interpOsed.
"Oh, it's too warmm jim responded,
as blandly as though rafting down shady
| roads were indeed warmer than the up
stairs hall
His sister watched him wofully. Jim,
| talking to young lady, with smiling
gusto and fascinated gaze, and foregoing
| a drive and the morning papers and his
| cigar for this alone.
He had stayed in his room for three
hours to escape the Kenny girls, and
| came nigh to dying the evening Miss
Markham had called. The Kenny girls
and Miss Markham did not have red lips
| had told them stories, they could never
have listened so prettily as did Miss
Stowe. But was she the girl for Jim?
Mercy, mercy, no!
1t did not serve to calm Mrs. Ford that
Mrs. Sayles should come over, and, after
inquiring of the girl, hustle up stairs.
Her sharp gaze fixed itself on Jim,
| lounging in the window, his handsome
head bent toward the dressmaker and his
honest blue eyes unfinchingly upon her.
"You dressmaking, too?" cried Mrs.
Ford. "You don't mean that you're
staying away from the ball game-you2"
ooh, don't care for it this weather!"
said jim, unblushingly-Iim, who had
breathlessly watched a game last week
from the sunny side of the grand stand,
with the thermometer at ninety~e1ght.
Mrs. Sayles laughed deightedly.
eyes, I will have point in the back,
Miss Stowe" said Mrs. Ford, with cold
ignoring of Mrs. Sayles and her rejoicings.
But she was in despairing mental
tumult Mrs. Sayles's small, keen eyes
seemed periods which pointed and made
complete and certain what she had tried
not to believe,
He was in love with her. And with
jim, who was ardent and singleminded,
it was likely-it was certain to be serious.
And who was she? Mrs. Ford did not
know-probably nobody did.
She stared at her hastings with unsee-
ing eyes.
jim, with his good looks and clever
ness, and family histories for both sides
each-the lions on their hind legs in their
centres seemed to pranee before her eyes
and dressmaker whom they didn't
even know!
What should she do? What would
her father and mother say to it, and to
her? 1t would never have happened if
jim hadn't been visiting her.
She was in whirl of helpless agita-
ton. She could not tell the right from
the wrong side of the cloth.
And where was Rob? His nurse was
setting the dinner table, and his mother
had meant to oversee him, but she hadn't.
He might be over playing with those
rough little Beldens, for all she knew.
"Well, I just ran over" said Mrs.
| Sayles, airily. Il won't stay, since you're
all so busy"
And Mrs. Ford knew, as she ran down
stairs, that the Dryers and the Bidwells
at least would know the state of affairs
within half an hour.
''You are basting those darts too Ugh,
! Miss Stowe" said Mrs. Ford, sharply.
And Miss Stowe, who was basting the
darts exactly right, flushed and raised
wondering eyes.
''And l never have my collars so high
-" Mrs. Ford stopped. "What is that?'
she cried, nervously.
It was a sound of feet on the porch !;
| feet and shrill young voices and sobs in a
terrified little voice that Mrs. Ford knew
''It's Rob-" she cried, flying down
| stairs.
| n -