West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-07-25

'See-l7lO. Oh, stop that shipping aud
look at It'll"
But Miss Stowe, smiling and family
flushing, looked at Il over her shipping.
"Who drove into the ynrdi'' Mrs. Ford
demanded, cutting gore at a wrong
anglo with nervous hands.
"Oh, Jef Lowryi must tell YOU
about Jeff, Miss Stowe. He's been wear
ing beard for two years, and he went
down town the other day without Il, and
the fellows didn't know him. Hes"
II thought you were going driving
with himf Mrs, Ford intcrposed.
"Oh, It's too warm" Jim responded,
as blandly ne though rattling down shady
roads were indeed warmer than the up
stairs hall.
His sister watched him wotuily. Jim,
talking to young lady, with smiling
gusto and fascinated gaze, and foregoing
drive and the morning papers and his
cigar for this alonel
He had stayed In his room for three
hours 30 escape the Kenny girls, aud
came high to dying the evening Miss
Markham had called. The Kenny girls
and Miss Markham did not have red lips
aud shining eyes, to be-sure, and if Jim
had told them stories, they could never
have listened so prettily ns did Miss
Stowe. But was she the girl for Jiml
Mercy, mercy, no.
lt did not serve to calm Mrs. Ford that
Mrs. Sayles should come over, aud, 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 unhinchingly upon her.
"You drcssmaking, too9" cried Mrs.
Sayles, with triumphant glance at Mrs.
| Ford. "You don't mean that you're
staying away from the ball gumo--youin
"Oh, don't care for IL this weather."
said Jim, unblushingly-Jim, who had
breathlessly watched n game last week
from the sunny side of the grand stand,
with the thermometer at ninety-oight.
Mrs. Sayles laughed delightedly.
Eyes, will have point In the back,
Miss Stowe, said Mrs. Ford, with cold
ignoring of Mrs. Sayles and her rejoicings.
But she was in a despairing mental
tumult. Mrs. Sayles's small, keen eyes
seemed periods which pointed aud made
complete and certain what she had tried
not to believe,
lie was In love with her. Aud with
jim, who was ardent and single-minded,
1t was likely--it was certain TO be serious
Aud who was shel 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
of the family, with coat-of arms in
each--the lions on their hind legs in their
centres seemed TO pranee before her eyes
and dressmaker whom they didn't
even knowi
What should she do2 What would
her father and mother say to 1t, and TO
herf 1t would never have happened II
jim hadn't been visiting her.
She was in whirl Of helpless aeita-
ton. She could not tell the right from
the wrong side of the cloth
And where was Rob2 His nurse was
setting the dinner table, and his mother
had mcantto oversee him, but she hadn't.
He might be over playing with those
rough little Beldens, for all she knew.
''Weli, just ran over" said Mrs.
Sayles, airily. 81 won't stay, since you're
all so busy"
Aud Mrs. Ford knew, as she ran down
stairs, that the Dwyers and the Bidwells
ut least would know the state of affeirs
within half an hour.
"You are basting those darts too high,
Miss Stowe" snid Mrs Ford, sharply.
And Miss Stowe, who wns bastinR the
darts exactly right, flushed and raised
wondering eyes.
"And never have my collars so high
=" Mrs. Ford stopped. "What is that7'
she cried, nervously.
| II was sound OF feet on the porch:
feet and shrill young voices and sobs in a
terrified little voice that Mrs Ford knew.
"It's Robl" she cried, flying down
stairs.
IL was Rob In the arms OF the Beldens'
gardener, and the three small Beldens
were close behind aud all talking to-
gether, rather cDjoyingly than otherwise.
ale fell out Of the hammock" "Wo
was swinging him, you know, awful
hard" "And you ought TO heard him
holler." "And guess he's broke his
leg; he came down awful hard"
Mrs. Ford gathered her boy into her
arms.
go home, you little wretchesl" she
sobbed, hystcrically. "Oh, my babyi
And / didn't watch him didn't know
where nc wasl Is the leg brolsen9" she
demanded, wildly, Of Miss Stowe, who
had come down with Jim and stood be-
side her.
'Ill see, " said Miss Stowe.
IL did not seem odd 70 Mrs. Ford that
she said IL, and she was not astonished
when the pretty dressmaker took Rob into
her own arms and laid him on a sofa.
She watched her dazedly, wrinQinQ her
hands. Miss Stowe rolled down the small
black stockings and leaned over them.
"There isn't anything broken" she
said, tremulously; "but the right leg Is
dislocated Of the knee. The sooner IL is
set che better, and think, Mrs. Ford, II
you viii let me, can do it,
The color was gone from hericheeks;
but she held Robs hands firmly.
LET you, " cried Mrs. Ford. ooh, II
you can"
'It win hurt, said the dressmaker
''but only minute"
And she gave sudden. quick, strong,
jerk TO Robe leg; aud then sat down
uuite pale md faint while The ftftfo d,,,s