Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-01-16
AARON BLAIR'S ATONEMENr.
CHAPTER I.-lCoNrrNuEp.l


cleared space, Uttered with sawdust
and shavings, and a great wooden
shed looking like a workshop. In
front OF the door was a carpenters
bench, covered with tools, nails,
screws, and so on, and before 1t, care
fully planning board, was the figure
of broad -shouldered middle-aged
man, with a sunburnt face and griz-
, zled hair, whose shirt-sleeves were
rolled up above the elbows OF pair OF
muscular arms. Hearing the sound
OF footsteps he looked up, revealing
good forehead, straight blunt features,
square chin, a rather hard mouth,
and pair OF quick dark eyes. He
glanced rapidly and comprehenslvely
from the girl to the two figures that
followed her.
"Well, Lily-well, "he said, "what
Is it P"
These gentlemen have lost their
way, father" explained the girl.
"Their way P Which is their way
Where are they goingp
He still seemed to address the girl;
but Owen took the question to himself.
I'VE ought to be going 10 Upper
Datching," he said "but l am afraid
that is exactly what we are not doing. J"
You are not. You should have
taken the other turning at the top OF
the road. This will lead you entirely
out OF your way"
"Just what / told you !" put in
Alleyn admonishingly.
"Well, know" admitted Owen, in
the same tone. "May | ask how far
it is to Upper Datching p
"From the point where you went
wrong as nearly six miles as posi-
ble."
1.-The dickens" exclaimed Owen
with groan-'as far as that?"
"Quite as far as that l see you
have been fishing, gentlemen. Any
sportP"
mot bite! Never had such an
experiences! W hen did we get TO the
stream, George? Nine o'clock this
morning-and stuck to it until nearly
four without a nibble. Never was
such luck!"
"Ah, you can hardly expect much
sport on such hot day as this! l
took day at it last week-when was
it, LillyP"
"Last Wednesday, father"
"Ah-last Wednesday! Good mug
gy sort OF day, with sprinkle OF rain
now and then-you remember, per-
hapsp That's the weather for bites!
brought home fine basket, though
/ say it," lie had put down the plane
upon the bench and was looking with
an expression OF critical pleasure at
the fine trout rod which Alleyn held.
Choose good day, sir, and you will
not fail with n rod like that, If you
know anything of fishing at all. It's
beauty! But a broiling day like
this doe sn't give it chance"
at has given us a pretty fair chance
of ge ting roasted" said Owen, with a
laugh, "and of dying OF thirst into
the bargain eh, George"
The remark was suggestive certain
iy but, after such day and such a
tramp, it was perhaps excusable. The
man, perhaps because he was an en-
thusias.ic fisherman, took the hint
readily.
"If you aud your friend are not in
any hurry, SIR" he said. addressing
Owen, "perhaps you'll stay and take
glass of ale and sandwich. It's
thirsty weather, and you've a good
long tramp to Upper Daching yet"
"You are very kind-Tm sure We are
very much obliged" replied Owen,
sincerely graceful, and taking no no.
tice OF Alleyn's reluctant face. al
hope you'll let us know whom we have
the pleasure OF thankingP"
''My name is Aaron Blair" vas the
somewhat curt answer; but indeed the
whole manner of the man, although
pleasant in blunt way, was yet un-
polished abrupt and grutf. leave
your Ia kle and things here, gentle
men-they'll be quite safe. Lilly, my
girl. go and see 10 things bit, will
youp This way, If you please"
Lilly, with nod at her father and
with Toss behind her, disappeared
through doorway into what looked
4. like a red-tiled scullery; while the
two friends followed their host round
the house the way they had come 10 a
Sluo uOOr OVeTuunS Win a scented
mass OF cematis and jasmine. Mr..
Blair quietly turning down his shirt
sleeves and buttoning the wristbands
as he lead the way. He ushered them
tacross a narrow passage and into a
good-sized room, plainly furnished as
sitting or dining room. where a
buxom servant girl, assisted by a SUI
percilious and much smarter damsel in
a muslin apron and coquettish mop
cap, was engaged in "laying the
cloth" A rack OF pipes. tobacco
: pouch and box, spittoon, and cush-
Toned Windsor-chair, with a loose
house-coat thrown over its arm,
seemed TO announce that this was the
general sitting-room and lounging
place Of the master OF the cottage.
Beyond large bunch of flowers which
decorated the chimney piece there was
no sign in it of woman's presence.
But perhaps such traces were confined
TO the room with the French window
and the fashionable furniture.
The cold roast-beef was good, the
QhaQQQ and hnfn do h,.oo1 ,-o.o