The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-09-18
.What. indeedp. asscntcd March, fer

at the earliest possible moment.
lie left the vicinity Of the apple tree.
partly to shake of his companion. partly
to allow Homer opportunity to escape.
Once he had his lips open TO intimate
his presence in the orchard at midnight,
and that he had seen the light in the
study. The reverend humbug should
be warned Of the danger OF gratuitous
and wholesale lying. lie withheld the
caution. 1t was not his province to re-
prove man SO much his senior. and
he added mentally. such an old offender.
Mr.. Wayt sauntered on with him to
the gate opening into the Gilchrist
shrubberr. babe him goodnight and
marched back. March leaned upon the
fence. seeming to stare at the moon, and
enjoying night-cap cigar. until the
long. black figure entered the parsonage
garden. While the young man fingered
he saw Homer drop. monkey-like, to the
earth and skulk homeward. keeping in
the shadow when lie could.
Il would sooner take the fool $
chances Of eyading the devil than his
pompous and pions masters" solilo-
quized Mrs Gilchrist's son.
Hctty was busting the big parlors next
morning and making Intellectual at
tcmpts to evolve coziness out of car
peted space, when cough at the door
attracted her notice.
Homer stood there. military cap in
hand. and wet up to the knees with dew.
His love for flowers was passion, only
surpassed by his exquisite tenderness
for dumb animals and children. Hetty
had said Of her prottge that he had the
soul OF a painter-poet. but that the
wires were cut between spirit and
speech lie had been on his knees since
there was light enough to show the diff
ference between weeds and precious
plants, cleaning out tho garden-borders.
''No,n' (fumbling with his shabby head
gear. Il was wishful fer to speak with
We before ennybody else came down.
Leastways, Mary Ann, she's in the
kitchen, but don't count, bein' busy an
out o. the way"
Iie,ty smiled languidly. Her eyes
were heavy-lidded: her motions slow for
her. She had lain all night, staring
into the blackness above her. now cry
ing to deaf Heaven to show her plain
path for her feet. now trembling with
ecstatic anguish in the recollection OF
the interview that had opened vista Of
Eden she yet dared not enter.
Come what may. he has called me
darling" she was thinking for the hum
dreth time, as the interruption came.
What is it, Homer? Are your flowers
all right?'
lie ventured. after glance at his
feet, to step upon the unbroken breadths
OF Brussels.
'.Noar--I was up tree in the orchard
las night. An Mr.. Gilchris'-the young
one-and Mr.. Wayt, they were a-talkin'
on the groun' under the tree"
Hetty wheeled upon him with blaz-
ing eyes and cheeks.
You were in the orchard! In what
treco When? But no. Her excite
ment subsidized as quickly as it had
arisen. You were in the house when
when came in. TO on!' She drew a
long breath.
Homer twiddled his thumbs in the
crown of his cap. His speech could
never be hurried. If urged to talk fast,
he was dumb.
Now, was up in that big tree where
the picter was painted. Mr.. Gilchris'-
the young Mr.. Gilchris'-he war a-lyin'
onto the grass when l came along
'Twar after you had gone upstairs-nigh
onto ten o'clock. guess, or may be nine
Il amt certain. I'd saw the same light,
an, for ali them boys ken say, I've been
saw it many time"
Never mind the light IIetty said
it patiently. Tell me how you hap
pened to climb the tree"
Now, Mr.. Gilchris'-the young gen.
tleman-he spoke very civil an kind to
me, an We war talkin' quite spell,
when hecrd Mr.. Wayt a-comin', an /
clnmb the tree SOS he wouldn't see me,
an may be 90 fur me, you know. An
while war in the tree | heerd him a.
tellin' Mr.. Gilchris'-I meantersay the
young Mr.. Gilchris'-how he'd sot up
tell daybreak. four o'clock Sat'day
night, figurin' onto his sermon what
he preached on Sunday
Homer
"Yes, ma'am! lie war talkin' very
high Scotch. mostly like he does all
times. specially to comp'ny-folks, but
got the sense of that much. lie said as
how he an the thunderstorm they fig
ured up the sermon together. near's l
could make out. An Mr.. Gilchris'-the
young gentleman-he said precious lit
tle-an' Mr.. Wayt. he splnrged out con-
siderable bout seem the sun rise an SO
forth, an bout his headache comm on
an a-goin' off with the sum Anl&eh1
the two OF 'em walked of quite FRENZY,
an soon's as they was out o. sight,
lighted out and come home" -
Hetty was sitting upon the sofa. too
| sick and weak to stand.
Are you sure that you heard all this?
Did Mr.. Gilchrist know you were in the
| tree?"
.Now-he see me go up. asst him no,
to let on to him. But what l come tc
to say what amt jes' true, jes' for the
sake of talkin' big, an Mr.. Wayt, bein'
| edicated man. he'd ought to be tole
that 'T'ould a been better not to say
nuthin' bout sat'day night 'thout some
body asst him.
There His young mistress put our
her hand, imperatively. That will do
Don't speak Of this to anybody else. &c
back to your work"
On their way to school, the twins lef,
thin envelope at Judge Gilchrist' door.
1t was addressed to March:
Il have heard what was the substance
Of Mr.. Wayt's conversation with you las,
night. Knowing you as do, am sure
that in mercy to the innocent, you will
not let it 60 further. ! recognize in tho
| incident one more added to the man,
reasons why can never be more than
Your friend,
| II. ALLING."
CHAPTER VIII
| March Gilchrist's name was brough
up to the sewing-room at eleven o'clocl
Monday morning. Iletty was cuttin,
out shirts for the twins at table o
uomer's continuance and manufacture
1 n -