The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-06

| ANNE started TO raise her hands, but
Daniel was too quick for her, and he
held her head in his arms while he
pressed his lips to her cheek, FOR she
turned her face away. When he let her
go she sank into a chair and looked
not at her lover. Daniel Hardy was not
an analyst. He felt her resistance; he
was vaguely disturbed by it, but he
could not tell what was wrong, even if
anything was. He took a chair near
Annie and began:
1--WE BEN lookin' for'ard to this, An
ME, ever sence you went to school three
years ago. l made up my mind then
that when you come home l would have
money enough laid by to set up house
keepin'."
Don't, Daniel, don't, interrupted An
ME, and she reached impulsively for.
ward and took one of his great hands in
both of hers. Don't let us talk of it
now, please"
''But done it" he persisted; ''they's
money in the bank, an I've got chance
to buy the old Ransum place. an by a
little fxin's it'll do fust rate till we can
build new house onto it. The sile jist
s good s they is in the county, n if you
| liked it better, l p'sume the bank would
let me have money enough to build to
oncet. Everything's ready Jest s soon
s you are, n it shall be jest s you want
it, n don't perpoSe to hurry you nei-
Their, 'scept it's long time I've ben
awaitin'"
"You are so good" Daniel, and Annie
was almost crying; "but please don't
speak of it now; wait few days, do!'
She bent her head down and kissed
the brawny, toil-worn hand she held, and
kept her face there to conceal the tears
that ran over it.
After strange pause, "All right, said
Daniel; 'all right, Annie, jist's you say"
She raised her head, dashed away the
tears and smiled, and, without knowing
exactly how or why, Daniel left the
house.
Two weeks passed, during which Dan
lei held his peace in painful wonderment,
while sundry disquieting rumors gained
currency in the village. They did not
reach Daniels ears at once, for few peo-
pie cared to intrude upon him, but it was
said by so and SO that one of Armies class
mates had a handsome, wealthy brother
who had visited his sister many times
throughout the past school year, and who
had been very attentive to the Posket
beauty during the graduation festivities.
The first intimaticn that Daniel re-
ceived that others than himself were SEN
sible of some change in his relations to
Annie came from our friend Postmaster
Sparks. The usual cencourse of villagers
was idling in the store one evening wait
ing for the stage to bring in the mail.
Daniel was there, silent and somber.
Got touch Of malary, Dan'l?" asked
the postmaster; ''you don't seem to be
lookin' s smart's usual"
I'm SOS to be settin' up, Mr.. Sparks"
responded Daniel, eyasiveiy.
"Yaas," drawled Mr.. Sparks; ''they's
several sicknesses S don't confine man
to his bed, hay?'
AS Daniel made no reply, the kind
hearted postmaster continued:
you're a younger man thin 1 am,
Dan'l, but you've got more sense thin
most boys of your age n you'd ought to
have seen that you can't spect too much
in affeers of the heart Hay, Daniel?"
Daniel rose from the cracker barrel on
which he had been sitting.
''Mr Sparks" he said slowly, and all
the villagers listened intently; you be
an older man thin be, n you'd ought to
have learnt to NEEDLE with nobody's bust
ness that dent consarn yourn. Mebbe,
though, bein' postmaster, you can't help
it."
If ever a sally pleased the listeners that
one did. Sparks was notorious, even in
rustic Posket, for his persistence in learn
ing about the correspondence that passed
through his hands.
''They's no sense in gittin' excited,
Danl Hardy" he said, g n they's no call
for you to be sassy to a mans went to
school with your father. Every body in
Posket n fer miles around knows that
you've ben courtin' Squire Stock wells
daughter, the Lord knows how long, n
ben engaged to her for goin' on three
year, n p'raps more; you've's nuch's ad-
mitted it yourself. An all I've got to
say is, it's long lane that amt got no
turnin'."
Daniels heavy Jaws were shut hard to-
gether, and down went his chnched ficts
into his pockets. He stood still for a
moment, and none of his neighbors vent
ured to address him. Then he left the
store without waiting for the stage and
went home.
1t did not need that gossipS should in
form Daniel of the runlors concerning
the rich young man from New York,
for he came in person TO Posket shortly
after the scene in the postofice. he
wrote his name-TheOdore Wellman-
on the register of the village tavern, and
asked the landlord about the fishing in
the neighborhood. From this inquiry to
questions about people and to Squire
Stockwells standing in the community
vas a s1mpIe matter, out the Landlord.
while willing enough to answer, was by
no means hoodwinked. He knew the
trend Of Posket gossip, and Mr.. Theo-
dore Wellman had not finished his sup
per before the landlord was morally GER
tain that this was the man who had be-
come the rival of Daniel Hardy. When
the meal was finished and the New
Yorker had smoked cigar, he inquired
the way to Squire Stockwells. and
sauntered off up the road. Then the
landlord put on his hat, left his hired
man in charge of the tavern and re
paired to the poetofice. The store was
general good evening to his neighbors,