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

rods long n says he's goin' to try for
trout. Huh! then he goes n asks a
string of questions tsn rod long bout
Squire StockweH Says he knowed some
of the family, but never met the squire;
wants to know eff it's the proper thing to
speak to Stockwell as squire: asks eff his
family is enjoyin' good health; looks off
at the mountings when [ slyly says as
| how Annie seems to miss her boarding
school, and then he asks the names of all
the hills roundabout, S eff he didn't care
a dried pea about the Stockwells; n
after supper asks the way to Stockwell's
house n goes there. Pears to me faint
trout he's come down fishin' for"
As matter, of course, all Posket knew
before another shutdown that "Annie's
| city Teller" had come to town on spark
ing GRAND. Squire Stockwell had not
suspected it from the nature of Mr.. Well
mans call, but he was made TO see the
matter in its true light by several of his
neighbors during the day following.
With all the town he had looked for
ward to Armies marriage with Daniel
Hardy as foregone conclusion and it
seemed like questioning the ways of
/ Providence to suggest different order
/ for their lives. The affair troubled him
! seriously and his anxiety was by no
/ means lessened when, after supper, he
saw Wellman strolling up the graveled
! path that led TO the front door. 1t was
/ one of those evenings, too, on which
! Daniel was certain to call. 1t occurred
to the squire that something ought to be
| done-but what?
! For several minutes he fdgeted I'M
easily while Mr.. Wellman chatted of his
| days sport with the rod He was indeed
| handsome man, tall and well proper
toned, and his smooth cheeks and re-
/ fined features looked none the worse for
the scorching that day in the open air
! had given them. He talked entertain
ingly, too, and, what was better, like an
unassuming, honest man.
Presently the squire rose and excused
himself in the best way he knew, and
went out, leaving his wife, who was also
disturbed about the situation, to enter
tain the probable sutton. Annie was
there, to be sure, but her face was grave
and her tongue inactive. Squire Stock
well wandered out to the front gate and
gazed earnestly down the road. He was
right. The sun had but just gone down,
and the figure he had seen tramping
sturdily down the hill was that of Daniel
Hardy.
Two or three commonplace remarks
passed between them, and Daniels SOM
Der face grew dark. The squire began
to wonder why he had left the house to
intercept the visitor, and at last he
asked, with a great effort:
Hear any news when you came
through the village, DAMP
Eyes, did, squire, an l s'pbse that's
what you're standin' here for an not
lettin' me in"
oval, Dan1, amt goin' TODD no in
terferin', n Lord knows you'll be well
come to my house the blacklist day in
the year. You know me, Dan1, an |
know you. 1t 'peared to me that p'raps
eff you knowed, you wouldn't keer to
come in tonight"
The squire rugged face was luminous
at him, another at the darkening hills,
and asked:
lis he in there with herr Te-
Eyes, Dan1, he is, but understand me,
80 fur's know, nothin' has ben said be-
tween 'em 8 should change matters.
Nothin' has ben said to me 'cept bout
fishin' an railroad sheers. We hain't had
no chance to speak to Annie, but eff it
comes to pint, Dan1, you shan't be the
sufferer. No child o mine shall play fast
n loose with likely young man g she's
ben pra 'tically promised to for years"
Squire Stockwell, rejoined Daniel,
and there was rough, grating sound in
his throat, ''there shall be no forcin' of
Annie where I'm consarned. Eff she
can't take me after what I've done and
ben, eff this man S I've heerd about has
ben film her mind with what amt
true, ef-wall, the long an short of it is,
Squire, I've waited, n kin wait again"
"Said like man, Dan1," exclaimed
the Squire, though he gained but dim
notion of what was passing confusedly
In the young man S mind. Now that
you know how things is, do you want to
come in?'
81 don't see no reason why l should
stand aside because you've got visitor"
replied Daniel.
There must have been something grim
IN Daniels entrance to the "settin' ROOM
for Annie was dreadfully pale and a
sense of constraint was shared by all ex-
cept Mr.. Wenmsn. The conversation
was as general as this polished gentleman
could make it until he Withdrew. Then
the squire and his wife started for the
kitchen, and as Annie showed disposi-
ton to follow them, Daniel said:
II want to speak TO ye, jist minute,
Annie"
She remained standing with eyes cast
down, and when the door closed on her
parents Daniel went on:
81 amt goin' to say anything of what
you've forbid me, Annie, nor amt goin'
to hurry you; ! jist wanted to remind
you that I'm waitin for you to say the
word jist s you told me to. | shsnt say
a word tonight eff you don't look up" ne
paused, and it seemed as if Annie tired
to raise her head, but if so the effort end
ed IN a shudder. So he continued: Not
tonight then, but p'raps tomorrow, or
the next time come. Good-by"
He took her unresisting hand in his for
a moment and then left the house.
Late the next afternoon, just as Daniel
had deposited a huge log in the mill
yard and was about to turn his o1ens
noses homewRrd, he was confronted by
L