The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-08-21

ally sat in the porch; he was working
at his books, they said, though how III
could study after from ten to fourteen
hours in the field was a mystery to me.
One evening, when the lamps hat
been lighted, Norah came in, sheet O.
brown paper, covered with diagrams, ir
her hand, to say that Stephen VA
''wantin' to know if Miss EunicC
wouldn't just cast an eye over that, fol
he couldn't mex out the throublc at all
at ALL"
Patty looked up, apprehcnsivcly,
thought, for Stephens requests some
times verged on the audacious, except
that they were made with so much
solemn unconsc;ousness; but Eunice took
the paper obligingly.
When she saw what it was, her face
lighted up. She bit her lip over it few
moments in silence, and then rushed ou
to the kitchen.
When 1 followed little later-to gel
a glass of new milk-thcy were sitting al
the well-scrubbcd table, with battered
geometry between them, both heads
bent, both faces shining with cagcrness,
and both tongues murmuring something
about tho maximum of isopcrimctricaI
polygons. :,
That was the beginning of Eunice's
interest in Stephen. The girl thought SO
highly of intellectual force that all hel
good will was gained when sho found
some one who had, alone and unaidcd,
almost overtakca her in her favoritc
study. Every night afterward she In
sisted on helping him, and did it with
only trace in her air of the beautiful
patroness.
Certainly o teacher like Euuico must
have put n new meaning into the dog
cared volumes. Sho found place for
Stephen now at our picuics and other
frolics, plauuings things SO gracefully
that her father never seemed to miss tho
time of his foreman, and leading Stephen
to talk of himself with tho kindcst ma
ternal sympathy; ho was only two years
older than she!
Nor was this all. Early and late, iu
season and out Of season, Eunico urged
on us all that the boy should have better
opportunities. uo Yves ten times rs clcvol
as she, she declared, though nobody be-
lievcd it; it was pity and shame that
he did not 60 to school, and something
ought to be dono about it. Mr.. Dun
stable told her that Stephens father had
been the skipper of sailing vessel, and
was lost, I believe, oa the high seas somc-
where between here and China.
Haven't you ever seen those outland-
ish knives of Stephens, with tho queer
fggers on 'em1 That's about all ho left
him, reckon" said good Mr.. Dun
stable.
The next time Stcphen passed, he was
called up to display these wonderful
weapons, which he brought forth directly
from IN inside pocket, thereby rowling
my theory as to his dangerous character,
which was beginning to waver.
We were sitting at the time out under
the copper-leaved birchcs with young
heiress, who was boarding down in the
village. She was q collector of curios,
and took q great fancy to these knives,
which were beautiful little toys of Indian
or Chinese workmanship. The delicate
ly-curved two-edged blades were thrust
into short leather sheaths, and the round
handles of ivory carved over with drag
ons. Afterward, and certainly not with
out mental reservation for the owner s
own benefit, she offered Stephen tweaty-
FIVE dollars apiece for the two; but
Stephen, to our surprise, refused to sell
them, saying that bis father had given
them to him and he would never part
with them. Euuice was at no pains to
conceal her vexation.
Meanwhile began to suspect that al!
was not right with Mr.. Duustable's own
financial affairs. He had always been the
unthrifty one of his family, with IN un-
fortunate tendency toward "spel1ilation."
He was an old man now, and somewhat
broken down, so that the management of
the place was left more and more in the
hands of Patty and Stephen. Patty, in
deed, was quite competent to assume the
whole charge; but her father looked so
anxious and worried that I guessed, as
fancy she did. that some bad news was
coming.
At last the blow fell. Of the purse
which the brothers had made up to pay
for Eunice's schooling, one hundred dol
lars had been reserved to cover the tut.
ton fees in the coming September. This
Mr.. Dunstable had risked-invested, OF
what you will, and lost it.
Now to go in debt is to go branded, in
the eye of Dunstable. One resource,
however, remained for Eunice. Mr.. Dun
stable had n colt, raised on the farm, and
dear as the apple of his eye because Of g
fond belief which he entertained that il
was destined one day to develop "speed.
1t was in truth q fine colt, though little
long in the legs and lean in the neck,
and given to sundry very lively tricks
and diversions.
This colt Mr.. Duustable determined tc
sell. He was young, recently broken
and useless for heavy farm labor. Hav
ing raised by the sale of this animal the
formidable sum, Eunicc's other expenses
would doubtless be gradually forthcom'
ing. When Eunice protested, her father
sternly silcnced her, declaring that thu
money lie had lost was given in trust fol
her schooling.
Presently Mr.. Chichester, farme
from under the mountain who had lon!
had a covetous eye upon the colt, CANT
up to Duustablc Farms one bright after
noon. lie looked the animal over, go
Stephen to show off his paces-hov
L. sloA h I,