The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-04-05

feet; but just then heavy footstep
sounded on the gravcl-walk behind
them. and Aaron Blair. smoking his
pipe and In his shirt-sleeves as usual,
came down between tie roses.
Mr.. Blair had never since that first
visit been gratious 20 Owen Ormiston;
he had never attempted TO welcome
him To the Thatched Cottage; re-
pressed repugnance and reluctance
had always been apparent In his man
ner. but he had never been so gruff
and abrupt as he was this evening.
His expression. as he merely nodded
by way OF greeting, was so stormy and
threatening that Lily drew instructive
ly first closer to Owens side. and then
quickly away. For the first time she
was frightened ut her father. who had
never spoken GROSSLY to her in her
life.
His presence quite dispelled the
charm of the shadowy garden; for
he kept beside them doggedly, and so
closely that he might as well have
walked between them. Owen Ormis-
ton was not patient; and ten minutes
later he was bidding Lily goodnight
In rs bad temper as he had ever
been in his life. She remained stand
ing under the chestnut-tree with Toss
in her arms; but Mr.. Blair followed
the young man TO the gate. Instead
OF opening IL however, he held IL for
a moment. and eyed Owen sourly.
You've good deal OF time on
your hands, Mr.. Ormiston, haven't
you?" he asked abruptly.
Owen was taken aback. How con-
foundedly disagreeable the old fellow
was--a regular bearl He would not
make very pleasant father-in-law at
this rate! The young fellow might
have retorted angrily; but he CHANGED
to glance back, and, catching
glimpse of Lily's golden hair in the
moonlight, rendered In time that IL
was at present his policy TO conciliate
the girls father.
"Rather too much just mt present,
I'm afraid" he said good humoredly.
bad for you, and bad in every
way" returned Aaron Blair gruflly.
"lf you want TO keep out OF mischief,
Mr.. Ormiston. you'll find better way
OF employing your time than
talking foolish nonsense To foolish
girl; I've nothing against you; but
this gate" he touched il with
his strong hand--"doesn't hang
outwards for you. My Lily
and her way OF LIES one thing;
and you and your ways OF LIES
another. Go your way. sir, and leave
her TO hers. And so-good night"
He held the gate open, and, as Owen
mechanically passed through, shut it
behind him with a sharp snap. The
young man, astonished, discounted,
indignant, would have spoken; but
Aaron Blair with gesture OF his
right arm stopped him. There was
something so masterful in the man,
rugged and blunt as he was, there
was so much repressed emotion in his
strong face, that Owen found himself
riding away the next moment without
having said a word. But his anger
broke out before he was halfway to
The Cot; he ragged against his own
folly in having let the man silence his
tongue just when he should nave spok-
en- out and made him listen.
IN go and speak to her to-mor-
row." he vowed aloud, with an unnec-
essarily sharp tug at the reins.
What does that cantankerous old
curmudgeon meanp Doesn't think I'm
a thorogh- paced scamp. | SUPPOSED"
and he flushed, quite as much for
Lily as for himself.
Tho old man went straight back to
Lily, who was still standing under the
chestnut-tree.
Don't 60 in yet, my girl--Ive a
word to say W you!"
my head aches, father she
faltered; I'D rather go in, think.
She had started at his approach, and
now grew pale and shrank from him
as no looked at her. She was wonder
ing what he had just said TO Owen at
the gate, trembling to think what IL
might have been, and what he might
now say 10 her. II would rather go
in, father" she repeated.
"In a minute, my dear presently. y
He put his hand upon her slim shout
der. where the broad, brown, work
hardened fingers looked wonderfully
out OF place. Gazing at her kindly,
with look very different from that
which he had just given TO her lover,
he added. Ibid you see Doctor We'd
lake just now'n
Only for n minute, fatker.n
"Only for minute, my dcarp'
"Only just minute. Mr. Ormis-
ton came In and he went away