Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-15

some remark which showed that she was thinking of Ensign, and that her thoughts were pleasant ones.
 CHAPTER XIII.
 VISITING THE MINES.
 AMr. Annelsey's visits to their fathers cottage ceased with Ale departure of Jennie and Lucy, and John Parsons was thus left without means of obtaining frequent or reliable information of the progress of work at the mines.
 He was at tho landing every day or two with produce for shipment. and always inquired of such as he met if they had any news from Gravel Hill, but received no information of pos itive character such as he had been ac- customed to obtain from MT. Annelsey He had, in fact. questioned that young gentleman so often and so minutely that he felt as if he knew the mines, and all the deta Is of the work of prep aration for working them, as perfectly as if he had located them and superin- tended the labor of tho men himself; but now he only heard rumors, those of to-day being contradicted by those of tomorrow. Of late too. he had frequent ly been answered impaticntly, almost rudely, by those whom he was in the habit of questioning about the mine. They felt no especial interest in the af- fairs of the mining company them selves, and could see no reason for his solicitude. and were growing weary of his constant ard persistent inquiries
 It was known, of course, that the son of one of the largest stockholders had been somewhat intimate with his daughter, and there were found gossips 1 who intimated that "the old mans de- ! sire for information from the mines as really desire for information of cer- tain young man who had made his i headquarters there during the time he was not roaming over the country, flirting with such young girls as were | foolish enough to permit it..
 | And then the moral vultures, from which even country neighborhoods are not always free, tluttercd their wings and indulged in another little flight of fancy.
 ''The pretense of return to school was only blind" they said. "Lucy' $ parents had found it necessary to send her from home for time, and hel elder sister accompanied her as a nurse and to prevent any suspicion of the true cause of her going"
 No one who knew the family wei gave any heed to these tales, but there were those who did believe them, and who looked upon the changed appear ance of John Parsons as confirmation of them: for there was no denying tha there was change in him. Among hi' neighbors and at the landing he haC been noted for the hearty manner witl which he greeted everybody, whethe boy or man, and for jovial expression of countenance that gave an instan impression of prosperous and con tented man, as well as the possessor o a kindly heart. But now his whole OK pression and manuer was changed Often at the landing he passed mel whom he knew, without appearing t. see them, and looked at strangers with out speaking, but in 8 manner whic seemed to question them of their pu1 pose of coming to the locality. All tn jollity had left him, and his greetings even to his best friends, had lost thei hearty cordiality. and he inquired les freuuent after their health and nor and more often if they had any new from the mines, until even they bega to wond-r if there might not be some thing in the rumors which had reache their ears, and one day when he ha seemed particularly downcast, a neigt bor in reply to his usual inquiries fe news from Gravel Hill, said:
 , .'See hero, Parsons, l know it ism , any of my business, but if were yo [ I believe I would go up to the mine . and see Mir. Annelsey. Young men al sometimes little wild without hein
 really bad at heart, and may he fyo , see him yourself and talk to him witt t out showing temper he'll do the squal 7 thing"
 , The square thing that Joan Pa 7 sons wanted done was to leave him ar his in uns'isturbed possession of the
 home, with it's vineyards and orchard 3 its plot of ground where tho turke.