Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-05-07
oink flower tbat grew about the tor.

her. while Della knelt and prayed, and Molly
browsed, lifting now and then ner neao to
look
When all was done, we turned away, dry
eyed, and walked together TO the cottage.
The bay horse was feeding on the moor be-
low; and, finding him still too lame to carry
Della, shifted the saddles, and, mending the
broken rein, set her on Molly. The cottage
door stood open, but we did not enter; only
looked in; and seeing Jan Tergagle curled be-
side the cold hearth, left him so.
Mile after mile we passed in silence, Della
riding and pacing beside her with the bay.
At last, tortured past bearing, spoke:
'Delia, have you nothing to sayl"
For a while she seemed to consider; then,
with her eyes fixed on the hills ahead, an
swered:
much, if 1 could speak; but all this has
changed me somehow-'tis, perhaps, that
have grown a woman, having been girl
and need to get used to it and Think
She spoke not angrily, as looked for, but
with painful slowness that was less hopeful
"But," said l, lover and over you have
shown that am nought to you. Surely
Surely am jealous! IT'S possible-yes,
Jack, am but woman, and so it's certain"
She looked at me straight, and answered
very deliberate:
snow that is what am far from sure Of"
"But, dear Della, when your anger has
cooled
my anger was brief; am disappointed,
rather. With her last breath, almost, Joan
said you were weaker than she; she loved you
better than l, and read you clearer. You are
weak. Jack"-she drew in Molly, and let her
hand fall OH my shoulder very kindly-''we
have been comrades for many long mile,
and l hope are honest, good friends; where
fore 1 loathe to say a harsh or ungrateful
seeming word. But you could not under
stand that brave girl, and you cannot under
stand me; for as yet you do not even know
yourself. The knowledge comes slowly to
man, think; to a woman at one rush. But
when it comes, l believe you may be strong.
Now leave me to think, for my head is all of
a tangle."
Our pace was so slow (by reason of the
lame horse that great part of the after
noon was spent before we came in sight of
the House of Gleys And truly the yellow
sunshine had flung some warmth about the
naked walls and turrets so that Delia's home
coming seemed not altogether cherries But
what gave US more happiness was to spy, on
the blue water beyond, the bright canvas of
the Godsend, and to hear the cries and stir
of Billy Potterys marines as they hauled
down the sails
And Billy himself was on the lookout with
his spyglass. For hardly were we come to
the beach when our signal-the waving of a
white kerchief-was answered by another on
board, and within half an hour boat puts
off wherein, as she drew nearer, l counted
eight fellows.
They were besides Billy Matt. Soames, the
master; Gabriel Hutchins, Ned Masters, the
black man Sampson, Ben Halliday and two
whose full names 1 have forgot-but one
was called Nicholas. And, after many warm
greetings, the boat was made fast, and we
climbed up along the peninsula together, in
close order, like a little army
All this time there was no sign or sound
about the House of Gleys to show that any
one marked us or noted our movements. The
gate was closed, the windows stood suffered,
as on my former visit; even the chimneys
were smokeless. Such effect had this desc
lation on our spirits that, drawing near, we
fell to speaking in whispers, and said Ned
Masters:
''Now man would think us come TO bury
somebody"
"He might make a worse guess" 1 an
swered.
Marching up to the gate rang a loud peal
on the bell, and, to my astonishment, before
the echoes had time to die away, the grating
was pushed back and the key turned in the
lock
''Step We in-step We III, good folksl A sor-
ry day-a day of sobs an tears an afflicted
blowings of the nose when the graSshopper
is burden am the mourners go about seeking
whom they may deyour the funeral meats.
Y are welcome, gentlemen"
Twas the voice of my one eyed friend as
he undid the bolts; and now he stood in the
gateway with prodigious- black sash across
his canary livery, so long that the ends of it
swept the fiagstones.
as Master Tingcomb withinf' l helped
Della to disInOunt, and gave our two horses
to a stable boy that stood shuffling some PAGES
off
"Alas!'-the old man heaved a deep sigh,
and with that began to hobble across the yard.
We trooped after, wondering. At the house
door he turned:
"Sirs, there is cold roasted capons, an a
ham, an radishes in choice profusion for such
as be not troubled wi the wind; an cordial
wines-alack the day."
He squeezed a frosty tear from his one eye,
and led US to large bare hall, hung round |
with portraits; where was table spread with |
a plenty of victuals, and horn handled knives |
and forks beside plates of pewter; and at the |
table man in black, eating He had straight |
hair and a sallow face: and looked IN we |
entered, but, grooming, in moment fell to |
again.
Eat, sirs, the old servitor EXPORTED US;
''alas! that man may take nothing out o. the |
worldl"
l know not who of US was most taken |
aback. But noting Delia's sad, wondering |
face, as her eyes wandered round the neg |
lected room and rested on the tattered por- |
traits, l lost patience.
"Our business is with Master Hannibal |
said 1, sharply.
The straight haired man looked up again, |
his mouth full of ham.
"Hushln-he held his fork up, and shook |
his head sorrowfully, and wondered where
had seen him before. HAST thou angels
w1ngsF he asked.
"Why, no, sir; but the devils own boots
as you shall find if be not answered"
young man-young man." broke in the
one eyed butler, tour minister is good min
ster, an speaks roundabout as such; but the
short is, that my master is dead, an in his
coffin"
1.-THE mortal part corrected the minister,
cutting another slice
SAY, the immortal is a-trippin' it i the
New JerooSalem; but the mortal was very
amentably took Wi fit three days back
The same day, young man, as thou earnest
VII thy bloody threats"
"a fitF'
"Ay, sir, an verify such fit as thou thy