Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-08
cEAPTER IL
TnE SHADOW or TROUBLE

"llus the boss beer saving anything
to worry you, Mary" asked Tom Roy
lance. when the two had occn some lit
tc time alone. he looked black
enough when came up" and the
young fellow laughed.
The question was a somewhat awlS-
ward one for Mar. she did not wish
To- mako mischief between the two
mon.
"Oh, no; only some nonsense or other
lac has Ia his head she answered.
"Mcii. 80 long as he doesn't think
too much about you don't care. What
did hc mean by having an interesting
tall, with you?"
II was waiting 'or ,oI at eLs gate
where we generally met when he
came up and began 10 talk about one
thing ana another"
DO .jou like Reuben Goiringc,
Mary" lac asked. turning and looking
sharply lnto her face.
Like hinI?" the echoed. laughing,
rOc quite ut hLr ease. "What can IL
matter what girl at the looms thinks
ui the manager OF the mill2"
Eyes, that's all very we'll, Uyou
don't want 80 answer the question"
| said Tom liOylancc, with more than n
tuuch ~ jealous nuspic.oc. But II
you do, don't; and fQr hulf-ar-inch Of
yarn IN tell him what | think. |
knew too much aDouc Mister Reuben
GorrinEe. He's clever chap, no doubt
about thar, bnl he's just baby in some
things. He's an ugly customer till he
| gets his way. though, and no mistake"
Tom Roylunce was n lighthearted,
careless, rather thoughtless young fell
low. clever enough TO hayc made rapid
progress In his work, but, like many
another, content TO like fortune rs II
cume, and lacking the strong deter
minution TO torego the pleasure of the
moment In order 10 secure success. lie
was quick and shrewd, n good work
man, steady and reliable, and capable,
In the face of any great emergency, OF
showing plenty Of free character lie
was "A general fayorite both In and out
of mill, and Reuben Gorringe him
self had taken TO him. But he could
not help meeting all the bothcrs OF
life with u laugh and jest lie was
careless enough to he his own enemy
but too straight and true to be an en-
envy of anyone else.
Ills relations with Mary Ashworth
were characteristic. They had beer
together In the village from the time
they were children; and there was 1
sort Of tacit understanding between
them that each belonged to the other
md that they were to be married som'
day; bat nothing had ever been spoken
openly about marriage. There were
indeed, hindrances to marriage
Toms father was alive, too crippled u
work, and thus dependent upon him
while Mary's mnthor forced the Gil q
|. maintain ner. ueIng herself IDLE, thrifl
I, less. aud given To occasional wild fits q
drinking
The two discussed all their plans
: troubles. worries and hopes togothe
in the frankest way The man turne
to the girl for advice In many matters
willie there was not an at Of lite !
, which Mary did not try 10 act as sh
Judged Tom would have wished lc
-. She had never thought Of any man as
possible lover hut rum Eoylnncc, an
y shaped all her life to accord with I'll
: idcu that when he thought the tin
a fitting. he would arrange for their ma
ringc.
g Neither spoke Tor iginute or w
q after Toms last speech he had I
u wish 10 carry the topic further, viii
70 Mary was anxious to get away fro
subject OF Reuben Gorringe alt
u gether; aud when they spoke again
n was OF other matters, until the gil
II thinking she could detect some sym
lr toms OF rostlesSness about her col
d. panion, began To- question MIN
~ lis anything the matterP' shs asle
W "You seem out of sorts What Is
m Anything wrong At honey"
mo. not more than usual" he said
NJ "Your fathers not worse, Is hep
In mo lie was asking for you, thong
he misses you when You let u d
- pass without coraing in. He
nc ways says there's something abo
u you that seems 10 make his pal
less raclSing." aud he smiled In
pleased way TO tho girl, who smll
" back
20 "Thap's his way. He's wonder
ISL bear pain, and no m'stske. I'll go
~. Tonight But u It's not that tbs
worrying gov. wsa@ sAiss' 'asAAsA'