Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-04-11
CHAPTER XTI-Contlnued.

through, up the steep brae, he sat down
a few minutes after, dry and warm, ny
the bright fire. holding the little hahuS
which had served him so lovingly. "Poor
Black, whom / left in his large, hand
some, empty house. am quite sorry Tor
all old bachelors"
"Thank you, dear"
although he told me once, in conhden-
tial moment. that his life had been 30
hard he was often glad there had been no
one to share It,"
"IIe was mistaken"
al think he was mistaken koderlck
said pressing his lips on the smooth brow
and bright grave eyes, that looked on
life utterly without fear, 50 long as 1t was
a life with love in it, 81 cannot pelieVe
that any man Is the weaker but the
stronger, for having woman to help him'
Only he must choose woman VINO can
help him-as did"
"You are very conceitcd," she said,
gayly, and then chung to him passion
ately. 1.-TWO together; can bear any
thing il we are two together. But II you
had left me to go through my life alone
-" A kind Of SILVER passed through
her. "Some have to bear it, and do. Cou'
sin Silence did. And / would have borne
Il tool told you so once, would have
lived busy, useful life. would not have
died. But, oh!-the difference, the dil-
ferencen'
"And, oh! the difference to me" he
said, as he clasped her to his heart, and
felt the peace and felt the strength she
gave him. And then, coming back to
common things, he added, Poor old
Black! He has been just tritle difficult
of late; he is not the best temper in the
world, and he likes you 80 much, you
perhaps might smooth him down. If l
bring him home with me tomorrow, can
you give us some supper Mrs. Jardine|
So, in the dusk Of the next evening, the
tall young fellow, handsome and strong,
and the bent old figure with the brown
wig and yellow CATERS, appeared ut the
front door, which the mistress always
herself opened for her husband.
~ was going to introduce the visitor,
said he, "for we never have any other;
but look hore feel like Robinson Cru
soc when he saw the footmarks on the
shore. Wheels! horses feet! Mrs. jar
dine, you must have been entertaining u
carriage and pair?
"Two carriages and pairs! They have
only just gone. And they were so very
nice"
''The carriages"
''No, the people. Such nice people; is
not that your English word-gentil, agre-
able, charmantY
HShe is going back to her French again
the renegade"
'No, am thoroughly Scotch now. Mr.
Black knows il" said She as with gen
tie. almost filial hands, she took off the old
mans plaid and bonnet, and sat him in
the armchair, he submitting with aston
ishing meekness; but all old people, just
as all children, loved and submitted to
Silence.
"E(ow bright your eyes look! Did your
visitors talk French with you, my dar-
lingW
"a little, for they had been a great deal
abroad. But they were so simple and
kindly, not grand or overdressed like
She stopped.
"Iike other friends of ours, whom be-
ing friends we will not criticise," said
Roderick, with kind of sad dignity. 1t
had been n sore vexation to him that, eX-
Rept the Griersons, nearly all the Scotch
women his wife had met were of the
class of Mrs. Maclagan, that eXaggera-
lion of national qualities which people of
one country constantly make the type of
another. "But, my dear who are your
visitors? Mr., Black will be sure to know
them"
"Ou, ay; but they would never condo
scend to know me-" said the old man.
lingering with half-comical awe the
cards on the table. "Sir John and Lady
Symington, Of Symington; Mr. and Mrs.
Manchester, of Castle Tore, | told you,
sir"-he always addressed Roderick out
of business hours as "sir," and Silence as
"madame'-" gentry of the neighbour
hood would soon be finding out that there
were again Jardines at Blackhall. Be
sides, Sir John and your father were lads
thegither, and MacAlister of Torre-he
was bit BARN then"
"Yes," said Silence, after n puzzled
pause at the Scotch words, which when
he forgot himself the old man continually
brought in "Yes, they told me so. They
spoke of him-Roderick,, you would have
liked to hear how they spoke of your
father. And they said they hoped we
should be good neighbors and meet very
often"
Roderick looked pleased-it is but hui
man nature to enjoy being "respeckit like
the lave"-but suddenly he clouded
OYER. Don't let us talk Of this; it is inn
possible"
Silence was 50 astonished at the tone
as well as the words that the natural, in
nocent "Why?" died on her lips. She
turned away and began talking to Mr.
Black of something else, asking no more
questions, nor referring again to the Wis.
itors, who, Roderick saw with pain, had
evidently charmed her and been little
brightness in the long empty day.
He told her so, when the old man de.
parted--after rather dull two hours; fol
the master of the house was very silent
and when he did speak, there was once OF
twice the faintest shade of discomfort il
his tone, q sort of half apology for thei
simple menage and frugal fare, of which
Silence took no outward notice She hat
given her guest the best she had-giveI
it with a warm heart, too, and grateful
for Mr.. Black had been very kind, ant
many brace of grouse and bunch o
grapes had found their way from tn
Mill-house to Blackhall
"And l thin he knows our ways, an,
does not expect us to requite him witt