The morning times., 1896-11-22

more slowly. care-worn look crcpt into
her face. There was no other neighbor
near enough to borrow from. She knew
as Wen as her husband the Importance of
OF his being in Ridgely the following morn
ing. Why should the mare have taken
that day to go lame?
IT it were any one else but Harkns.
Any other man would wait to see what
caused my delay before settling up the
matter. But / told him / would meet
him at Lawyer Smiths tomorrow morn
ing at s O'Clock. If am not there. he
will close the affair, and it will be five
hundred dollars out of our pocket. We can
lily afford to lose it. 1t will cripple us
all next year"
"But, Jeremy. Mr. Harkins knows what
you intended doing. He surely will wait
To See why you did not meet him." urged
Mrs. Hervey.
Not he that is not Harkins' way; he is
as hard as stone. He'll settle it to suit
: himself" and Farmer Harvey groancd
again. partly with physical pain, for the
rheumatic darts We're more frequent and
sharper, and partly on account OF his men,
tai i'll.
Della looked at her father in awe.
Five hundred dollars. What lot of
money, and they had needed money SO
much the last yeari
But the farmers pains increased in vio-
lence. As the afternoon wore ON his wife
almost forgot her worry over the prospective
loss of the money, In caring for her husband
and in the fear that he was about to have
just such an attack of rheumatism a S had
kept him in bed many weeks the winter
previous.
When Mark Harvey came in at supper
time he found his sister in charge of house.
hold matters. He had been busy at the barn
all the afternoon, and knew nothing of his
fathers attack.
Where's mother?'' he asked in surprise
Father has his rheumatism pains again.
Mother is so worried, she is afraid that he
is down for another spell like last winter
She's been doctoring him all afternoon.
She's just got him To bed. She sa VS. that
we are to go on and take our supper.
took hers into her.
During the course of their meal, Della
gave her brother voluble account of all
she had heard her father say that after.
noon.
The two young people presented strong
contrast to each other. Mark, Short stout
and dark, appeared much younger than his
fifteen years. Della was tall, slender and
fair. and two years her brothers Junior.
Yes, he'll lose 1t sure" said Mark.
Every one says that Mr.. Harkins is very
close aud hard. But he knows that father
always keeps his word, and that If he is
not there tomorrow morning 1t is because
he could not go.''
1t is a shame If we loose it. Five hun-
dred dollars! That's a lot Of money, Father
was counting on buying another horse next
summer. He can't If we lose that,' said
| Della.
1--WE need one now, with the mare lame"
After supper Mark went into his fathers
room and found that he had Just fallen
asleep, and his mother watching beside
| him. She motioned to Mark to be more
| quiet, so as not to disturb his father Mark.
| seeing that he was not needed, returned to
| the dining room and settled himself to read
Robinson Crusoe," which his father had
brought him from York the week before
All day he had been looking forward to con-
t'nuing that delightful story. Della was
busy with sundry household duties.
But Marks thoughts wandered in spite