St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-01-25
FOR HER SAKE.

1t wanted less than an hour to higI
water when Miss Marty Lear heard he1
brothers boat take ground on tht
narrow beach below the garden, and ser
the knives and glasses straight while
she listened for the click of the garden
latch.
A line of stunted hazels ran along the
foot of the garden and hid the landing
place from Miss Lear as she stood at the
kitchen window gazing down steer
alleys, of scarlet runners. But above
the hazels she could look across to the
fruit-growing village of st. Kits, and
caseh a glimpse at high tide of the in
tervening river, or towards low water
of the mud banks shining in the sun,
It was Miss Lear's custom to look
much on this landscape from this win.
dow; had, in fact, been her habit fo1
close upon 40 years. And this evening
when the latch clicked at length, and
her, brother in his market-suit came
slouching up the path between the
parallels of garden-stuff, her eyes rested
all the while upon the line of gray wa
ter above and beyond his respectable
hat.
Nor, when he entered the kitchen,
hitched this hat upon a peg in the wall
where it's brim accurately fitted a sort
of dull halo in the whitewash-did he
appear to want any welcome from her.
He was a long-jawed man Of 65, she a
1ong-jawed woman Of 81, and they
understood each others ways, having
kept this small and desolate farm to-
gether for 30 years-that is, since their
fathers death.
A cold tunip pasty stood on the table,
with the cider jug that Job Lear
regularly emptied at supper. These
suggested no smal-talk, and the pair
sat down to eat in silence.
It was only while holding out his
plate for second helping of the pasty
that Job spoke with full mouth.
'Who dee reckon ran across to-day,
down in Troy?" Miss Marty cut the
slice without troubling to say that she
had not a notion.
''Why, that fellow Amos Trudgeon,
he went on.
"Yes?"
Pears to me yon must be failin' If
you disremembers 'en; son of old Sal
Trudgeon, that used to keep the jurnble-
shop cross the water; him that stole
our eggs back-along, when father was
livin'."
II remember
II thought you must. Why, you gave
evidence, to be sure. Be dashed! now
! come to mind, If you WASH the first to
wake the house an say you heard a man
hollerin' out down pom the mud"
"Iss, was"
"An' saved his life, though you did
get 'en two months in Bodmin Gaol by
It. Up to the armpits he was, an not
five minutes to live, when we hauled 'en
out, an wonderin' what he could be
doin' there, found he'd been stealing
our eggs. He inquired after VOW to-
day."
did he?"
'Iss. sHow's Martyr says he.
Agen' rapidly says 1. The nerve
chat some folks havei Comes up to me
rs cool as my lord and holds out hand.
ae've agrown into sort of commercial;
like a bow-window, with
vatchguard looped across. I'd mind
70 say Eggs to 'en, it so enjoyed me-"
II hope you didn't"
No. Twould have seemed like
oearin' malice. 'Tis an old tale, after
Ill, that feat of his
Nine and thirty year, come nth of
September next. Did he say any more?'
"Said the weather-glass was risin',
,ut too fast to put faith in"
I mean, did he ask any more about
ne?H
"Iss; wanted to know If you was
married. I reckon he meant that for |
bit o. pleasntness.''
Not that! All, not thati'
Job laid down knife and fork with |
heir points resting on the rim OF his
late, and, with lump of pasty in one
heck, looked at his sister. She had |
ushed back her chair bit, and her |
myers were plucking the edge of the
ablecloth.
"Not thatt" she repeated once more,
nd hardly above a whisper. She did
ot lift her eyes. Before Job could
peak
He was my lover she said, and
hivered.
Marry
She looked up now, hardened her
g1y, twitching face, forced her eyes to
leet her brothers, and went on. breath
sssly-
Il swear to You, Job--here, across
le table-he was my lover, and
nined 'en. He was the only man. 'cept
On and father. that ever kissed me, and