Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-12

swansdown, about her neck, and she held
the reins slack In her h0nds while the pony
wandered from side to side Of the road as the
fancy took him. Each time the pony swayed
her head the great nat swayed also 80
that sometimes we saw the crown OF II and
sometimes the br.m. ieot
what a dreadful sishtn' cried my mother.
What is amiss with her mother?"
Heaven forgive me II l mlsjudge her
Rodney, but l think that the unfortunate
woman has been drinking"
why" I cried, "she has pulled the chalse
up at the smithy. I'll 9nd out all the news
for you" and catching up my cap, away
scampered
Champion Harrison had been shoeng a
horse at the forge door, aud when | got into
the street l could see him with the creatures
hoof still under his arm and the rasp in his
hand, kneeing down amid the white par.,igs
The woman was beckoning him from the
chalse, and he staring at her with the queer
est expression upon his face. Presently he
| threw down his rasp and went across to her,
standing by the wheel and shaking his head
as he talked to her. For my part slipped
into the smithy where Boy Jim was finishing
the shoe. and watched the neatness Of his
work and the deft way in which he turned
up the caulhens. When he had done with 1t
he carried 1t out and there was the strange
woman stil talking with his uncle.
as that he?" l heard her ask.
Champion Harrison nodded.
She looked at jim and never saw such
| eyes IN q human head, so large and black and
wonderful Boy as l was / knew that in
| spite OF that bloated face this woman had
/ once been very beautiful. She put out a
hand, with all the fingers going, as II she
were playing on the harpsichord, and she
touched Jim on the shoulder.
] II hope-I hope you're well,' she etam-
| mered.
4 VERY well. man," said Jim, staring from
| her to his uncle
| "And happy, too?"
| "Yes. nam, thank you"
1 Nothing that you crave for?"
| why, no. nam; have all that lack"
| THAT will do, Jim" said his uncle IN a
stern voice. blow up the forge again, for
| that shoe wants reheating."
| But 1t seemed as II the woman had some
thing else that she would say, for she was
angry that he should be sent away. Her eyes
| cleaned and her head tossed, while the
| smith, with his two big hands outspread
| seemed to be soothing her as best he could.
For long time they whispered until at last
she seemed to be satisfied.
Tomorrow, then?" she cried loud out.
Tomorrow" he answered
"You keep your word, and I'll keep mine,
said she. and dropped the lash on the ponys
back. Tho smith stood with the rasp in his
hand, locking after her until she was just
little red spot on the white road. Then he
turned, and never saw his face so grave
"Jm," said he, that's Miss Hinton who
has come to live at the Naples out Anstey
Cross way. She's taken kind of fancy to
you, Jim, and maybe she can help you on a
bit. I promised her that you would go over
and see her tomorrow
II don't want her help, uncle, and I don't
want to see her."
but I've promised, jim, and you wouldn't
make me out liar. She does but want to
talk with you, for it is a lonely life she
leads"
what would she want to talk with sucn
as me about?'
"Why. / cannot say that, but she seemed
very set upon it, and wbmen have their
fancies. There's young Master Stone here,
lady, I'll warrant if he thought he might
better his fortune by doing so.''
well, uncle, I'll go If e.Roddy Stone will
go with me- said Jim, ,s,,
"of course, he'll go, Won't you, Master
Rodney?"
So 10 ended in my sayingr yes and back
went with all my news. to- my mother, who
dearly loved little bit of gossip She shook
her head when she, hearI Where was going |
but she did not say pay, and SO it was
settled. IS
It was good four miles of walk but !
when I'VE reached iti yau would not wish
to see a more cosy little house. all honey
suckle and creepers, with a wooden porch |
and lattice windows IA common looking
woman opened the door fer us.
Miss Hinton cannot. see'you," said she.
"But she asked us to come" said Jim. |
"I can't help that" cried the woman in |
rude voice. II tell you that she can't see |
YOU" ]
We stood irreso.ute for a minute. /
Maybe you would just tell her am here"
said Jim at last
Tell her! How am to tell her when she,
couldn't so much as hear a pistol in her
ears? Try and tell her yourself, If you have
a mind to-" She threw open a door as she
1tt,iyN p,ntr fhn
further end of the room, we caught
glimpse of figure, all Jumped together, huge
and shapeless with tails of black hair hang
ing down. The sound of dreadful, swine'like
breathing fell upcn our ears. 1t was but
glance, and then we were off hotfoot for
home. AS for me, ! was 50 young that /
was not sure whether this was funny or ter
rible but when l looked at Jim to see how
he took it he was looking quite white and ILL.,
You'll not tell any one, Roddy," said he
mot unless it's my mother"
'I won't even tell my uncle I'll say she
was i'll, the poor lady. It'o enough that we
should have seen her IN her shame, without
it's being the gossip of the village. 1t makes
me feel sick and heavy at heart"
"She was yesterday, Jim'
WAS she? l never marked 1t. But /
know that she has kind eyes and good heart,
for l saw the one in The other when she
looked at me. Maybe it's the want of a
friend that has driven her to this"
II blighted his spirits for days, and when
1t had all gone from my mind it was brought
back to me by his manner. But it was not
to be our last memory of the lady with the
scarlet pesse, for before the week was out
Jim came round to ask me If would again
go up with him.
my uncle has had a letter." said he.
She would speak with me, and / would ,
be easier If you came with me, Rod" ,
For me 1t was only pleasure outing, but
could see as we drew near the house, that ,
lin was troubling in his mind lest we should !
Ind that things were amiss. His fears
we're soon set at rest however, for we had
lad scarce clicked the garden gate before the :
woman was out of the door of the cottage !
md running down the path to meet us. She
vas so strange a figure, with some sort Of =
purple wrapper on, and her big flushed face :
milling out of it, that / might, if had been !
llone have taken to my heels at the sight a
# her. Even Jim stopped for a moment L
IS If he were not very sure of himself, but
Ter hearty ways soon set us at our ease. C
'It is, indeed, good of you to come and !
ee an old lonely woman" said she, "and / l
we you an apology that / should give yon II
fruitless journey Tuesday, but in a e
ense you were yourselves the cause OF It, l
irce the thought of your coming had ex- Il
tied me, and any excitement throws me q
nto nervous fever. MY poor nerves! You n
an see yourselves how they serve me-" q
ha hold har tutit ~ h. | e.