Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-04
'topMrH1. us6. " Int AUTHOR.

. smart mot.
By half past 10 bis horse was wsaril!
making bis way into the yard before tn
BenDctts house and barn. Alec LOOKED
at the door, but seeing no one there h
dropped bis eyes. But whea he lookst
again thsre was Maud standing just N
che did when he flst saw her, but bon
she bad q smile on her face. Hs did MOI
recall ever having seen her smile before
but now tho smile was very broad, ant
he was obliged to smile too Hs stopped
his horse before the door, and whils
still sitting in the wagon said:
II was driving BY, and ! thought
would stop in and ~ you all q few
minutes. s."
II am the only one at home," said
Maud shyly. Mother has gone to the
store. and father and the boys are in the
field. Won't you come in''
Alec thought he would and jumped
out to hitch his horse. Maud led the
way into the kitchen. but did not offer
him . seat there On the other side Of
the house was the garden, and about the
back door was q bit Of lawn. Here she
placed a small rocking chair for Alec
and babe him be seated. She herself
stood in the doorway, awkwardly trying
to find something to say.
Won't you have q glass Of milkF'
she asked.
Alec said be would.
II will sit here" she said and took
her place on the doorstep. She did not
lead in the conversation, and Alec was
more embarrassed than be had ever been
before CITY girl in his life. He wanted
to say something about the dollar bill,
and he wanted to tell her how he was
situated now, for he knew she was Gu.
rjous 10 hear. At last he broke out:
1.-THE fact ID, ! came to see you" He
hesitated at the end Of this sentence, for
he was ia donbt whether to address her
as Maud or Miss Bennett. lie conpro-
missed by saying neither. She looked at
him in blAk inquiry, and be perceived
that he must go on. II owe you some
thing" he said and fumbled in hls
pocket for dollar be had received from
the tavern keeper among the change for
bis Is bill. As he did 90 be glanced
hastily at Maud and saw that her face
was almost white. She was excited and
evidently didn't understand what he
meant.
"You gave me that dollar bill, didn I
your" he asked, with smile, looking
straight at her. II don't know but I
should have starved il it hadn't been
for that. "
The color now flooded her face In sue.
cession to the pallor in an almost pain
full scarlet, and she sat perfectly still,
not moving muscle, even to turn her
eyes away, though they seemed glazed
and sightess. This was a new sxps-
rience to her, for which she was totally
unprepared. The thought Of his suspect.
ing her as the giver had never once on.
tered her mind. Alec saw and under-
stood, and his heart went out toward
her more than ever.
"You needn't try to deny you did it,"
be said lightly, but awkwardly. 1T
was awfully good Of you, and l know
there Is no one else who would have
done 1t. As l said, I don't know but |
should have starved il it hadn't been
for that. But now I'm earning my board
and lodging working in the store at
Ashton Centre, and last night earned
tb driving a man to Pavonia, fellow
with a bicycle which had broken down."
1t was difficult to affect light tone
when Maud sat there looking SO serious
He rose and approached her, dropping
the bill in her lap, and then sat down
again. She did not touch it Or speak.
Evidently she didn't wish to accept it,
but did not know how to refuse. At last
she said in a oolorless tone:
"You are at work in the store at Ash.
ton Centrep"
"Yes, and hope soon to be earning
some cash. I never knew before what q
nice thing it is to have cash. F."
She smiled and seemed to be thinking
Of something, perhaps wondering what
he did when he found the dollar bill.
Alec fsnoied so at least and told her the
whole Of the little incident and bis sur
prise VIXEN he saw the bill roll out on
his blanket.
They talked on about various things
-haying, tbs weather, Daily and Jerry.
Maud said Jerry had announced that he
was going to get married, but she
laughed at the notion. She said she ask
cd him II he would let her live with
him and be an old maid, but he refused.
BE didn't want any sister round bother
ing his wife. Maud laughed heartily At
thia. She inquired if Alec had found
pleasant people at Ashton Centre, ana
he told her something Of his experiences
there.
When he said again he thought he
must be going, Maud hastily prepared 4
little lunch in a paper bag without ask.
ing his permission or saying word md
slipped it into the wagon without his
noticing what she was doing. A little
later he was jogging out Of the yard,
and half q mile farther on he paired
Mrs. Bennett walking along the road
wav He raisod his hat and ssid n civil