The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-01

| Interior purpose lay Dhck VI MlN' WIN
fold rs words or actions, not even when
that lady said, as she so often dds
"Poor Alice! Eff only she did have a
brother ter take her about ter places!
can't go ter parties an things, an even
eff I could you know it wouldn't look
we'll with no man along. Brother is
Jest as good as gold, hut he has got SO
much on his hands of co'se we don't
expect it Of him. But nobody CANT be
young but once Really, Mrs. Talbot,
/ don't envy nobody, least of all you,
but it is right hard that here you have
got four boys an / none at all. "
"Ah, but have no girl, and Alice
makes up for a great many boys, not
counting little Nina" Mrs. Talbot usu-
ally responded. Then before the next
neighborhood merrymaking she set her
gentle wits to work so successfully that
Miss Winfield appeared at it under her
own chaperonage and with Jacks es-
cort. Thus people had got so in the way
of seeing the two together it was re-
| match as soon as the Talbot debts
were paid to the last cent. Jack would
not need to wait for making a home
when there was the Winfield place ach-
ing for a master.
Everybody, almost, agreed that it
would be mighty fine thing. Jack was
easily the best chance, as Alice was the
finest girl in tho countryside. They
seemed made for each other indeed, and
then the properties fitted so well. But
here or there a dissident shook the head
and looked wise.
"Alice Winfold-yes, she is fine
girl, they said. "The fellow that gets
her'll be lucky, but his name won't be
Jack Talbot You may depend it won't,
not by juGful, unless, that is, some
body comes along to carry off that wild
girl, Rob McGregor. "
So there was a craning Of nechs upon
| the store porch when a slim creature,
sitting as light as thistle down. came
galloping along the creek way and halt
ed at the big front gate which led into
| the Topmark lawn. The girl wore o
clean waist Of faded print, q rusty black
riding skirt and big rough straw hat
Her hands were bare and tanned her,
ry brown. SO was her lower face, yet
the tan but served TO accent its vivid
charm of scarlet lips and dark, liquid
eyes and mobile witchery of elfin smiles.
Bending lithely from the saddle. she
Unattached the gate, drew it open and
wheeled her horse through it, closing it
softly after her. One of the men OH the
porch had stepped forward, but she
waved him back with a smiling nod.
The smile died as she set her horse to-
ward the house. Her face grew gravely
sympathetic. She checked her mare to
slow amble, and at the smart green
gate slipped noiselessly down and made
her way to the piazza.
AS she set foot on it Jack Talbot came
through the hail door, his face shaken.
his eyes so blurred and misty the sun
shine was dim 90 him. But he knew the
girl at the threshold and caught her
hand in warm clasp, saying little
unsteadily:
II am glad you have come, Rob,
though none Of Us can do any more than
to show respect and sympathy"
"Oh, Mrs. Tcpmark cannot be dead.
Why, only yesterday l saw herewith
the Observation-Disclosures they were
so well and happy" Rob said. her
voice, too, breaking from its soft. vi
brant cadence, the quick color paling in
her olive checks. She was as dark as
Jack was golden fair, and, though she
was more than common tall among
womankin1, he stood q good head
higher.
"Oh, howdy, Rob? So good of you to
come. But-but how did you hear Of
OF our gr-ea-at t-t.troub-le?" Mrs. Win
fold said, darting out upon the porch.
with Annie in her arms. "Bad news al.
ways travels fast" she went on. "Oh.
DO all you, our frien's, pray fer us! Eff
you don't, an the Lord don't hear. [
know It'll kill brother-yes. Jest kill
him-losin that sweet, dear woman.
without no warpin at all"
She was q shrunken woman. with n
fattish, commonplace face and n voice
that had rasping tang, though now
she tried to make it subdued and full
OF grief. Her eyes were deep set. sharn
ana restless. In spite Of grief and WORRY
they took equal note of the fact that
JACK had held Rob's hand much longer
than courtesy required, and that Rob
the reprehensible, now out of her rnstv
rlding skirt, had on calico frock
bought from the store full two wears
back. Evidently she had come TO them 4,
just as the i'll news found her. She was
SO different from dear Alice, who in the
lace OF calamity had the forethoupbt to
make herself neatly smart in ruff,ed
pink lawn. ou
NANNY Liza told me. Aunt pbe. !
my brought her word" Rob said sim.
ply. And pappy babe me come at once
Ever since his own trouble, you know
MS .. tlrst thought is to try and help
Yes, l know-but notbin-c,;n,t
DC DONE" Mrs Winfield said. with n
gush OF ready tears. Her emotions Law
swallow She could cry almost when
sne mad the mind. But neither of nov
companions suspected that: their own
eyes synlDat hptico L. -