The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-24

iomy Jane had been kissed III Other
times, by force. chance or stratagem. IN
Il certain ingenious forfeit game OF the
locality known rs I'm a-pinin,' many
had ''pinel' for Il sweet kiss from
Salomy Jane, which she had yielded in 4
sense of honor and fair play. She had
never been kissed like this before-shc
would never again-and Yet the man
was alive. And behold, she could see III
the mirror that she was blushing.
She should hardly know him again. 4
young man With very bright eyes, Il
flushed and sunburnt cheek, 4 kind Of
fixed look i'll the face, and no beard
no. none that She could feel. Yet he
was not at AL like Reuben-not a bit.
She took Reuben's picture from the win
dow, and laid it on her workboX. And
to think she did not wen know this
young mans name. That was queer. To
be kissed by Il man whom she might
never know. OF course he knew hers.
She wondered if he remembered it and
her. But of course he was 50 glad to
get off With his life that he never
thought of anything else. Yet she did
not give more than four or five minutes
to these speculations, and. like 4 sensi-
bic girl, thought of something else.
Once again, however. in opening the
closet she found the brown holland
gown she had worn on the day before.
thought it very unbecoming and regret
ted that she had not Worn her best gown
on her visit to Red Pete'S cottage. On
such an occasion she really might have
been more impressive.
When her father came home that night
she asked him the news. No. they had
not captured the second horse thief. who
wac still nt a rra Tulra Rnnn,nnintar
talked Of invoking the aid Of the de-
spiscd. law. 1t remained then to see
whether the horse thief was fool enough
to try to get rid of the animal. Red
pete's body had been delivered to his
widow. Perhaps it would only be neigh
borly for Salomy Jane to ride over to
the funeral. But Salomy Jane did not
take to the suggestion kindly. not yet
did she explain to her father that. as the
other man was still living. she did no,
care to undergo 4 second disciplining at
the widows hands. Nevertheless. she
contrasted her situation with that of the
widow with a new and singular satisfac-
ton. It might have been Red Pete who
had escaped. But he had not the grit
Of the nameless one. She had already
settled his heroic quality.
Y amt Earken to me, Salomy.'
Salomy Jane started.
Here I'm askin' We if you've seen that
hound. Phil Larrabee, sneaking by yer
to-day?'
Salomy Jane had not. But she became
Interested and self-reproachfnl. for she
knew that Phil Larrabee was one of her
fathers enemies. "He wouldn't dare to
90 by here unless he knew you were
out" she said quickly.
That's what gets me-" he said,
scratching his eriZzled head. I've
been kind o thinkin' o him all day. and
one Of them Cinnamon said he saw him
at Sawyer's Crossing. He was Il kind
Of friend o pete's wife. That's why [
thought yer might find out eff he'd been
there Salonmy Jane grew more self
reproachful at her fathers ~self-interest
in her 'neighbOrlineSs.' But that
amt ALL" continued Mr.. Clay. "Thar
was tracks over the far pasture that
warn't mine. | followed them and then
went round and round the house two or
three times. ez eff they mout hey bin
proWlin', and then | lost 'em in the
woods again. It's just like that sneekin'