Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17

naturally to women bred and born in inns
and hostelries.
Never before have | gotten the chance
to say either yea or nay to that, Master
Umphray Spurway," she said dropping her
pinafore and standing with her hands be-
hind her a little defiantly; "but, after all,
'tis better late than after dark as the say
ing ISL
Sir James laughed loud and hearty, and
even the minister chuckled over his cup of
wine.
There you have it to the hilt Umphray.
cried Sir James "'Tis fair challenge.
speer her, man. We will be your witnesses,
bonny lass!'
"And by mine Office ] will wed you here
across the table II you get him to agree.'
added the minister, speaking for the first
time.
Umphray Spurway made an attempt to re-
cover himself He laid down the small
brown -bowled witch's pipe he had been con-
tentedly smoking.
well my lass" he said, listen to me.
Tell us whether you would prefer to have
ME or my prentice, Henry Bowman, with
whom / saw you so canty at the gable-end
today. He is a timber lad and likely of his
face"
Mean you for a husband or for lad
to court me?' quered the girl, as prompt
as an echo at the woods edge,
For husband of course" quoth Sir
James before the other could reply.
Then | choose Umphray Spurway, the
cloth merchant" cried Elsie Brydson. Lads
bonny faces makes lasses bare downsit-
tlngs"
"a wise lass-remaTkable," mused Sir
James, noddng slyly to the company at
large. Then turning to the Englishman he
went on like one giving good and welcome
advice: 81 do not think that ye could do
better. Umphray. Think of it, mani
And II was while the cloth weaver
hummed and hawed and shifted his legs
first over one knee and then over the other,
thumbing the dottle all the time into the
bowl OF his pipe, that / first heard my
fathers words, as ! have reported them at
the beginning.
Come your ways in here, my Joe JanetI'
/ saw a tall, swart viSaged man standing
erect by the outer door and reaching back
hand to one who stood without on the
steps half bowed to enter. yet reluctant
to descend. Philip Stansheld was of fiery
visage, with eyes a little bloodshot, his
cheeks mottled like day-old butchers meat
on a stall, and all his gay clothing tashed
and frayed at sleeve and braiding. Yet
through all disguises II was the face my
mother looked at every night when she
rose sobbing, from saying her prayers and
opened a little leathern case which lay be-
side her bible on the service stand of her
bedroom. l had looked at II thousand
times when she was in the garden or gone
UP TO the great house.
And, though no one had ever told me, |
knew that the man l looked upon was my
father.
He stood on the threshold with naturally
gallant air. one hand on the hilt of his
sword and the other, as / say, reached back
to pull his companion within,
She came, shame-red and smirklng, a
smooth faced, apple-cheeked youngish
woman. slatternly, careless of dress, short
OF skirt and lavish OF shoulder, blue rib
bon eris-crossing loosely over her breast and
only half holding her bodice together This
woman laughed nervous aeerins laugh,
when she found herself in face OF the grave
trio seated at the table, who turned with
one accord to look at ber, Yet a moment
after sho seemed TO care nothing for them,
and centered her disdainful attention uTon