The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19
"And what?" she asked, defantly. as he

paused.
Never mind he replied, darSly; then
added, with sudden passion, don't provoke
me, Huldah. L love you. I don't believe
you know the meaning of the word love-
and he seized both her hands and held them
fast in his-"but 1 will teach you. L will let
you that I will allow no one to come be-
tween us!''
Let me go!" cried Huldah furiously
snatching her hands violently from him. Il
don't want to know what you think about
loVe-hoW dare you!'-and she looked angrlly
at her wrists, on which the print of his fin
gers could plainly be seen.
Don't you-don't you care?" he respond
ed, sullenly. "Til see if 1 can't make you
care yea Good-bye-Pm off'-and he strode
away, leaving Huldah to return to the farm
alone.
She walked slowly and thoughtfully to the
house, her dark, angry eyes full of troubled
look.
What does he mean?" she mused "I
know Devcs. He has a jealous nature. He's
frantically jealous now. All! if he had only
cause!" and she smiled bitterly. I must
watch him bit and humor him, I suppose;
but let him beware! If he hurts as much as
a hair of Brian Beresford's head he'll have
me to reckon with and L guess if Devos is
tough customer to settle up old scores with
I'm tougher!"
Things did not go on better between the
young men after this, and even Abe Beamish
awoke at last to the state of affairs between
them.
He's jealous, the blamed IDIOT he said,
scornfully. well! don't want for Huldah
to be put out. Harvestingll be soon over,
and Beresford's time will be up. l did reckon
to keep him through the fall; he's a rare
good sort; but he'd best CO. I'm sorry for it,
but rather than that there should be row
between Huldah and Guarda, he must quit.
I'll say nought about it now; maybe Huldah
might be vexed but when his times up he
must go-worse luck!"
Cant you keep Devos in a better temper,
child?" old Granny Beamsh said to Huldah.
He seems powerfully ill-humored and put
out of late. What's up? Jealous? They
dark chaps is always So 1t will be all right
when you're married, though, but
Married! Huldah's heart grew cold, and
she turned away with a sudder. Granny
looked at her curiously, and sighed
''I wish it had been t'other,' she muttered,
thinking of Brian; "but he was too late.''
And she went back to her kitchen.
An open quarrel between Brian and Devos,
in which Abe was forced to interfere, and
Devos got the worst of it, ensued A peace
was patched up between them, however,
which Abe devoutly trusted would last till
the harvest was safely gathered in, for labor
was scarce, and Brian would be a loss to him
and his place hard to fill.
Brian bore no malice, and was willing
enough, the anger of the moment being over,
to be friends with the American again, but
the wrath of the latter though he strove to
hide it, ranked and smouldered in his breast
Huldah perceived it was so, with feeling
of alarm and uneaSineSS. She knew that
Devos would never be content till he had re-
venged himself on Brian for the supposed
slight he had passed on him, and she watched
him with an anxious eye, and a feeling of
angry suspicion in her heart. She felt certain
that before long he would contrive to wreaR
his vengeance on the hated Britsher-the
man she loved so hopelessly, and for whom,
as she often told herself, she would gladly
lay down her life.
''Beresford's going to Clffville for day or
two" announced Abe one evening, as he, HUI
dah, and Devos sat in the kitchen, the days
work over. You'll lend us a hand again
tomorrow, Guarda-eh? You can put up
here if you will
Devos' eyes sparkled.
Going to Cliffville, just in the midst of
harvesting! A lazy hound!" he cried, scorn-
fully. "Ill be here Abe: but. No I'll not
put up here. When does the beggar return?'
Speak respectfully of Mr.. Beresford be-
fore me, at any rate cried Huldah, angrily
You'd not dare call him a beggar to his
face, and he's no more a beggar than you
are he's a far fined gentleman and
Hush! Quiet, Huldah' cried Uncle Abe.
Your tongue will get you into trouble yet.
child"
Il speak up when hear friend insulted;
why don't you, uncle?"
'Devos don't mean to insult Mr.. Beresford
don't be fool, Hu," replied Uncle Abe.
sharply. Beresford will be back Thursday by
daybreak Devos," he went on turning to
Guarda, whose face was pale with anger
He's had letters and is going into town on
business, or I wouldn't have had him go'
"Oh, it's all one tc me-" returned Devos
sulkily. I'll be here tomorrow, and I'll be
off home now, Abe-and without a word of
farewell to Huldah he departed.
You're laying up rod in pickle for YOUR
self, my girl" said Abe gravely, turning to-
wards the spot where Huldah had been
seated.
But the girl had vanished. Brian was
busily employed in the stables whilst the
foregoing conversation was going on He had
fed the horses, made everything clean and
ship-shape, given an extra polish to Bess'