The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19

daughter consider herself engaged to MlSer
March's nephew.
CHAPTER II. =
In the long, low stoop of Abel Beanish's
farm in the western part of Ontario tall,
slight, dark-hared girl stood looking out
over the fields of ripenng wheat (for Onta-
rio was still, in those days, a great wheat
producing country, before competition with
the great Northwest had ruined the grain
producing farms, and caused many of their
owners to turn their fields into pasture lands
again), towards the low hills where,
through gap in the range the shining wa
ters of the great lake were visible.
She was roughly, almost coarsely dressed.
yet not without taste, and certain amount
oe coquetterie. The dark red bodice she wore
suited we'll with her raven black hair, and
the gay flowers she fastened to her waist
belt set off the natural richness of her olive
complexion. Her limbs were strong, we'll
formed and careless1y graceful, and her
.eyes-dark as night-were shaded by curling
black 9lashes and arched by well-marked eye
brows. . . .
She held a riding switch in her hand, and
kept drawing it through her fingers in
dreamy way, whilst her big black eyes were
fixed on the landscape before her with
thoughtful look in them.
''Huldah, Huldah! where are ye? Why are
ye lingering? Come in! The corn cakes are
burning, and the teas been ready this half
hour No good awaiting for your uncle,
yet for Devos Guarda, nor the hired man
your food, child; reckon you're well-nigh
famiShed."
Huldah turned impatently at the CALL and
perceived her grandmother, bent, grey
haired old woman, in faded blue skirt and
grey jacket, with a silk handkerchief tied
over her silver hair, standing at the door of
the parlor. She looked quickly towards the
barn that was half hidden from the house
by a clump of maple trees, then out across
the fields, and then slowly crossed the Stoop
and entered the house.
''Wearying for Devos, eh?" said the old
woman with an amused, mischievous laugh.
There, therei it's haying time, my girl, and
then even sweethearts must wait. He'll come
as soon as the last loads drawn. You bet,
Devos is
Bother Devos, grant" interrupted the girl,
with perplexed toss of her head and flash
from her eyes that revealed the possession
of quick, resentful temper. There are other
fellows after me as good as he, 1 reckon. 1t
isn't for chap like Devos I'll be wearying
nor for any chap, far that goes.
Hark!"-and she started up from the table
at which she had just seated herself-there's
the kettle on again, gran. and I'll get more
plates and things. They'll be tired and
thirsty; it's been powerful hot day."
Mrs. Beamish looked at her granddaughter
in some surprise as she hustled around to
get fresh crockery and more cakes, and filled
the huge teapot with boiling water. Huldah
wasn't much of a help to her in the house
work generally; indeed, when her grandchild
VeXeQ ner, MIS-. B6dmlSn was wont to
she more helpless and useless than an
Irish hired girl, and her sudden anxiety as to
the requirements OF the male portion of the
household their return from the fields
amused her.
However, Devos Guarda, a young Spanish
American, a distant relative Of Huldah's
mother dead years ago. who owned quite
a large tract of land in the neighborhood.
and had courted Hudah for more than year
past was with Abe Beamish that day she
knew, and would of course come into supper
when they quilted work, which she supposed
accounted for it.
Abe Beamish, a tall, thin, but powerfully
built man, with rugged, weather-beaten face
and ragged yellow beard, clad in suit of
blue jean, presently entered, followed not by
the dark swarthy young Spanish American.
but by fair-haired, handsome Englishman.
the hired man, Brian Beresford
Yes, after two years of hard fighting with
fortune and after uselessly expending at
least third of his small fortune. Brian Ber-