The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-10
BY GERTRUDE SMITH.
Copyright, 1895. by Gertrude Smith.

DO TWO ears to your one. pa
Averilla answered, catching up an ear
or its husks. Now, you finish the rest
and bring them in" She picked up the
half dozen ears already husked and
started toward the house.
Who is that Just come in sight across
the prairie there?" Mr.. Starry asked.
There was slight drawl in his tone.
Averilla stopped. shading her eyes
with her hand. The interest of a pass
ing wagon was sufficient to arrest even
her concentrated energy. The prairie
on this side of the house was unbroken.
stretching away for miles in soft I'M
dulationS of color To the north and
east unfenced fields of grain joined 9TH
er fields, and white farmhOuses showed
here and there.
1T isn't John Conant. is it?'' Mr.
Starry asked.
Yes. that is just who il is Aver
illa's hand dropped at her side. And
now look here, pa. don't you ask him
to stay to dinner"
why. you wouldn't want him to
come and go just dinner time, would
you. Averilia?'
He hasn't any business coming over
here TO dinner on week days. l guess
there would a lot be done if 1 trapsed
around the country all the time as re
does
Averilla disappeared within the house.
Mrs. Starry came to the door after a
moment. She had a bandage around
her head and her face looked out white
and pathetic.
You better do as Averilla says. pa.
l think myself it looks reasonable peO-
pie should call John lazy. finding time
to come way over here every other
day"
Il didn't know they had quarreled."
She told him not to come through
the week. 1 think myself Sundays
quite enough"
And all he's coming for is TO show
me he can, and I'll show him he can't,
said Averilla from within.
He handed her the ears of corn he
had finished husking, went on to the
barn and climbed the ladder to the
hay NOW began pitching down hay for
the horses.
John Conant whistled loudly as he
unbuckled the harness and led his
horses into the barn. He tied them in
the two empty stalls and went back
and forth giving them their measure of
oats
MIR. Starry crept into the shadows of
the NOV. He knew that the managers
were empty of hay, and that John
would next climb into the NOW for hay
to fill them.
The young man stood in the barn door
looking towards the closed house. n
peculiar smile played about his mouth.
Mr.. Starry, you're going to pitch
some hay down for my horses, amt
yOu?" he called out cheerily.
Mr.. Starry slowly crawled out of his
retreat.
Good growing weather, isn't it?" the
young man called again.
Good working weather. too Mr..
Starry answered gruffiy as he tossed
down the hay
20. you. don't say so? Wait till you
near what I've come over to tell you.
You'll say luck follows them that don't
work"
Mr. Starry backed himself out of the
NOW and down the ladder. John Conant
stood waiting to meet him with a
broad smile. Disturbance in the
house?" he inquired with a knowing
nod.
Il guess you know as much about it
as | do Mr.. Starry answered
We'll. it will all be serene when tell
Averilla what I've come over to tell
her Now, look here. father Starry, you
don't want to let that small pepper pod
walk over you. / like her pluck and
go as much as you do, that's why |
took to her, but. by George, she can't
run the earth"
You seem to have come with the idea
of stopping a spell"
That's the size of it, L don't seem
about to run. do To-
Il hope you'll get in and enjoy your
self: that's all l can say
They stood in the barn door and
talked uneasily of the crops and the
weather. Mrs. Starry came TO the
kitchen window.
Pa, Averilla says you're to come
right TO dinner"
John Conant laughed boisterously.
Come along; I'll see you don't get
hurt" he said. I've got more to settle |
with Averilla than l thought. She'll be !
ashamed of herself when she |
knows what I've come over TO tell her"
Averilla was standing by the stove
taking up the sweet corn. A cloud of
steam enveloped her. She did not turn
her head as her father and lover en-
tered the room.
You see 1 wasn't afraid to come in
If 1 wasn't asked" John said, going |
toward her.
Averilla clacked the cover of the !
tureen over the corn. You know what !
l told you,' she answered without /
looking around.
Yes, and you know what | told you,
but all that will pass when You hear
the news"
Il don't care anything about your
news. You went off mad the other
night because l said you came here
too much. and made people talk. and l
say it yet. I've got little pride, if
you haven't"
And 1 told you l wasn't to be told
what l could do, You've got that to
learn right from the START
Mr.. Starry stood small ana intimidat-
ed by the young mans side. Averilla,
think before you speak, he faltered.
Averilla put the tureen on the table |
and grasped the back of a chair. We'll. |
you'li find. John Conant." she began,
and then turned and ran out of the
room.
Mrs. Starry rose from her chair. Il
must say, for a person as sick as l am.
this is thoughtful, If you want TO paci-
fy her, you go about it in queer
way"
I'm not wanting to pacify heri" John
Conant answered. sayagely. She's
cen pacifed too often, that's what
ails her"
The three sat down to the dinner
table in silence. Mrs. Starry sighed oc-
casionally and looked aggrieved
You might as well eat your dinner |
before it gets cold.' she said. at last. |
'Averilla won't come down while you
are here"
The young man sat looking darkly at |
the untouched food before him. His |
anger was increasing with every mo-
ment. Suddenly < pushed his plate !
back and sprang to his feet.
We'll. I'll give her the satisfaction |
Of leaving without my dinner, but I'll |
give myself the satisfaction of never |
coming here again. l came over to 1
tell Won that the red stone on nv south |