Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-02-04
CHAPTER nj,

A Martinas summer Of Mrs. Henchard's
life set In with her entry into her hus.
bands large house and respectable social
orbit; and II was Us bright as such sum-
mers we'll can be.
TO Elizabeth Jane the time was most
triumphant one. The freedom she expert.
enced. the indulgence with which she was
treated, went beyond her expectations.
The rep0sefuE easy, afiiuent life to which
her mothers marriage had introduced her
was, in truth, the beginning Of q great
change In Elizabeth. She found she could
have nice personal possessions and Orna.
ments for the asking, and. as the medieval
saying puts It, ''Takc, have and Keep, are
pleasant words" With peace OF mind
came development. aud with development
beauty.
Meanwhile the great corn and hay traf-
&c conducted by Henchard throve under
the management Of Donald Earfrae as It
had never thriven before. 1t had former.
. ly moved In jolts; now It went on oiled
casters.
One day, when arrangements were In
progress for getting home corn from one
Of the farms. Elisabeth Jane received
note by hand, asking her to 0bllge the
writer by coming at once to granary on
Dummerford Hill. As this was the gran.
airy whose contents Hcnchard was remOv-
ing, she thought the request had some
thing to do with his business, and pro.
cceded thlther as soon as she had put on
her bonnet. The granary was just within
the farm yard, and stood on stone stad-
dies. high enough for persons to walk un.
der. The gates were open, but nobody
was within. However, she entered and
waited. Presently she saw figure up.
preaching the gate-that Of Donald Far
frac. lie looked up ut tho church clock
and came in. BY some unaccOuntablc
shyness. some wish not to meet him there
alone, she quickly assembled the stcp.lad,
der leading to the granary door. aud en-,
tered 1t before he had seen her.
The situation began to be very awk.
ward, and the longer she waited the more
awkward IL became. To emerge from n
door Just above his head and descend the
ladder, and show she had been In hiding
there, would look so very foolish. that she
still waited on. A winnowing machine
stood close beside her, and to relieve her
suspense she gently moved the handle
whereupon cloud of wheat husks flew
out into her face, and covered her clothes
and bonnet, and stuck into the fur of hcl
victOrine. He must have heard the slight
movement. for he looked up, and then MS
cended the steps.
"Ah-it's Miss Newson," he said as soor
as he could see into the granary. II didn'
know you were there. ! have kept thu
appointment, and am at your service"
"Oh. Mr.. Farfrae," she faitcred: "s'
have I. But ! didn't know II was yol
who wished to see me, otherwise l."
II wished to see you? oh, no-at least
that Is. I am afraid there may be mis-
take"
"Didn't you ask mo to come here
Didn't You write this!" Elizabeth Jan
held out her note.
mo. Indeed. mt no hand would hav
thought of It! And for you-didn't yOl
ask me? This Is not your writings" Ant
he held up his.
ny no means"
"And IL 1t even so! Then it's sOmebOd
wanting to sec us both. Perhaps W
would do well to wait little longer"
Acting on this consideration they llu
gered, Elisabeth James face being al
ranged to an expression Of preternatura
composure, and the young Scot, at ever
footstep In the street without, lOOkin
from under the granary to see II the pass
or were about to enter and declare him
self their summOner. They watched IL
dividusl drops of rain creeping down tn
thateh Of. the opposite riek-strs& cite