The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-24

master, was too busy catching the leath-
ern mail bags tossed him from the train,
to notice handsome, middle-aged wom-
an who alighted from 1t, and was driven
away rapidly at Walters side through the
rain: Mrs. Clark, who lived near the sta
tion, mentioned next morning that She
had heard the voices of strangers passing
her home the night before: but beyond
this no one knew for a week that Har-
riet Macomber had returned to her old
home. When at last 1t was noised abroad,
and Mrs. Parks had hinted that she
knew it all the time. and Mary had pro-
tested demurely that there was no reason
why she should be expected to hear Of 1t,
and the old story had been revived at
the sewing society and the postoffice,
speculation turned upon Job; how would
he find 1t out? He was not working for
any Of the farmers just now, being too
slow for employment on the tobacco har-
vest. He had seemed to the Smiths
weary and sunken-eyed of late, and found
enough to do in potterlng over his onion
crop and patching the schoolhouse roof
with a shingle here and there. People
were not SO much concerned with him as
with the return Of their old neighbor,
and her reputed prosperity In worldly
goods. Startling tales went abroad as to
the furnishings Of the little house, and
ladies talked of calling. Mr.. and Mrs.
OIuIiA were the urSC VlSlt0rS Cnere- f1ar-
riets abode was three miles out The
hill was a steep smooth pull followed by
windings and twistings upward through
the woods for mile or more with the
plash of a stream far below somewhere
out of sight, then open pastures and dis
tant farms, and last turn coming out
Unexpectedly by small brown house
with long vine-covered porch running
back against the hillside.
OF a
wholesome beauty, even with threads Of
gray in her dark hair. Her visitors were
made cordially welcome
Il was hoping you'd come up soon, she
said, heartily. 1T has seemed rather lone
some this first week. 1t seems as if there'd
been a good many changes since I've been
gone, and 1 don't feel like going among
people, somehow. ou know lived hero
as girl, and there are good many old
Il know assented the minister's WIFE,
softly
But you must see how nice we look in
side. pursued Harriet. Come in and let
me show you what a lot of room there
is in the house, for all it looks so little"
She led the way into a comfortably fur
nished sitting room. with hints of mod
ern city luxury. Then she opened anoth-
er door.
his ISL nuCh ike a country pdIlOT,
Is it?'' she asked with subdued pride
IT should think not!' Mr.. Smith ex-
claimed The low, broad room was fur
nished with easy chairs, rugs, and ma
hogany library table heaped with perl
odicals; but the principal feature was its
actual lining Of bookshelves, displaying
a library such as Bickford had never seen.
Harriet stood gazing at it with triumph
In her eyes. Mrs. Smith slipped away, and
her husband was left alone with their
hostess.
DO you understand" she said In n
low voice. This was my brothers libra
~. thought I'd have to sell 1t, but when
1 remembered how Job enjoyed reading,
I Just thought I'd have the books here.
on the chance that we might get to be
friends once more. 1t seems as if we
might, doesn't It, without any love-mak-
ing foolishness?"
Two weeks more went by. Job came
down with an attack of rheumatism, and
stayed at home through rainy time But
finally there came week of clear wealth
err and one afternoon Mr.. Smith took Job
for a drive. With Nanno on his knee,
the latter scarcely realized where he was
going till they began to climb the hill
road. Then he suddenly exclaimed:
why. 1 amt been this way for nigh
twenty years! i
"What?" cried the astonished minister
mot three miles from home?"
''I come over" the other said slowly, as
if trying to remember to help raise
barn-beyond. That's the only time since
I was a young feller. -
Job" Mr. Smith began with desperate
suddenness, listen; I know all about
that old trouble. You thought 1t was
dead and buried, butsyou were mistaken,
and the time has come to make you
understand that you wVonged Harriet
Macomber grieveusly. The man you saw
her driving with twenty years ago was
a cousin, younger than she, whom she
had never seen before, and never. set eyes
on again till he had been long married.
If you had let her say ten words In eX-
planation, your whole life and hers might
have been different"
Silence descended upon them suddenly,
as the horse, reaching a break in the ac-
cent stopped short and nibbled at
hanging chestnut leaf Jobs face was
flushed as if anger had been his in
stinctive emotion; his mouth betrayed a
gentler impulse. Nanno, .dissecting a pur-
pie aster, began singing softly to herself.
Then as they started on, Job said:
What's the use Of telling me that
now?"
Gould it ever be too late for you to 90
her justice?" asked her friend. IT blame
Harriet too. She ought to have insisted
upon your knowing the TRUTH
She knew me too well, 1 s'pose," and
Jobs voice was hollow. She could tell
from my actions that 1 want goln' to
make no kind of husband. Pve thought
of that. I've gene over 1t a good many
times, even lately. Then, again, L think
if she cared, why didn't she speak in
spite O. rIe?'
Should she have no pride?" asked the
minister again, sternlye
They We're coming out of the woods
among the hilltops; brown, bare SUBMITS,
with clumps of sweet fern, bathed in
warmth and ready to give out their spicy
odors; masses of scarlet sumach; late