The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-22
CHAPTER III.


no sign.
CHAPTER III.
1t was on the evening of that third day,
the pitiless scourge of the rain having at
last gone flying before the onset Of the
sun, that the master-now fallen somewhat
anxious and curious not a little-turned
once more from Emo gates and went down
the Clachan road towards Kilfad. The
| road was deep. The hedges stood drenched
and whipped upon the bitches, a diamond
drop glistening every thorn. Naked
and gaunt rose the trees from rain
blanched ields-helds all sodden and dank.
the grass upon them blue and beaten, the
rushes dropping YEARLY, the hills shone,
the valleys smoked in the sunshine, the
lake glistened; over there not a mile away,
you might think. stood the mountain, its
face bright with a promise Of coming rain.
Rain? 1t was always raining. thought the
| master. Spring? 1t was never coming
never-never. Look at the fields, the road,
the floods; see the horizon bursting with
| rain; look at the world lying there in the
sun, drowned in the eternal deluge All, 1t
was weary and hopeless, thought the mas
ter, heart-breaking and hopeless; so that
| mood of gloom lying black upon him went
through the plantation, and between the
willows. and across the rushy bottom, and
| down the slope along the path that led
to the Jordans' cottage. And as he went,
down beneath the burden Of his gloom
| crept the haunting thought: What did
Henry do? What did Henry do?
Nothing moved about the house; nothing
but the smoke above the chimney and the
fowls upon the street. The door was open;
by the threshold stood a pot and basket;
beneath the kitchen window Henry's bill
hook lay rusting on the chopping block.
The billhook! Hurriedly and with some
thing like dread in his heart, the master
scattered the chickens and strobe for the
| door.
"Hullo, Any one at homer" No answer.
Henry! Henry! Are you there, Henry?"
Still no answer. The master stepped to
the doorway, stopped, peered through the
smoke: saw In minute, Henry by the
| hearth and the children round him. and
he feeding them from pot with their
| supper of porridge and milk. And seeing
him the master was glad; and he under
stood, and drew back. and waited patiently
| by the doorway, listening to the clink of
| the spoon and bowl and idly watching the
sky. Nor did the world seem altogether
blank as he stood there. nor the spring al
together hopeless. For Henry's deeds.
said he within himself, had not been des-
perate.
Presently the stools clattered back from
within, the children found their voices;
across the floor Henry came dumping and
issued from the smoke. He was bare
headed. His shirt sleeves were rolled to
the elbows. Neck and chest were bare.
His trousers were strapped about his
knees, and naked feet showed within his
unlaced boots. There was an ugly cut
above one eyebrow; one eye was blackened;
his face, neck, chest were scratched and
bruised. He looked flushed and hot;-
little ashamed Of his appearance.
well, Henry
Good evinin', SIR
Its bad weather"
1.-THE very worst"
"All well?"
"Ah yis-ivirything. thank Cod
All this was pure trifiing. beating for the
hare. The master turned.
How are you. Henry?"
law, the best" Henry coughed. Sure
/ can't complain"
well. you don't look the best" The
master eyed Henry's face and neck. HAS
anything happened?"
"Ah. no. Henry paused. "Ah. no." he
said again; ''sorra a thing"
The master stood looking toward Emo.
Henry leant a shoulder against the door
post and stood rubbing his chin Neither
spoke for minute; then. said the master:
rs Ellen inside?'
"She's not"
Where is she?'
"She's gone-gone to see some one"
Henry was lying and the master knew
it. Why was he lying?
MIN. 1 know" The master paused.
what did you do the other day. Henry,
when 1 sent you homer"
dor" Henry stared. DO said he.
what would we have me do?'
The master looked narrowly at him;
laughed: then stopped and brought the
rusty billhook from the chopping block.
Look here, Henry" said he; II sent
you home with this and told you to do
your duty Did you do it?" Still Henry
stared. Ibid your" repeated the master.
Whats that?" came back; do what?"
did you use this"-the master raised
the biilhook-"on the man you found in
there?" He nodded towards the doorway:
waited minute for Henry's answer:
turned and stood the billhook by the wall.
You weren't man enough to do 1t. Henry.
I'm thinking" he said. and stood wiping
the wet from his hands on his coat tails.
Henry stood deep In thought. stolid. In
ucrutable as ever; then raised his eyes,