The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-05
Chapter II.-Bax's Farm.
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL

George Hardy and Miss Julia Arm
strong sat down to supper at the little
round table; Bax lurked as il he would
walt; Hardy said they could manage very
well without him, and the pair fell to.
The window was open, and all the rich,
decaying perfumes Of the autumn even
ing fioated into the atmosphere, and
swetened it with the incense Of the
night.
Hardy looked at his companion, and
felt again the delight he used to take
IN the contemplation OF her shape The
same old suggestion was in her-that Of
the viVandiere. But why? He could not
have explained, and neither can l. Every
movement was full of beauty and
piquancy, and she wore her hair parted
little on one side
rs your bedroom comfortable?" asked
Hardy
"A sweet, old fashioned little room,"
she said, and the beds a four poster.
It has curtain rings and If 1 tremble
in bed they Will rattle, and l shall think
1t the death tick, which l hate to hear.
VIII that sofa make a comfortable bed
for yOu?"
You are asking a sailor that ques-
tion," he answered. II would be glad
to carry it to sea with me, and sleep
all around the world in it. Have you
written a farewell letter to your faith
er?''
mo; I have left him as spirit might,
In utter silence. His wife will not let
him trouble himself When the time
comes for locking up the bolt will be
shot, and he will fill his pipe and
I'LL his glass, and say to his wife that
he Is afraid there is some truth in the
story that Mr.. Gubins was telling him
about Miss Corrhower and the Congre-
gational minister. That is the sort OF
interest he will take in my not turning
up"
She frowned and put down her knife,
fork, and seemed as If she did not mean
to go on eating. Hardy poured out
glass Of fTothing ale. 1t was a fine
sparkling ale, better than champagne,
and looked an elegant drink, fit for red
lips in the thin glass it brimmed with
foam. She took it and drank.
1T is hard for any girl to be in want"
said Hardy; but there Is no distress to
equal that Of the lady who is in poverty.
What, in Gods name, can she do? She
Is not wanted in the kitchen, and if
were she 1 would rather sell matches
than be q governess."
1T is the well-to-do lady who makes
1t hard for the poor lady," exclaimed
the girl. Two years ago 1 got situa-
ton as nurse to attend an aged sick
woman-she was eighty. She lived with
d Iduy. lou WOulQ Iul11h lIllS person
would have known how to treat the
daughter of an officer in the army, who
was too poor to maintain her as a lady
Mr.. Hardy, she used to call me Arm
strong, as thougheI was her housemaid
/ had my meals separate. When they
went away for a change l was not good
enough to sit in the carriage; they
made me sit on the box, and the COACH
man, in the genial manner of the news,
asked me If l was the new maid, and
If my name was Jemlma. When we ar
rived the lady told me I must not sit
with them If company came as my
presence might be objected to. / went to
my bedroom and kept in 1t till l was
called out. and thcn returned to It,"
''It is time you cleared out" said
Hardy. THE soft hearts seem to be
found at sea nowadays; at all events,
they are not so scarce there as fresh
eggs" said he. helping himself. your
intentions are to get abroad and seek a
berth abroad. I should like to read the
map of them. You have saved ct odd,