Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-05

anu pdit. Mtttlng lef one morning
In the shady lane that led toward the
links, the look on her face grew sud-
denly uncomfortable to him.
Mae" he cried, what have done +?
Are you offended with me?"
NO." cried Mae, startled and miser-
able. NO, of course not"
Then why do you treat me like
this ~
"Ihis?" faltered Mae; then looking
at him she suddenly flushed and with
tears springing hurried away.
Passing on. puzzled and distressed,
around a clump of hazel, he came
upon the pretty widow; she had
heard.
Il am sorry" she said; "oh, wish
could help" Then, hesitatingly,
Perhaps it would be best to tell
you"
ITO tell me what?" sternly.
Joe is jealous of you; see?"
Joe? Joel"
"You never guessed? Why, ii is an
old affair, since school days and pima
fores."
"Joel"
HE has been scolding the poor
child, I suppose, and she is afraid to
be seen with you; or, perhaps" gem
tly, "she doesn't want TO hurt you"
Joel"
Il am so sorry" holding out
plump, soft little hand. so sorryl"
But poor Barnes could only say
"Joe!" The idea, at first incredible
under the bits of evidence that be-
gan to come in, grew past doubt.
BY the time he had reached home a
mountain of proof was throbbing in
his brain. He called himself a bat
and hourly accumulated misery.
/ Treachery, deliberate falsehood, never
occurred TO him.
A perfect day dawned for the golf
play. Old Shucks sat out on his door
stone and gave smiles and blessings
and smoked his pipe, while the gay
groups came with their bundles and
greetings The old man listened keen
~ with head bent, identifying step or
voice and giving a jolly comment or
grunt an to himself as they passed
on TO their game.
dat ar stumble b'long ter Marse
Joe; never could lift his feet, dat
boy
"Marse Barnes? ain like hisself.
Mighty down in de mouf fer Marse
Barnes"
Oars de III wilder. Um; step like
a cat. Um.'
Miss Louise, bossin' de earth. La,
don know Miss Louise!"
"En Miss Sue, trottin' long blind,
totin de left-overs."
"Whar's Miss Mae?" suddenly loud
er. rs gwine miss dat chile?
whar's iii Miss Mae?"
Here, inc shucks."
Somebody throwing bricks at yo'.
honey2 You walk like yo' steppin' on
yo' heart"
"she is quite happy, shueks,' said
Barnes voice beside them, "but she is
afraid of hurting some one if she
shows IT,"
shueks turned his sightless eyes
anxiously from one to the other,
de truf bes'. chile; better hurt
'em den fash 'em. What 70 happy
bout, honey?"
IL don't know" faltered Mae.
"Um. What she happy bout Marse
Barnes?"
1T is her secret-and Joe's."
The old man leaned eagerly 70 catch
her reply, but Macs pretty head was
tilted in indignant silence.
..Marse Barnes" turning broad
smile on him. ''if yo' an Miss Mae
was to go ter de spring an fetch
me drink I'd be mighty thankful;
dat | would"
II must speak to you" Barnes said
as the girl would have turned away
from him. sLet me az least have
your forgiveness" So they went to-
gether down the pretty Hill path, I'M
der the elm and hawthorn and wind
ing through witch hazel 10 the old |
spring,
I'm" grunted Shucks, and filed |
his pipe. the smile still broad on his
face.
Presently the pretty widow came TO
him
"Have you seen" she began. anx-
iouslv. Il mean heard, anything OF
Mr.. Barnes? ?"
.Marse Barnes gone on ter de
links. shamelessly, "wid Miss Sue,
marin. Yes, marm.'
But he shook his grizzled head as
She hurried away. Dat how de eat
inmp.r he mumbled. I'm. Old |
rwine feel a pain in his con-
science bout dat falsifyin' an dat
barrel O. fine -four, um-uh-who dar?
Nlarse Joe? Yo' late at de links,
sar"
II am not going to the links. inc
am hanging about with my
,un. Miss Mae is anxious about your
dickens: she saws a screech owl gets
one every night"
"nat he does. dat he does" indig-
,an,lv; IAN I makes no doubt he's
,appin' up one Oh dem trees dis min