St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-02-07

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"Of course [ did, sir. I saw it wa
going to the same address as one O.
the others, SO I just slipped it int.
the big envelope with the notice, t,
save that much postage" Samue
was a Jealous youth, who had the in
terests of the company at heart.
"Oh, you did, did you?" cried Alb
bott, rising to his feet. what in thu
name Of" He stopped, being accus
toned to control himself. "Get bacl
to your work now, Samuel, and here
after when tell you to mail letter
just do it in the usual way without
any improvements of your own"
Abbott paced the floor. For Miss
Hayden to receive from him per
emptory notice that he would shut
eff the supply of gas unless she pai6
the bill, and at the same time dec
laration of love, was terrible, and al
so ridiculous. His vicious chewing OF
the end of his cigar was interrupted
by short laughs of scorn at himself
for permitting such a thing to hap
pen. If he could only get that let
ter back!
He knew the postman would never
give it up to him. He thought OF
waylaying him, and smiled grimly at
the idea of the secretary of the
Evans City Consolidated Gas COM
pany turning highwayman and rob-
bling the mails.
He glanced at his watch and made
a hasty calculation. 1t was four min
utes past three. There was three
o'clock delivery and the letter was
probably in it. But Miss Hayden was
not yet home from school. The ses-
sion was over at three o'clock, to be
sure, but what conscientious teach
er had no unruly boys to keep in, nor
other after-school duties to perform?
Abbott decided that she would not
be home before $3.50, at the earliest.
It would take him about Is minutes
to reach her house. This would give
him at least ten minutes grace in
which to bride the maid, to obtain
possession Of that letter by hook or
by crook, and get away unseen by
the mistress of the house. The en-
velope was fortunately stamped with
the compaDy's name, which would be
a help to him. He felt that his
chances for success were good, after
all, but there was that contingency,
appalling to contemplate, that Miss
Hayden might be at home with his
two communications in her posses
sion. He dismissed from his mind
as hastily as possible the thought
of meeting her under these circum-
stances.
eyes, sir, she's just come home
from school," said the Irish girl,
cheerily, in reply to Abbott's anx-
ious query. ''Come right in and I'll
tell her you're here"
From his seat on the edge of the
parlor chair the young man gazed
distractedly at the unsympathetic
furniture and the unresponsive BRIG
a-brac. If he could only get out Of
here some way? How could he face
her? The clock licked loudly, with
no regard for his state of mind, and
every tick was hurrying on the Or
deal. He frowned at the clock, and
as he did so it's tick suddenly seemed
to have become a voice of succor,
for it had called his attention to a
familiar-looking envelope lying be-
side the clock on the mantlepiece.
In three strides he was across the
room and was clutching that letter
in an eager grip. He had just time
to thrust it into his pocket before
he heard her footstep on the stairs.
Red and agitated he took her e1-
tended hand.
IL beg your pardon, Miss Hay
den. I'm glad to see you. I
thought would drop in to see if you
wouldn't-if you wouldn't take a
walk, that is, ride. I am feeling b
little worn out, you know, and trip
to the park occurred to me as
bracer. Won't you come, too?"
Miss Hayden's blue eyes were fixed
upon him wonderingly for an instant.
1t seemed to her a little odd that an
active business man should be want
ing to go to the park at this time.
And then she couldn't understand his
"Why, you see, my father" she
began, doubtfully. Then she remem-
bered that her father had noticed
the paleness of her cheeks, and had
advised her several times to do this
very thing-to take afternoon rides
to the park.
''Why, yes, think it would be de-
lightful,'' she exclaimed with touch
of enthusiasm in her voice. cit is |
such a beautiful afternoon. I am
very glad to get away from the hum
drum cares of life, now and then, and
it's very good of you to ask me-"
'Not at ALL" answered Abbott, ear
nestly.
After Miss Hayden had adjusted |
her hat she went to the foot of the |
stairs and called out:
katy, I thought you said there
was a letter here for me. / don't
see it,
TITS right on the mantlepiece, by
he clock, ma am" came katy's voice
rom above. "Why, no, it isn't,
Katy"
ut must be, ma'am," insisted Katy.
The postman gave it to me not tin
minutes ago. and put it there with
ne own hands,"
Katy came down stairs, and Abbott,
emotions such as he
imagined must be those of the anna
eur sneak thief, made feint at
lillinc in the search for the lost let