The National tribune., 1904-07-07

ton and mbarrassment-"but 1 reckon
yc think only of stickin' to the Cap'n
clear through, don't ye?"
| "Why-why-I love him. joe she said
leaning forward to peer at the old mans
| face in the dusk.
$50 do-so do" lothian replied, hastily
81 like woman that don't whiffie. Ye
said the same thing to me about 40 year
| ago--lO year ago"
silence. Then he arose and limped few
steps painfully.
| Guess I'll be gittn' i'm out of the damp
he said. softly. ''I.heumatiz has to be
humored' --.s.-
She clutched her hands tighter in her
apron.
'Joe." she called.
| "Yes, little woman"
| "Joe. it's-it hain't right to say it, p'raps
it may sound-it would sound light if ye
didn't know me-and I'm an old woman
too. But. Joe, If it want for him who's
my husband, l would jest have to love you.
| for you're always good and gentle to me.
and I'm sorry didn't know you through
and through way back there"
! With a sudden movement she kissed his
wrinkled cheek and went her way to the
women's part. sobbing.
| He touched his finger to his face, then
regarded the fnger-tip gravely.
Its these poplar men who git all the
best there is goin'." he murmured. But
l guess it's too late i'm life for me to begin
to be poplar
A few days later Jotham was sent with
an ak to mend the pasture-fence that
skirted the most distant wOOd-lot. After ne
had clumsily driven the stakes and nailed
up the sagging wire he glanced all about
him furtively, and then feeling secure i'm
his isolation. sat down upon a cradle-knol!
and pulled letter from his worn jacket
"Hain't dared to more'n peek at this
sence | got it," he muttered. Never know
when an eye is over your shoulder up there.
and if l hain't mistook, this is suthin'
strictly private"
tie cast one more searching glance in the
direction Of the poor-farm's roofs and bent
over the letter. 1t was long task for
him to master even the lawyers curt ex-
planation. But at last he understood that
Il widower cousin in distant town had
died and that the only her seemed TO be
| himself. The property was little farm,
stocked. There would be no additional
money to speak of after the debts and legal
expenses were settled.
Jotham mused above the letter a long
time Finally in answer to his thoughts
a queer smile wrinkled under his beard.
Seems rs though it might be cosey
home for two plain old people like me
His whimsical musings were broken
upon. tie heard step Oh the dry moss
As he hastily stuffed the letter into his
jacket he binked up against the sun. After
a time he recognized the man who stood
gazing at him glOomly.
"Cap'n Lowe" he CALCULATED. Thought
you was" -
"No. | hain't in jail" the other said bit
terly. "'Pears like hain't worth keepin
even in County prison. If you've got to
know, the man who put me i'm there got
tired of payin' my board. and so I'm out >
Ills tone grew more gentle. Wal. lothian
it's you, is it? l heard stake-drivin', and
come acrost to see who it was. I've been
hangin' round here callatin' I'd find some
pauper who'd carry word to Oleander for
me-" lie choked bit. "S'pose O. course
she's at the farm still?"
"She's there. Cap'n."
lothian, when We was both a-courtin
handsome Oleander Orr little did we think
we'd meet like this" he walled with the
sudden emotion of weak man. "Oh, my
God, lothian, it's turrble-turrible to think
what I've brought on that woman of mine
Ii only there was some way could make
up to her for what trouble I've visited on
her"
He crouched on the moss. propped hi.
drink-blotched face on his palm and gazed
away across the pasture with the stolidity
Of blind man.
Il don't know what I'm goin' to do now
I'm here" he mourned. ''The law is that
if one of the fam'ly's on the town the res,
can be put there. They'll gafie to me as a
pauper, too. if show myself hain't got
a cent and no way to git one. Poor
wife :"
The two men were silent A long time
Each picked at a moss-tuft that he had
scraped into his rough hand.
"The's this. late though it is, Joe." choked
Lowe at last. "Stayin' in that Jail ali
these weeks has let me know that / donsi
need rum. 1t never was hank'rin' for the
stuff that done it all, May God scar ms
throat from teeth to stomach if eve,
take another drop r.
:. earnestly.