Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-09-24
CHAPTER I
Granted!

his study. He could not rest any,
where. The money had not been re-,
turned. He had taken out of his
strong box Ezekiel Babb's acknow,
ledgment and promise Of payment, but
he knew that it was so much waste
paper to him. He could not or would
not proceed against the borrower.
Had he not wronged him cruelty by
living with his daughter as if she were
his wife, without having been legally
married to her? Gould he take legal
proceedings for the recovery of his
money, and so bring all the ugly story
to light and publish it to the world
He had let Mr.. Babb have the money
to pacify him. and make some amends
for the wrong ne had done. No! Il
Mr.. Babb did not voluntarily return
the money, Ignatius Jordan foresaw
that it was lost to him, lost to Eve,
and poor Ewes future was unprovided
for. The estate must go to Barbara,
that is, the reyersfOn in the tenure or
it the ready money he had intended
for Eve. Mr.. Jordan felt a bitterness
rise in his heart against Barbara,
whose future was assured, whilst that
Of Eve was not. He would have liked
to leave MorweI to his younger
daughter, but he was not sure that the
Duke would approve of this, and he
was quite sure that Eve was incompe-
tent to manage a farm and dairy
At the time of which we treat, it was
usual for every squire to form a por-
ton Of his own estate, his manor
house was backed with extensive out
buildings for cattle, and his wife and
daughters were not above superin-
tending the dairy. Indeed an ances-
tress Of the author took farm after
farm into her own hands as the leases
fell in, and at last farmed the entire
parish. She died in 1875. The J0r-
dams were not squires, but perpetual
tenants under the Dukes of Bedford,
and had been received by the country
gentry On an equal footing, till Mr.. Jor-
dan compromised his character by his
union with Ewes mother. The estate
of Morweu was a large one for one
man to farm; if the Duke had exacted
a large rent, Of late years Mr.. Jordan
would have fallen into arrears, but
the Duke had not raised his rent at
the last renewal The Dukes were the
most indulgent of landlords.
Mr. Jordan came into the hall. 1t
was the same as it lad been seven
teen years before; the same old clock
was there, ticking III the same tone,
the same scanty furniture Of a few
chairs, the same slate floor. Only the
cradle was no longer to be seen. The
red light smOte into the room just as
it had seventeen years before. There
against the wall it painted a black
cross as it had done seventeen years
age.
Ignatius Jordan looked up over the
great fireplace, Above it hung the
musket he had been cleaning when
Ezekiel Babb entered. 1t had not
been taken down and used since that
day. Seventeen years! 1t was an
age. The little babe that had lain il
the cradle was now a beautiful MARI
ageabIe maiden. Time had made its
mark upon himself. His back was
more bent, his hand more shaky, his
walk less steady a careful, thrifty
man had been converted into an alb
stracted, half-crazed dreamer. Seven
teen years of gnawing care and ceas-
less sorrow! How had he been able
to bear it? Only by the staying wings
of love. Of love for his little Eve-fOr
her child. Without his Eve, her child,
long ago he would have sunk and been
swallowed up, the clouds Of derange-
ment of intellect would have de-
scended on his brain. or his bodily
health would have given way.
Seventeen years ago, on Midsum-
mer-day, there had stood on the little
folding oak table under the window a
umbIer full of china roses, which
were dropping, and had shed their
leaves over the polished. almost black.
table top. They had been picked
some days before by his wife Now.
in the same place stood a glass. and
in Il were roses from the tree, not
dropping. but fresh and glistening.
placed that morning there by her
daughter. His eye sought the clock.
At five o'clock. seventeen years ago,
Ezekiel Babb had come into that hall
through that doorway, and had Dor
rowed his money. The clock told that
the time was ten minutes to five. If
Mr.. Babb did not appear to the hour,
he would abandon the expectation Of
seeing him. He must make journey
Ito BuckfastIeigh over the moor, :
Iong days journey, and seek the de-
faulter. and know the reason why the
loan was not repaid.
He thought of the pocket-book on
the gravel. How came II there? Who
could have brought it? Mr.. Jordan
was too fully impressed with belief in
the supernatural net to suppose it was
dropped at his feet as a warning that
his money was gone.
Nj. Jordan's eyes were fixed on the
clock. The works began TO whir-r.
Then followed the strokes. One-two