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Show HI('JIAfW IWltOIS. ? c looked witl1 some curiusity at her couch, l10wcver; but for nn mst11nt only. His regards t hat night were for l1er fnthcr only . "Ali, J=»ickctt," .c;aid l1c with nn nir of jocularity on entering, u !1ow goes it 1 How docs tho world usc you now-a-days 1 How d'yc do, Dirs. Pickett? And Jane-how is Janc1'' "I'm well, sir, I'm quite well, 1\Ir. John," was the quick response of the poor innocent in the comer, wlwm everybody thought asleep. 'l'hc answers of Pickett and his wife were not so }Jr~mpt. 'l'hat of ~l1c fom1cr was somew hat surly, that of the WJ!'C slo~v. A bnef formal dialogue jJHSseU between the }larty: 111 wh1ch Jolm llm·Jis spoke with infin ite good lmmol'. lie tl1d not seem to l1ced the coldness of his host and 11ostcss. an_d a ll trac?s of his late anger l1ad passed cflCctually from hi~ Vo1ce and v1sagc. llis only concern seemed now to conciliate those wl1om he sougl1 t, and it docs not tnkc long for the rich man to make the poor and tl1e inferior un bend . ln a. little time J ohn llm·dis had tlie satisfaction to sec the hostess smil e, Hnd to hear a broken and surly clmckie of rcturnin ,.,.. good-nature from tile.lips of. Picket~. Tile preliminary diflicl~ty was 0\'Cr; and makmg a s1gn to P1ckctt, while his wifC's back was turned, t l,1c g_u~st lc~ the way .to the doo1· bidding the latter good-nig- li t. r:l!Jc 1cl1ot gu·l half nuscd herself in the bed and answered for the motiler. "Good-night, U r. John, good-night, J\Ir. John." P ickett follon·ed Hurd is to the door, and the two went forth together. '~'hey soon buried t.hcmselvcs in the tl1ick cover of the neighbormg wood, when J ohn Hunlis1 who had led the way, turned and confronted l1is companion. "'Yell, 'squirC,'' said P ickett with abrupt familiarity, "I sec yon have work for me. 'Vhat's t he mischief to-nigl1 t 1" "You arc right. I ha\'c work for you, and mischief. "\Vill you do it 1" "If it suits me. You know I'm 110t very nice. Let's hear the kind of work, and then tho pay that I'm to get for doing it 'fore I answer." ' 41 Richard Hurd is goes for tbc 'Nation' to-morrow," said John in a lower tone of voice. "Well, you're glad to get rid of him, I suppose. He's ou~ OUJL'I'Y P RACT I CI~. 85 out of your wny now. l wish I could be certain that he was out of mine." "You c:ln mnke it certain." "][ow '!" "'Tis that 1 c:unc about. He goes to the 'Nation,' on some wild goose chase; not tlmt he wishes to go, but because he thinks that M:try Enstorby is fond of me." "So; the thing work s, docs it?" ".Ay, but docs not work for me, though it may work against him. I have succeeded in making them misunderstand each other, but I lu:wc not yet been successful in convincing her that I nm the only proper person for her. You know my feeling on that subject, it is enough tlult she declines my offer." "'V ell, wl11tt then arc you to do 7" "'l'hat troubles mo. She declines me simply because she ]lrcfers him." "llut you say she has no l10pc of him. Sl1c thinks he loves nnothcr." "Yes! l3ut that docs not altogether make her hopeless. H ope is a thing not killed so easily; and when women love, they cling to their object even when they behold it in tl~e arms of another. The love lives, in spite of them, though, 111 most cases, they hm·e the cunn ing to concca.l it. .M_ary Eastcrby would not give up the hope of lu1Ying Richard Hurd is, so long as she could lay eyes on him, and they are both single." "Perhaps you're right; and yet, if Richard drives for the 'Nation' she' ll lose sight of him, and then--" "Will he not return 1" replied the other sternly :tnd gloomily. "'Vho shall keep him away 1 'l'he discontent that drives him now will bring him back. lie goes because l1e believes that she is engaged to me. He ·will come back because he doubts it. He will not sleep until he finds out our deception. 'l'hcy will have an ex planation-lmd he not been blinded by his own passions he would Lave found it out befOre-and then all my labors will have been in vain. It will be my turn to go among the Choctaws." "1Vcll-but, 'squire, while he's off and out of sight, can't you get her to marry you and hnvc done with it 1" saitl Pickett. "Not e:tsily; and if I could, what would it avail 7 Loving |