Pembroke

ent with Charlotte had become an old one in Pembroke, but it had not yet lost its interest. A genuine excitement was so ra

knew how Barnabas Thayer no longer lived at home, and did not sit in his father's pew i

ath evenings an occasional couple, or an inquisitive old man with eyes sharp under white brows, and chin set ah

ead was visible through the window, if Barney Thayer had gone home and yielded to his mother's commands,

ouse advanced not a step beyond its incompleteness, and Barney never was seen at Charlotte Barnard's on a Sabbath night. Once, indeed, there was a rumor

se. "I want to know if it's true that you went over there last n

exclamation. Before long she knew and everybody else knew that the man

ting. He was breathing heavily, and grinning. When he reached Barney he stood

what

r girl; did you

og, but Ephraim was not intimidated. He chuckled with delight and spoke ag

purple hue and that panting breath had gained an armistice for him on many a battle-field, and he had a certa

ted; "he was over there a-courtin' of he

bably. "You mind your own business," Barney said, between his teeth; and right upon

since his brother's threatening advance, kept repeating his one remark, as mocking as the snarl of a

has got-your-girl!" But Barney planted on; his nerves were quivering, the impetus to strike out was so strong in his arms th

young flowers and weeds. "Oh, Charlotte!" he groaned out. "Oh, Charlotte, Charlotte!" Barney began sobbing and crying like a child as he lay there; he moved his arms convulsively, and tore up handfuls of young grass and leaves, and flung them away in the unconscious gesturing of grief. "Oh, I can't, I can't!" he groaned. "I-can't-Charlotte! I can't-let any other man have you! No other man shall have you!" he cried out, fiercely, and flung up his head; "you are mine, mine! I'll kill any other man that touches you!" Barne

with favor in her eyes. But he had no blame for her, nor even any surprise at her want of constancy. He blamed the Lord, for Charlotte as well as

is sake. Of course Charlotte wanted to be married, like other women. This probable desire of Charlotte's for love and marriage in itself, apart from him, thrilled his male fancy with a certain holy awe and respect, from his love for her and utter ignorance of the attitude of womankind. Then, too, he reflected that Thomas Payne would probably make her a good husband. "He can buy her everything she wants," he thought, with a curious mixture of gratulation for her and agony on his own account. He thought of the little bonnets he had meant to buy for her himself, and these details pierced his heart like needles. He sobbed, and the birch-tree quiv

d, somewhere out in the fi

nd he pulled himself up and pushed his way out of the

e, and took up his hoe again. Caleb stood watching him, his eyes irr

hat do y

old man began; then h

heard. Keep it to yourself if you'

b stammered, apologetically. "I d

a wild-cherry tree. He was not feeling very well; his head was dizzy, and

ushed. He watched his son following up his work with dogged energy as if it were an enemy, and his

one trait of character in common with him-at least, not one so translated into his own vernacular that he could compreh

glancing at him. At length he spoke. "You'll get cold if you sit there in t

answered, eagerly. Then he went over to Barney again, and stood near watching him. Barney's hoe clinked on a stone, and

e's s

rother Simeon helped me. It was five year before he got the fever an' died." Caleb looked at his son with anxiou

orked on

t her back again now, away from that Payne fellar," Caleb blurted

of earth high in air

id he, "I don't want to he

id nothin', Barney,

u thought. Keep your

s thought a good

word out of your mou

u don't want me to, Barney; but you know how mothe

and set off across the field. Just before

ter'n you did, f

say, B

etter'n you di

back to Barney; then he paused and stood irresolute, smiling towards him. "I fee

and lay down, and see if you

d voice. And he went on, clambered clumsily over a stone-wall, disappeared behind some t

r her husband. She was a pretty woman, and she had not been married long. She nodded to Barney as she hurried past him, holding up her gay-flowered calico skirt tidily. Her smooth fair hair shone like satin in the sun; she wore a little blue kerchief t

s poor new house, with its fireless chimneys. If all had gone well, he and Charlotte would have been married by this time, and she would have been bestirring herself to get supper for him-perhaps running home from a neighbor's with her sewing as this other woman was doing. All the sweet domestic comfort which he had missed seemed suddenly to toss above his eyes like t

self fitted some glass into the windows of the kitchen and bedroom, and boarded up the others-that was all. He had purchased a few simple bits of furniture, and set up his miserable bachelor house-keeping. Barney w

crumbling, and the whole square looked somewhat flattened. Barney knew at once that his father had saved it from his own supper, had slipped it slyly into his po

lbows on the sill, staring out vacantly. The sun set, and the dusk deepened; the air was loud with birds; there were shouts of children in the distance; gradually these died away, and the stars came out. The wind was damp and sweet; over in

door, and stood there looking at the

ey," said Char

d Barney, and

an say what I want to here," sh

t is it, C

rne

ey w

don't know as I ought to; I don't know but I ought to have more pride. I thought at first I never-could-but a

use talking,

and straight. There was resolution in her carri

d Barney waited, his pale fa

anything like this come between you and m

e talking,

k this is ri

was s

ney caught her in his arms. He held her close, breathing in great pants. He pull

e," he ha

indignation, sounded in his ear. "Barney, y

her hood over her face again and turned to go. "I shall never speak to you about this again," sai

y, Charlotte," Barney

difference to you," s

en I heard about Thomas Payne, I felt

s Payne?" asked C

he was coming

want me to marry Thoma

to be happy,

me to marry T

was s

e," cried

arney, firmly, "if it

u want me to be his wife instead of yours, and go to live wi

get married," Barney said, and

ried to another man? Do

groan that w

yo

ney groaned, as if i

rry Thomas Payne,

s-Charlotte-I can't. You've got to

rry him. Good-night, Barney Thayer

er her, as if against his will