Viola Gwyn

around to the stable, nigger, and put 'em up. I allowed you'd be delayed some by the bad roads, but I guess you must have got a late start this mornin' from Phin Str

ord to you?" demanded

ything, and so she lays herself out a little. But I want to tell you one thing, Mr. Gwynne, you're not going to find her particularly cordial, as the sayin' is. She's about as stand-offish and unneighbourly as a Kickapoo Indian. But, as I was sayin', I'd like to make

ocery, and I think it would be wise for me to become a little bet

chin and the other gentl

e and all the other women in town. They'll point to you and say to practically nine-tenths of the

would call a teetota

still

wn with a spell of th

'll make a new man o

as brought up," said the doctor, with a professional f

grandmother," explaine

ighty proud of that building. There isn't a finer courthouse in the state of Indiana,-or maybe I'd better say there won't be if it's ever finish

distance below. "Here comes Barry Lapelle,-down there by that clump of sugar trees. He's the most elega

nterrupted Kenneth. "This m

Johnson. The citizens exchan

ent down the river on

ud

ek or so. He must have got off at Attica,-but, no, he couldn't have got here this soon by road. By glor

nded almost anywhere

s on the approa

why? He had business do

That is why he could not ride in with me," said Kenneth, aff

ll's to stud yesterday and-Say, that accounts for him being on her now. You made a good guess, Mr. Gwynne. He must have landed at

to go to thunder if you a

ask him anything,"

run from Lake Erie to the mouth of the Tippecanoe, Mr. Gwynne," said one of the cit

ng man, a grim smile

Grange, and he also suspected that the little steamboat had remained tied up at the landing all night long and well

in to a boy who had come running up from the stable, dismou

, stuck in the mud on this side of the river. You'd think the blame fool would have sense enough to keep well out i

all better after I have had s

eth noticed that his eyes were slightly blurred a

inquired McCormick. "Thought

crossed over to spend the night at Martin Hawk's, the man you saw with me this morning, Mr. Gwynne. He is a hunter down Midd

ps, across the porch and into the tavern,

ell. Plain no-good scalawag. Barry'll find it out some day, and then ma

what became of some mighty good yearlin' colts that used to bel

f her victuals. My wife's the cook, so you needn't look scared. Governor Noble almost died of over-feedin' the last time he was here,-but that wasn't her fault. And my daughters, big and little, seem anxious to get acquainted with the celebrated Kenneth Gwynne. People have been ta

says, Bob," replied the doctor sol

an a day or a day-and-a-half on any baby that's been born here in the last two years. Hope to see you in my store down there, Mr. Gwynne-any time you're passing tha

other cordially. "We didn't know till last fall that he had a son, and

lled it," answered Bugher, the recorder. "I notic

aid Kenneth, from the upper step. "My forebears were Welsh, you see. The manner

ak trees in the side-yard, almost within arm's length of the wall,-they were so close, in fact, that their limbs stretched out over the rough shingle roof, producing in the wind an

e on their weddin'-trip. Generally speaking, it takes about three years for people to get over callin' a girl by her maiden name,-so you needn't think there was anything wrong about George and Edna stayin' here. I wish you could have been here to drive out to the infare at her pa's house two nights after the

e and two of his comely daughters. They were presented to the new guest with due info

in. Job Turner moved out last week, and she took some of the furniture and things over so's you could be sort of at home right away." Observing his start, and the sudden

his agitation, interrupted he

s Rachel C

hel

d his wits,

name before she-before

a street,-that's the one on the other side of the square,-almost to the

th eight or ten "customers," to whom he was introduced by t

s me that your father, in his will, spells your name with a double n and an e, while he spells hers with only one n. He took into consideration the fact that you spelled your name in the new-fangled way, as you say he

n a copy of

fit.' Of course, Viola, by law, is entitled to a share of the estate and it should have been so designated. Judge Wylie says she can contest the will if she so desires, on the ground that she is entitled to as much as you, Mr. Gwynne. But she has decided to

urally led me to conclude that no such person existed. I did no

t matter she didn't know she had a half-brother till t

strange,-exceed

mother die, if it

. My father was a

he war, I

was left with my grandparents when he went off to make his fortune in this new country. It was no

o talk about," said Mr. Bugher, and turned his

hel Carter, to drive her in shame and disgrace from the town, if necessary. Now he found himself confronted by a condition that distressed and perpl

e crushed for life. The whole scheme of life had been changed for him in the twinkling of an eye, as it were. He could not wreak vengeance upon Rachel Carter without destroying Viola Gwyn,-and the mere thought of that caused him to turn

t request for him to come and see her at her mother's house? Was she in trouble? Was she in need of his help? Was she

at he had meant to divulge, he took occasion to inquire into the present attitude of Rachel

you, Mr. Gwynne. She is a strange woman, and a hard one to understand. She fought desperately against your coming here at all. One of her propositions was that she should be allowed to buy your share of the estate, if such a transaction could be arranged, you will remember. You declined to consider it. This was after she withdrew her proposed contest of the will. Then she got certain Crawfordsville men interested in the purchase of your land, and the

me up to the house to see her

as under the impression that she felt about as bitterly toward you as her mother does. In fact, she has said some rather nast

uratively speaking, Mr. Cornell. I am confident she hates me,-but if t

t I believe I would if I were in your place. Maybe she has made up her mind to be friendly, on the surface at least, and as you are bound to meet each other at people's houses, parties, and all such, perhaps it would be better to bury the hatchet. I think you will be quite safe in going up there to-day, so far as Mrs. Gwyn is concerned. She will not appear on the scene, I am confident.

sire to exact

an, Mr. Gwynne. I suspect she is considerably worried about Viola. Your half-sister is being rather assiduously

h, with a short laugh that Mr.

ous," admitted the lawyer, with a dry smile. "The w

moment, reflecting. Then he

. I bear her no grudge,-and after all, she is my sister. Good day, sir