The Wind Before the Dawn

d it. Anxious to begin as she expected to hold out, and to form regular ha

s fact was the subject of much thought. This faultless manner of dismissing unpleasant things stood out in strong contrast to the endless and tiresome discussions to which the girl was accustomed. Elizabeth wished she could find time to run over to Uncle Nate's for a chat with Aunt Susan, but the busy day absorbed her and there was no time to go anywhere; in fact, it was time for John to come home from Colebyvi

until she heard him talking to his mother in the dining room. With freshly co

ort with their conversation when they

was wrong and stopped in the middle of the room

nt back to the kitchen. J

d?" she asked in a whisper. There w

girl-wife had an indistinct feeling that her husband and his mot

aid, passing her and going towar

ter, and she passed in and stood wa

" she queried, una

a drunken row," was the bald statement. "Everybo

ed over to the window and began to drum

fe!" was the astonished exclamation with which E

e rest of his life this time, and we're

try people had little ways of their own for the edification of the vainglorious, and that trim young men in buggies became infinitely more interesting to the scorned when they could be associated with scandal. He soon found that he was the object of much amused discussion and shortly it became evident that they were quite willing that he should know that he was the object of ridicule. Pretending friendship, one of them enlight

t, anyway?" he inquired with ev

nutes ago. Her knees shook under her with collapse. She sat down on the edge of the bed and stammered he

have any fuss exactly. It-it was just the same old thing. I-I begged ma not to make

"What'd you fall out with him for? I never heard of such a thing as a girl

ohn bestowed blame in the on

erself up to sobbing. Luther and Aunt Susan would never be quite convinced that she had done her best to avoid trouble; she even wondered herself if there might not have been some fault in the way she had approached her father. As usual, Elizabeth was concerned with the trouble of others. The whole dreadful t

the room. Seeing her distress, he went over slow

n't be helped. Come on out to the kit

r, but her hungry soul craved comfort beyond her power to contr

FACE IN THE COUNTERPANE A

elaxed sort of way, and patting her

his own pocket handkerchief and wiped her tear-stained face and, a

and his mother could not discuss the topic uppermost in their minds in her presence. The feeling that there wa

mmediately after supper," she said. "I

to-night," was the reply. "I wish you'd qu

ent into the sitting room. The brutality of the answer

John. I don't think you should speak to her in t

. Hunter's remarks, but John

ight. I don't feel as if I eve

er's low "Sh!" and felt

shed Mrs. Hunter went ups

her lips quivered as she said it, she busied herself in taking down her hair to brush for the night. Her sleeves were tight and hind

mbled something he did not understand. He kept his arms about her insistently, and rubbed his chin on her smooth shoulder with a little laugh. She struggled to free herself, but he held her teasingly, and fina

of the necessity of one; he had been moved by the si

ng to begin her married life with any sort of whining or suspicion, so she ended the

, and Mrs. Hunter followed John to the barn and la

se?" his mother asked as they p

ants to move, now that he's got the time. I told him he'd better let me help him before the new hi

you're going as far as Chamberlain's you'd better take Elizabeth over to Mr. Hornby's while you're hitched

he's cut away from these country jakes the better for her, and I'll begin right here and now. I don't intend-never have intended-to have these people tacked to my coat-tail

nasty thing to be mixed up with. Mr. Hunter had never had anything like that happen to him before, and she was devoutly glad they were away out here in Kansas where no one who had ever known them would hear it. Elizabeth would be all the better as a wife if she did not start out by running around too much. I

herself was the subject of their conversation, and her eyes burned with unshed tears. The intimacy between John and his mother seemed so m

hings I can't help-and-and have him cross, and everything?" She ended with a little shuddering cry, and buried her head in the kitchen towel and gave up to the tears which,

ith us to-day?" she asked Mrs. Hunter a

Mrs. Hunter answered with

Elizabeth. She looked at John as

I want to get some more cleaning done about that barn before the man comes. T

een accustomed to dictating where John Hunter shou

to-day, if it is Sunday," was all that h

t was a happy day. Gratitude was a large feature of Elizabeth's make-up, and there was something about being in the atmosphere of refinement and beauty which made her accept many little evidences of inattentiveness on the part of her husband. As she helped with the cooking, she was conscious of the difference between the kitchen utensils of this and her own home; as she swept she contrasted the red-and-green ingrain carpet of the sitting room with the worn and ugly rag carpet of her mother's house; as she set the table she reflected that no other house of that community boasted a dining room, and certainly no other young wife could say she had napkins and a white tablecloth every day i

ved to be Jake Ransom, now a man, and ready to do a man's work in his simple station. Jake of course knew f

igh school," he said, extending his calloused hand

ountry pleasantry, and said with genuine good-fellowship, but Mrs. Hunter, who heard it as she turned to the dining room with the coffee pot in her hand, disapproved of th

Mrs. Hunter's, this having the hired man in the room next to her own

and are accorded the privileges of any member of t

your table day after day-always?" his mother ex

sition," John said, stirring the fire in the sitting-roo

rs, and suck their teeth till it makes one sick!" Then happening to look across at Elizab

Elizabeth remembered the scorn of the young teacher in her own childhood for the same offence and reflected that she had been unable to break her family of similar habits. As far as she was concerned, however, the p

er talking and have them drop the conversation when she appeared. She had had many humiliating hours over the disgrace s

yond the time at hand. Each Sunday the excuse fitted the circumstances of that particular day, and he talked of going in a general way as if it were a matter of course that they would go soon. It was clearly the duty of the young couple to make the first visit, and as clearly Nathan Hornby and his wife were waiting for them to do so. Elizabeth was puzzled b

day she left a heavy snow fell. Elizabeth went out into the still yard and let the white flakes

y; "the house is all mine, and now I can go ou

n his scheme of things. John's cribs did not stand open to the weather. Now that Mrs. Hunter was away, Elizabeth spent most of the day going about the place, looking into every bin, and making the acquaintance of each new animal they possessed. Jake was helping Silas and it left the girl plenty of time to explore. The amount of new stock struck her as surprising. Here too she was glad. John was evidently going to be a man of large affairs. Elizabeth had a sudden desire to run over and talk it over with Luther as she had done when she drove out with her affianced husband to buy the calves. She was surprised to see how the little bunch of calves had grown, not only in size but in numbers. The thought of Luther carried her back, as she stood looking over the calf yard, to the matter of visiting Aunt Susan. Of late the feeling had grown strong upon her that Mrs. Hunter had had something to do with John's reluctance to making this visit. The calves ceased to interest her and she wandered slowly back to the house thinking about it. There were so many phases of her domestic affairs to consider: Aunt Susan's right to the evidences of her love and her ina

there to do it, and he never went to the field without filling the reservoir and water pail as well as the coal scuttle and cob basket. He assumed the management of cooking and housework so subtly that the unsophisticated girl saw only his helpfulness; in fact, he had only helpfulness in mind. John had ideas of neatness and order which made of housekeeping a never-ending process, but John himself laboured steadily toward their accomplishment, and he was so

her marriage in October. This would not have disturbed her, for she was not a gi

ad completed his "shanty," and Elizabeth knew by the smoke she could see rising from his chimney that he no longer lived with Aunt Susan; also Elizabeth heard bits of gossip about him from Jake, who had taken a great liking to Luther and often spent his evenings with him. Luther Hansen had come to borrow a scoop shovel when he had shelled his corn, but John had managed to accept

ted; neither had she been able to get her own consent to going the first time to the house of this old friend alone and have Aunt Susan's questioning eyes looking her over for explanations. She was puzzled still, for John usually spoke of her friends with

this week if he's ever

he looked up and saw a bobsl

shing away the little garment on which

his team to the barn, where they would be out of the cutting wind, and bund

she was wanted at the e

izabeth said finally, as she thrust her guest down into a rocking

do-and you--" The sentence stopped

ed up. A soft blush covered her fac

whispered. "Oh, Aunt

seized the opportunity

d bunch of pigs, too. I hope 'e ain't goin' into

hat was to be and that older but childless mother who loved her as her own. Elizabeth, still on her knees, laid her head in Aunt Susan's lap as of old, and Susan Hornby, with every hurt buried, listened to her confessi

doorstep, Elizabeth ran to meet him with the broom and

wanting Aunt Susan so of late. Isn't it

press of welcome, for the old man had no

exactly give one th' impression of pinin' t'

with which he brushed at his boots with extra a

the lane. She hastened to tell her guest that her husband had been some miles to

ut of every line of his face. He made Nathan Hornby so welcome that every sign of displeasure faded from Nathan's countenance. He

s name-oh, yes, Tim-Tim-you know? I ought to know myself since I just signed a note to him. Average

ng, and he applied himself to putting m

e, presumably for their benefit. He had been glad to see them: they had helped him over an awkward announcement. He had not told her he m

s low exclamation of surpri

wondered about it she asked no questions, for Elizabeth Hunter was a woman of

t a'ready, I see," was the

about all the cattle I'll get now. I told Carter I'd take seventeen head of his. He was going to put them up at his sale next week, but I persuaded him to let me

slowly. "Cattle take a lot of cover

'll do for Hansen, now, that ain't got anything to put under cover, but when a man's got anything--" John filled out the sentence with a

word of the conversation had been a stab, b

meant to have told you and I hadn't got to it yet. Nate and

t chair utterly limp. "Sadie C

d as Luther, and she's crazy over him. He'll make her a good husband whether she mak

that the latter was

ed, as much as it was possible

ask for a more rousin' welcome 'n he give us," Nathan said as he watched the forefoot on th

ther," Susan replied hesitatingly. She hardly dare point out the weakness of John, howev

ted me to-but I ain't sure--" Nathan Hornby ceased to speak before his sentence was finished. Elizabeth's neglect had been another nail in the coffin of his friendly trust. Susan had had hard work

as she had always been, whatever there might have been that was unexplainable on the surface. Susan Hornby kne

day before long," she said; "she won

ion from which he was unable to get away. "You think Hunter keeps her

never said that she thought Elizabeth was prevented by John from com

ou didn't see her when she took me into the house. Honestly, Nate, it wa

upted, "I only know he was glad t'

firmly: "He was glad to see us because there was something about t

as could be, an' asked you t' come back 's if you'd been 'is mother. It's s

d up at him

with her-for my sake, Nate. She was

then?" Nathan asked sternly,

hat matter-she looked so worried when I brought it up

season, both endeavoring to solve the problem from their own viewpoint, Nathan full of distrust and suspicion, his wife too well versed in human n

better'n ever, but there's a worried

t never argued. If Susan remained of her first opinion after talking a thing over, Nathan conced

turns out." But as he tried to get himself into that frame of mind he remembered how many days had b

d ground his straggling

d turned into the main road, Joh

as he entered the kitchen where Elizabeth was prepari

wrinkle. She followed her own laborious thi

t riled Mrs. Horn

to answer. To mention the tone in which he had spoken of Lut

what's

-" Elizabeth coul

speaking and picked up the water pail quickly. John

out or not, Elizabeth laid a detaining hand on his arm and s

ad the experience of it. You see, dear, I've had it. It takes the heart out of people. You never get rid of it after you get into it once. You just go on, you get old and quarrelsome-and-and you never ha

consult a woman about every little thing he does, before he

John Hunter's s

be little things when they come to be paid off, dear. Really, you don't know how they will sap you and me later on; they may even take the farm r

nted to get away. He had not come in to talk of this.

shutting out opportunities for business. I'll raise the interest. If I furnish the money I oug

were irritated, Elizabeth laid her paring knife on the kitch

er hand affectionately over his mouth to still the objection he had started to offer. "You think beef cattle will be different, but black-leg gets into a herd of beef cattle just as readily as into the cows and calves, and frosted corn is a liability Kansas farmers always have hanging over a crop. I'm not complaining about the c

atting her face and kissing it many times.

d to his caresses with a sigh. It was useless. She could not fall out with him for the sake o

the impossible and make as much as she could out of the possible. "we'll go o

nk you got me that time," he said, and es

became fretful and for days spoiled the home comfort for which she strove. Elizabeth tried to model their home life after that of Aunt Susan, and leave her husband free to use his own judgment, but this matter of indebtedness was alarming. She knew how slowly money came in on the farm and how impossible it was to raise a mortgage once it was plastered over a piece of land. Already she saw the day of payments, note-renewals, and chattel mortgages staring them in the face. Elizabeth's pride had suffered a fall. She saw the weary years stretch a

o his accustomed irritability, and at last because of the evidences of her pregnant state she ceased to desire it. The winter had not been totally unpleasant. If she did not irritate her husband they were very happy together. John had pleasant little ways about t

n the kitchen table an armful of groceries he ha

dried blackberries

irl, stood at Elizabeth's elbow, and bega

s handing her and went into the sitting

said with an emphasis which show

ight,

ok the fruit to-

. I'll tel

t yourself,"

t she knew that that would not end the discussion the moment it was o

rls never get things right," he said emphatica

as he required. "She can do it just as well as

and he was ready to be pleasant abo

r to have things coming on the table not right when we

e was a garden to keep in order also, besides little chickens to feed and butter to be made. If Elizabeth had said she were sick and had gone to bed, John would have had the doctor come to see her twice as often as necessary, and would h

ed that she would not be cross. The coming child absorbed her mind as much as it absorbed her body. She would not let one hour of discord or inharmony affect its life. Eliza

ght. Elizabeth had been a strong girl, but she was supporting the life of another; she tossed and moaned through the two or three short hours in which she could sleep, and for the rest lay wide-eyed, staring into the darkness, filled with terror at what the

of the stove, stood at the kitchen table rolling out the pie crust. A tear rolled down her cheek.

ou go in an' set down in th' rockin' chai

oked the night before. Reflecting that not much could happen to a pie after getting that far on the road to perfecti

he kitchen and h

ain to-day, and that I told him to bring his wife with him,"

. The next feeling of which she was conscious was an intense distaste to having Sadie in the house with her all day, and this was followed by the thought that John had known that Luther and Sadie were coming since the day before and had said nothing about it to her; but small time

d Luther whic

in Sadie's direction that Elizabeth's heart responded to

woman Luther was setting on her feet. Luther climbed promptly into the high seat fro

or you to send word f

se last ten minutes that either of them was expected. John came and talked to Luther, mounting the spring-seat at his side to ride to the field, but did not look at Eliz

die warmed to the real welcome she was accorded. She stopped beside Elizabeth's coops in the backyard and examined the little groups of begging, downy balls with the animation of a true farmer's wife. Here was something she knew as well as Elizabeth; in fact, when a count was made it was disco

med, and ran to the kitchen, leavin

ed the oven door a cloud of smoke rolled out wh

ver the well-kept kitchen. Something in the tidy order and tasty a

. "Bet she don't put on no airs about me just the same." She looked at the small bookcase below the mantel in a perfect rage of envy. Elizabeth was surrounded by the things which befitted Elizabeth, and Sadie realized as she had never done in their c

ch she was attacked, and she listened to hints and pretended sympathy on the subject of Farnshaw domestic difficulties, of reported debts which John Hunter had contracted, and neighbourhood estimates of the fact of her own secluded manner of life since her marriage, till her head swam and her memory was scorched for many a day. But though her head ached and her knees almost refused to perform their office, Elizabeth remained in the kitche

yes sought his constantly, and when the pie was passed

e on a piece of bread and slid i

rest of this company can survive if he does. I just been a thinkin' as I set here what a stunnin' cook you've got t' be in these

Elizabeth's done pretty well, but mother would have been a great

pared Elizabeth when he saw her confusion by loo

' things is concerned, though she may need more re

little better on the botto

answered her without looking up from the bite he was severing

's laugh rang

die. "She'll be keepin' me out

hint left its rankling point. These same men would harvest for them on the morrow, and as Sadie loo

d th' best of every

owly home. While unhitching, Old Queen nipped angrily at Bob,

git riled. Pore little woman! Not little, neither-but a year ago so young an' glowin' with happiness. Used t' make me think of a bob-white, trottin' up an down these roads s' contented like, an' allus so friendly an' sociable. Looks

d looked back at the wagon, which stood in the same pl

board was t' meet. Pore little woman-she ain't a goslin' any more, an' 'er new fe

ach. Dry-eyed, she sat by the open window in her nightdress, making buttonholes in a tiny slip as she waited. She heard him deposit the basket of cobs beside the kitchen stove, which he never forgot to bring in at night, and by the rattle of the dipper which followed and the chug, chug, chug of the pump knew that he was filling the reservoir. Breakfast on the farm was an early meal and greatly facilitated by small preparations. John never forgot nor neglected his part of the household duties. Elizabeth sighed. John h

minute's thought added, "but you see, dear, the part of the dinner yo