asia, with
emphasis. "I never was on it but an engine gave out, and the cars was
jammed, and it wasn't less than an hour late. And then they're eternally
smashin' folks or runnin' 'em down. You served 'em right when you made
'em pay that Meader man six thousand dollars, and I told Hilary so." She
paused, and stared at Austen fixedly as a thought came into her head.
"You ain't leavin' him because of this trouble, are you, Austen?"

"Phrasie," he said, "I--I don't want to quarrel with him now. I think it
would be easy to quarrel with him."

"You mean him quarrel with you," returned Euphrasia. "I'd like to see
him! If he did, it wouldn't take me long to pack up and leave."

"That's just it. I don't want that to happen. And I've had a longing
to go out and pay a little visit to Jabe up in the hills, and drive his
colts for him. You see," he said, "I've got a kind of affection for the
Judge."

Euphrasia looked at him, and her lips trembled.

"He don't deserve it," she declared, "but I suppose he's your father."

"He can't get out of that," said Austen.

"I'd like to see him try it," said Euphrasia. "Come in soon, Austen,"
she whispered, "come in soon."

She stood on the lawn and watched him as he drove away, and he waved
good-by to her over the hood of the buggy. When he was out of sight she
lifted her head, gave her eyes a vigorous brush with her checked apron,
and went back to her washing.

It was not until Euphrasia had supper on the table that Hilary Vane came
home, and she glanced at him sharply as he took his usual seat. It is
a curious fact that it is possible for two persons to live together for
more than a third of a century, and at the end of that time understand
each other little better than at the beginning. The sole bond between
Euphrasia and Hilary was that of Sarah Austen and her son. Euphrasia
never knew when Hilary was tired, or when he was cold, or hungry, or
cross, although she provided for all these emergencies. Her service to
him was unflagging, but he had never been under the slightest delusion
that it was not an inheritance from his wife. There must have been
some affection between Mr. Vane and his housekeeper, hidden away in the
strong boxes of both but up to the present this was only a theory--not
quite as probable as that about the inhabitants of Mars.

He ate his supper to-night with his usual appetite, which had
always been sparing; and he would have eaten the same amount if the
Northe