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"No, she's gone off somewheres with some folks Hardwick's sister-in-law has got here. If you want to find her these days, you've got to hunt in some of the swell houses round on the hills." He spoke with bitterness, and Pap nodded comprehendingly; the subject was an old one between them. Then Shade drew from his pocket a letter and prepared to read it once more to the older man. "Whar's Johnnie?"
And at that moment Johnnie heard Mavity Bence's voice replying to her. "Aunt Mavity," she began, "this is Johnnie. I'm up at Mr. Hardwick's now. Uncle Pros is out in the mountains, and I'm going to look for him. I'd rather not have anybody know I'm gone; do you understand that? Try to keep it from the boarders and the children. You and Mandy are the only ones that would have to know."
Buckheath stood gazing at her sarcastically. "Come on," he ordered, as she held back, lingering. "They ain't no good in you hangin' 'round here. That was Mr. Gray Stoddard, and the lady he's beauin' is Miss Lydia Sessions, Mr. Hardwick's sister-in-law. He's for such as her not for you. He's the boss of the bosses down at Cottonville. No use of you lookin' at him."
Hardwick's emphasis could not be mistaken, and Squire Clamp was a little uneasy. "Oh, yes, Mr. Hardwick," he replied, "all the town knows of your practical religion." Then turning to Mark, he said, blandly, "So you came home yesterday. How long do you propose to stay?" The young man never had the best control of his temper, and it was now rapidly coming up to the boiling-point. "Mr.
An' next time we come past with the teams we seen Dave's horse hangin' up outside Mrs Hardwick's, an' we went some miles further along the road an' camped in a new place where we'd be more comfortable. An' ever arter that we used to always whip up an' drive past her place as if we didn't know her.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" said Miss Jennie, also pausing on the stairs. "Is it so serious as all that?" "Indeed it is, mum, an' we none of us know where we're standin', at all, at all." The porter led the way to Mr. Hardwick's room, and announced the visitor. "Ask her to come in," she heard the editor say, and the next instant the porter left them alone together.
Miss Baxter opened the door softly and entered. She found the room not too brilliantly lighted, containing a table and several chairs. The door to the right hand, which doubtless led into the waiting-room, where the dozen men were patiently sitting, was closed. The opposite door, which led into Mr. Hardwick's office, was partly open.
Kinloch began to become interested. "Squire Clamp!" she exclaimed, "when did you see him?" "He called here yesterday evening, on his way to Mr. Hardwick's, I guess." "Why didn't he ask me if you could go? I think he's pretty free to send my girls about the town on his errands." "You were out, Ma'am, in the next house; and after he'd gone I forgot it." "You remembered it to-day, it seems."
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