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Prency greeted him more kindly than ever, but Eleanor seemed different. She was not as merry, as defiant, or as sympathetic as of old. Sometimes there was a suggestion of old times in her manner, but suddenly the young woman would again become reserved and distant. One evening, when she had begun to rally him about something, and quickly lapsed into a different and languid manner, Bartram said,
"Should you like a different position?" asked Mrs. Prency. "I'm sure it could be had if people knew you wanted it. For instance, I need some one every day for weeks to come to help my daughter and me with our sewing and fitting. There are always so many things to be done as winter approaches. I sometimes feel as if I were chained to my sewing-machine, and have so much to do.
Then he walked to the end of the platform and looked cautiously in the direction of the town. A broad road, crossed by a narrow street, led from the station; into the street the little man hurried, believing himself secure from observation, but just then the door of a coal-yard office opened, and Judge Prency, who had been county judge, and Deacon Quickset emerged.
He never used to be that way when him an' the other young fellers in town used to come down to the hotel an' drink in the big room behind the saloon. Miss Prency got to askin' me questions about him this morning, an' the less I told her the madder she got, an' at last she said somethin' that made me get up an' leave." "What's he ever had to do with you?" asked Mrs.
"How did he seem to take what you said to him?" "I'm afraid, ma'am," said Sam, "that what I said didn't entirely suit him; because when I got through all he said was, 'Pshaw!" Mrs. Prency looked at the shoe through which the needle was rapidly passing back and forth, and finally said, "He hasn't come again, I suppose?" "Oh, yes, ma'am, he has, several times.
If he thinks the Lord is going to take care of him in such unexpected ways, he'll go to loafing and then get back into his old ways." "Didn't the Lord ever help you in any unexpected way, deacon?" asked Judge Prency, who nearly every evening spent a few moments in the post-office lobby. "Why, yes, of course; but, judge, Sam and I aren't exactly the same kind of men, I think you'll allow."
Short as was the time that could elapse before the couple had passed her, it was long enough to show a change in Jane's face, a change so notable that Eleanor whispered, "Did you ever see any one alter looks so quickly?" "Never; but I sha'n't lose any opportunity to see it again," said Mrs. Prency.
"Yes, indeed," murmured Eleanor, who saw, in her mind's eye, a great deal of her work being done without effort of her own. "You sha'n't do it for nothing, however; you shall earn fully as much as you do now. Good day," Mrs. Prency said, as she passed on, and Eleanor gave Jane a nod and a smile. The hotel drudge stood still and looked after the couple with wondering eyes.
Prency, with that young lady that seems to me to be too good to talk to any young man that lives in this town. He is very fond of her, though; nobody can help seein' that." "I suppose he is," said Mrs. Prency, with an embarrassed manner. "Young men have very quick perceptions and correct tastes in matters of that kind, you know."
"Ah, is the shoe done, entirely done? Good. Very much obliged. It's quite as good as Mr. Highgetty himself could have made it. Fifty cents, I believe? Is that satisfactory?" "Quite satisfact'ry, ma'am," said the substitute, as he rose from his bench and removed his hat, which had been on his head during the interview. Mrs. Prency started towards the door, but stopped suddenly and turned back.
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