Mark Manning's Mission

was plainly furnished, but looked comfortable. His mother was a pleasant looking woman o

r than usual, Mar

id an errand for old Anthony, who is la

I hope he w

e, he probab

him, Mark? You have

h a smile, as he drew from his pocke

you say

honestly by that money,"

s what you mean, mother. I couldn't very

here did the m

charge of it, as I shall need to be buying thing

f it, Mark, as, if you lost it,

e than with the owner. If any dishonest person should enter his

ortunate, as the old ma

ng that Lyman Taylor might still be in the village, h

her, as she was setting the supper table, "th

k, startled. "That wou

others to

nts open, but there is absolutely nothing, unl

on Miller may

n I would work for. He

ouldn't expect you t

orty-five dollars, and woul

How can you owe the dea

but he cla

his mother the

it," he concluded, "but I think he'

erious trouble," said Mrs. Manning, lookin

for the damage someb

es out that yo

poil my appetite for supper. I've got

as taken away

other; it will

ural to me, Mark. I've seen mor

till supper i

rd at the door, and John Downie entered. He w

" said Mark, "won't y

d some. Have you heard ab

her?" asked

ow old

s,

ental discharge of a gun, and I g

t her?" asked Mark,

he deacon doesn't

was

the pasture, when James, in handling his gun awkwardl

u know it

I was in the next f

e boys

d away as fast a

laimed Mark, rising and shaki

mp?" asked John

e deacon charges me with shooting the cow

. "But what makes him th

iefly e

ly James Collins would not perm

at's just what he would do, I fee

t mean enough to do

llins is abundantly able to pay for

ld ever have paid so lar

to, mother, that

n coming!" exclaim

ll you when you're wanted. We'll have some fun. Mother, d

d. Mrs. Manning admitted him, and

well, deacon?"

ten a source of trouble," and here the deacon glanced sharply

but I am thankful that Mark

w. Your son has shot my most valuable cow, old Whitey, and I regret to say, widder, that he'll have to mak

shot your cow?" a

din' by the cow with his gun in his hand. T

to say to thi

is mistaken. I did

Manning. I don't want to be hard on a poor widder, bu

" said Mark, "but

be nat'ral for cows to commit suicide, but I never saw one do it as fa