Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-14

Inc days getting on" he added,
abruptly, rising and turning toward
the window, "and your duck pond
there don't look oyer agreeable Just
now. Who's q good b0atman here.
abouts for if I'm split, I Ican't swim. y
Joe Gorton's Your man." was the
answer; she couldn't tip over If he
tried, couldn't joe"
"Why don't you want till tomorrow,
stranger, if you're afeared o. the wealth.
or { and them clouds over there do
look kinder pesky," said the landlord
of the Lakeside House, turning q prac-
tioal eye on the gray minglipg outlines
of the lake and sky.
"Well, fact is" said the other, 'tI'm
acquainted over in Milham, and, if it's
all the same to you with wink
"I'd rather be there than here; 80, if
you'll hunt up this Joe Wiiat's.his.
name, I'll be obliged" .
The landlord, resenting the wink and
the implied insinuation, opened the
door aud called out, sulki1y, to some
one in the next room !" Marcy, run
down to the water and tell Joe there's
passenger here"
In another minute the house door
closed, and tall, slight girls figure,
with shawl over its head, might have
been seen hurrying down to the. water
side. ~
Joe Gorton, busy about his boat,
heard his name called, and, looking up,
saw the girl Marcy. The sharp Wind
had blown out stray locks of her crisp,
black hair from under the red shawl,
but the hectic in the cheeks, and the
ferverish brightness in the dilated
eyes, were not all the winds work.
She came close to the young boat
man, who raised himself up, facing
her.
"Joe, she said, "there's passen.
ger waiting up to the house :" she laid
her hand on his arm, and glanced eau.
t;e.asly reund before adding, in q whis-
per: "Joe, if once that man reaches
the other side, it's all up with father. -
:. t'What's that, Marcy r. said the
boatman, looking wondSringIy at her.
II tell you I heard it; he'll bring it
home to him, he says so, he's come q
purpose. It's. fathers chance clean
gone if you take him across"
'"Do you mean I should refuse to
take him, Margy2" said Joe, slowly.
"What good would that dot" said
the girl, impatiently. s'Keliy or some
of 'em would take him fast enough :;
what's fathers life against q fare3 No.
it's you must take him, Joe, and then.
if anything happens" sinking her voice
to q meaning whisper, i~nobody but
you and mes the wiser"
Joe started back. .:..s
81 can't help it I" cried the girl pas.
sionatsly, twisting her fingers in the
shawl fringe so that it snapped; "he's
my father, sand;psver was 4 better but
for the drink-yon know, yourself,
everybody says so-,and, If you could
hear that man up there laughing aud
boasting he'll hang him! {! Joe, you'd
ind it hard to keep your'hands Of oi
him but I don't ask you to 30 mrloh
- touch Z finger to him, only, if the
boat turns over he oan'tswim. I hearl
him say 10. aud then fathers saved,
and nobody's tho wiser, for the. best
b0atman that ever was might have an
accident on asqually evening like this. y
." There, there, Marcy, be still, poor
girl, you don't know what you're say
ing" interposed Joe.
"Yes I do" said she passionately :
- never you think that, Joe Gorton. /
tell you it lays with you to save father
or to kill him yes, and me too, for il
they hang him I'll never live over the
day, and that I sweaf, 90 you choose
between us. Hark +" she turned to
listen: ~ can't stay" she pressed
her hand hard on his shoulder, looking
up piteously in his face. "Joe, il you
ever cared for me, save that poor old
man ! " And before he could answer she
was gone, leaving him looking after her
like one in q dream.
The clouds were getting lower and
heavier as the boatman set of with his
passenger.
"Looks as if We should have spell
of weather." said the latter, Rlapcino
from the leaden sky to the leade8
water. Hope you're what they cracked
you up to be, for if got a duck1np hero
I shouldn't find myself again in a
hurry"
=" Well, I'm as good as they'll aver.
age, l reckon, mister-I didn't hear
your name," said Joe, looking up in.
quiringly.
"Peter Groom is my name, and one
I amt ashamed of it'll be pretty we'll
known in these parts by this day week,
I'm thinking" I" and the man smiled a
smile not pleasant to see.
SHOWS that said Joe, anxious to
betray no previous knowledge.
GIVE come. to give evidence in a
trial that's coming off in your country
town. answered Groom, motioning
toward the Milham shore. GIVE trav-
eled nigh five hundred miles on pur-
pose to do it, and I'd travel five hun
dred more if twas needed.
lis it the Sawyer trial you mean "
asked Joe, carelessly. "People have
been saying there ain't evidence
enough to make case, but I 'sposo
then there's something new turned
up2"
II should rather think so; some.
thing that'll make casc'll hold John
Sawyer rs tight ns his coffin."
JCo cIinched his hand on his oar.
He was beginning to understand
Margy's hatred for this man, with his