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

tuo W1nuOW, ana your duck POND
there don't look over agreeable just
now. who's good boatman here
abouts Z for if I'm split, Ican't swim. ,
"Joe Gorton's your man" was the
answer; che couldn't tip over if he
tried, couldn't Joe"
"Why don't you wait 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 prac-
tioal eye on the gray mingling outlines
of tho lake and sky.
"Well, fact u.s." said the other, '.I'm
acquainted over in Milham, and, if it's
all the same to you with a wink
I'D rather be there than here; so, if
you'll hunt up this Joe What's-his.
name, I'll be obliged"
The landlord, resenting the wink and
the implied insinuation, opened the
door aud called out, sulkily, to some
one in the next room "Margy, run
down to the water and tell Joe there's
q passenger here"
In another minute the house door
closed, and tall, slight girls figure,
with shawl over it's 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
ti>.usly round before adding, in whis-
por: "Joe, if once that man reaches
the other side, it's all up with father. -
"What's that, Marcy 90 said the
boatman, looking wondorinqly at her.
II tell you I heard it; he'll bring it
home to him, he says 81, he's come a
purpose. It's fathers chance clean
gone if you take him across"
"Do You mean T should refuse to
take him, Margy2" said Joe, slowly.
"Whut good would that doe" said
the girl, impatiently. "Keliy or some
of 'em would take him fast enough ::
what's fathers life against a fare2 No.
it's yoil must take him, Joe, and then.
if anything happens, sinking her voice
to meaning whisper, "nobody but
you and mes the wiser"
Joe started back.
81 can't help it !" cried the girl pas.
sionatsly, twisting her fingers in the
shawl fringe so that it snapped; "he's
my father, and never was a better but
for the drink-you know, yourself.
everybody says so-and, if you could
hear that man up there laughing and
Boosting he'll hang him! Joe, you'd
Ind it hard to keep your hands off oil
him ; but I don't ask you to so much
as touch a finger to him, only, if the
boat turns over he can't swim. 1 heard
him say so, aud then fathers saved,
and nobody's the visor, for the best
boatman that ever was might have an
accident on a squally evening like this. ~
"There, there, Marcy, be still, poor
girl, you don't know what you're say
ing. interposed Joe.
eyes do" said she passionately :
never you think that, Joe Gorton. l
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 swear, so you choose
between us. Hark :" she turned to
listen. 81 can't stay" She pressed
her hand hard on his shoulder, looking
p'piteously in his face. ''Joe. if Won
ever cared for me, save that DOOR old
man And before lie could answer she
WAS gone, leaving him looking after her
like one in dream.
The clouds were getting lower and
heavier as the boatman set off with his
passenger.
Looks rs if we should have a spcll
of weather." said the latter, glancing
from the leadcn sky to the leaden
water. Hope you're what thoy cracked
you up to be, for if got a duck1np here
I shouldn't find myself again in a
hurry"
We'll, I'm as good as they'll aver
age, l reckon, mister-I didn't hear
your name," said Joe, looking up in.
quiringly.
"Pcter Groom is my name, and one
i HlA 1bSuaSulCu "a ~ ~ w pIOCty we'll
known in these parts by this day week,
Pm thinking" and the man smiled II
smile not pleasant to see.
elbows that Z" said Joe, anxious to
betray no previous knowledge.
GIVE como to give evidence in a
trial that's coming off in your country
town." answered Groom, motionine
toward the Milham shore. GIVE trav-
clc'l nigh five hundred miles on pur-
pose to do it, AMI I'd travel five hun
dretl more if twas needed.
Is it the Sawyer trial you mean u
asked Joe, carelessly. "Peoplc have
been saying there uin't evidence
enough to make case, but I 'sposo
then there's something new turned
up?"
II should rather think so; some.
thing that'il make Il casc'll hold john
Sawyer as tight as his coffin"
JIc clinclI"l his hand on hi. oar,
He was beginning to understand
Margy's hatred for this man, with lis