Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-08-12
Gales and Skeifbes.


1--WE NO objection to telling you, Ag."
He drummed on the counter uneasily.
however. while she leaned over quite
composedly from the other side. Il
reckon ] am in with Colonel Dingley's
daughter, and shouldn't wonder If she
guessed it: but that is all. upon my word
Il isn't strange that fellow should let his
heart 60 to the first pretty girl who comes
into rough settlement like this-and she
well. Ag, her hair is 50 yellow. her
eyes 30 blue, her cheeks 30 pink, her form
20 fragile, and altogether"
$50 different from the only other wom-
m in No Co."
Il didn't say that Ag."
well. it's more descriptive than what
ye did say. Go on BiIly.''
1--WE been doing some work Tor Colonel
DiDgley. you know. over at the new mill
and she's in the Office good deal. That's
where I've met her. and-that's all there's
Of It.
He had no intention Of telling Ag how
Nell Dinglev during the two months she
had been Mt No Go. had completely en-
ihraIled him; how she had at times
seemed 10 invite him on, until he had all
but ayowed his love, and again had re-
PEELED him with sudden reserve He
did not fancy the mistress Of the Spread
Eagle for a confdante. but she was not to
be put Of. d,
That's all there's Of it7'' she echoed
mockingly. .'Be you a man? Have We
axed her 10 marry ye''
mo-
Then 90 straight az the crooked
path'll let ye to the Kunnel's house, an
put IL to her far and SQUARE Ye won't'
Then yer fool. Whar's the girl would
say NO to Billy WIKI | seen her a.
lookin' at We tother day. when We warn't
awares. and she loves ye. Billy. jes' as
sure ~ do. and mebbe jes' as much. OF
with We now; off with we.
There were faces at the window. The
miners had grown impatient. and were
watching this ambassador in his converse
ton with Ag. though they could not hear
IL. One Of them ventured to open the
door.
Come in, Bantam" said Billy land
bring in the boys. Ag understands it
now"
"Whoo-oop. Murray" shouted Bantam.
The whole party crowded noisily into
the bar room.
"Twas n misunderstanding and apoly-
gizes." said Ag heartily moreover, sets
'em up. Ye can drink all We want in the
Spread Eagle 'twixt now an midnight,
but ye cant pay cent"
A yell and wild rush to the bar was
the unanimous response. In the midst OF
the hilarious uproar Billy WIKI slipped
out unobserved by any one except Ag,
who was performing wonderful feats with
glasses and bottles behind the bar. He
went directly TO Nell Dingley. This
tka Ia, a.A
all others. Probably free bar was the
cause of 1t. Not that the assembled gen.
tlemen Of No Go selishly drank faster be-
cause there was nothing to pay but the
absence Of finance confined the operations
to liquor. and facilitated them. In sin
gle half hour the company was dead
drunk. and the rest was very nearly So
with two exceptions. Ag had drank an
amount which. to her. was in effect moth
ing Mt all. The other sober person in the
room was tall. lean. long haired and sal
low. He did not show miners clothes
or manners. lie might have been gam
bier. or preacher. according to how the
uniformed observer construed his closely
shavcn lace, self-assured manner and
smooth garb. Why he was there he could
not himself have explained. He had not
drank with the roysterers. nor entered in
the least into the fellowship of their spree.
The lack OF any other way of spending the
evening was probably the only explana-
ton OF his presence. The others knew
him "a Arnold Watts. an associate in some
capacity Of Colonel Dingley in the mill
enterprise. and their opinions differed as
to the truth Of the rumor that gave him
the distinction OF killing two men and
wounding third in n serimmage down at
Tulare. Those who believed this story
spoke OF him with becoming respect !;
those who did not were occasionally in
solent to his face. Ag watched him fur
lively. while seeming to be wholly en-
gagged In emptying bottles into tumblers.
lie sat In a tipped-back chair. with his
half-closed eyes idly following the antics
Of tho men who were vet on their feet. and
aglass Of whiskey untouched on the table
beside him. When Billy Wilk returned
Az saw that Nell Dingley had rejected
him. She did not need to ask him wheth-
or the girl had said "Ye," or mo" She
paused In her work involuntarily. because
she was dumbfounded. That any woman
could resist Billy's wooing was beyond
her comprehension. She covertly beck
oncd him to the bar. and poured from the
hidden black bottle. out Of sight, a brim-
mer IRON the private STOCK. tie caught
up the glass and drank the whiskey in
gulps. Leaning across the bar. and clos
ing her hands over his fists. she said
..Shc must be foolin' We, Billy. Gals
will amoose themselves-durn her white
hide"
"Shc didn't fool me. Ag." and Billy
was low. rapid and earnest. 'She owned
she loved me. There wasn't shadow Of
coquetry in all she did. I've had her in
my arms Ag - right atop my heart.
HERE"
Thar--don't mind that What made
her jilt YEP Skip the rest and get to that"
Because she must marry the man who
sits at that table-Arnold Watts. Don't
glare at him. He mustn't know what
she's told me. He's the real owner of
the mill. because he owns Colonel Ding
ley, and he demands the Colonel s daughter
for wife. oh. Nell loathes him-God
bless her but can't refuse him. He
carries in his belt, under his shirt. note
which the Colonel was somehow driven to
forge. So it's to prison with the father,
or to the altar with the girl It's heavens
truth. Ag. for she said So Oh. 1 could
kill tie scoundrel"
He turned from the bar towards Watts