The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-11-18

ever, and WAS disposed to assert her supeem-
scy, was known 70 every living thing @Psr.
father and mother excepted
A somewhat stately, gray haired dame
awaited their coming, IN ths doorway, with Z
brief, matronly greeting:
Virginny, II you're going to town to-mor'
row you've heaps to do to-day. 'i'ears IKE
everybody was clearin' out ct the same time. u
sponded her husband. 1--WE can lock the house
!" We lest can. And We can throw the key
in the we'll Then, II any Teller wants to gel
in he can crawl through . winder."
Many q dwelling on the prairie in those dayl
toned to take care Of itself, but Crawford'a
contained more to tempt unlawful intrusion
than did some others.
There was . cloud upon Virginia's face
when she followed her mother into the house,
although she did not hear her father mutter
''If 1 was Marsh Hayne, now, wouldn't
let any gal that lives treat me the way
Teller. He's heap too good Tor Celebrity Bit.
ters."
Perhaps; but he was delivering Virginia
Crawford's message It that very moment, and
she may have guessed as much.
1t had sent him to hold q somewhat animated
at all resemble the belle OF Crawf0rd's Prairie,
but who appeared very fully to appreciate hel
present company. She was not 90 tall Is Viz
ginia, but she was nearly - handsome, in her
own way, and her black eyes flashed under hei
full eyebrows with as clear . warning of Z
strong will behind them a. came from Virgin
las own. In truth, the blue-gray eyes were
the softer and the pleasanter to look upon.
''Going to town, is she? Pm obleeged to
her for sendin' me word. Palmer, he's gOiu
of down the timber, after dark. I can't leave
home this evening. Pears like it wasn't to
do me any sort Of good to have her 60"
''Weli, never you mind. II you want to send
ride past Crawford's by and by, and rlleave
it for YOU"
"Wm you, nowa I'd like it."
.sWhere's Palm! Iwant him. Where's the
old mani"
The long, one-story log-house in front of
which they were talking, stood about half q
mile beyon the great corn-feld, in the middle
of which arose the new-built, fresh-lookine
structure which was to be the future home OF
Marshall Hayne. The logs showed signs OF
age, but there was barely enough of plOwed
gr, 'und around them to fend of prairie fire.
he Btters family had not occupied it long,
and they were not of the class that open new
farms.
90 Palmv' shouted the dark-eyed maiden.
toor'
A brawny. ragged-looking and not uncomely
six-fOoter quickly made his appearance around
the corner of the house, but he came alone.
"What's up, Marsh!''
Well, Palm, it's just this: don't care to
be fired out of my corn crop. You take the
double team and the break-plow, after dinner
and run two or three burrows along the north
east fence and Lit lie down the east side. The
old man can run two or three more, about ten
yards out, and Well SINCE of the grass be-
tween 'em.n
"That'd stop IN ,st ANYTHING, onless thar
was high wind. Most likely it would then.
Awf i waste of work, though. Take all day
and tO-morrer."
"Can't help it, Palm. There were some
pretty smart blisters last year, between this
and town. I don't want any in mine"
Celebrity Bitters had been listening, and she
now remarked:
me tonight I'll git him to stop over and help.
Thar's heap of fun a-fghtin' fire."
The inability of Celebrity Bitters to carry her
own errand over to Crawford's was explained,
but Marshall Hayne made no comment on the
explanation.
The eastern or any other side of quarter
section of land, United States measure. is half
a mile long, and burrows of that length,
through virgin prairie sod, call for strong
pulling. Marshall Hayne had told no man
that he was already the owner of the land
upon which Palm Bitters and his father thought
they were throwing away their work that aft
ernoon, and it was hard for them to break
''nobody's land" for some unknown new set
tier.
added claim to the respect of his neighbors,
when he mounted his horse, that evening, but
either his landed possession, or Celerity's er-
rand, or something else, was lying heavy on
his mind. He paused for a moment in front
o his own new house, and again he said to
himself:
at will be ready by the first snow"
He rode onward, then, with the air Of q
man who is willing his horse and thoughts
should take their own gait, until he neared
the house with the ricks behind it.
Will 60 ing Not unless she asks me. If
she does, will! And what then? Yes, I'll do
1t, sure's live! can't stani this any longer"
vitation to come in, but her father at the gate
said to him: "What, Marsh? to tell her all
that! Reckon not. I'd miss half on it sure
You jest light down off your horse, and come
into the house. I'll find her for ye, somewhat.
Tell her yourself"
Marsh obeyed, and in few minutes more
the young people were sitting together in the
BY the time required for its de livery and ex-
PLANTATION, the message of Celebrity Bitters
must have been long one and very well re-
membered. It was an unpropitious piece Of
work for Marshall Hayne, however, If he had
meant that any special GRAND of his own
should follow. The very telling Of Celerity's
words over and over, 10 make sure of them,
brought too wildly to Virginia Crawford's
mental vision picture of her visitor in close
communion with a cOmely maiden who smiled
upon him unutterable things through pair
of black, brilliant EYES.
The room was swiftly getting dark, as rooms
will at the close Of October days, but Virginia
could see Marshall Haynes face as plainly as
before, for some reason. It seemed to stand
out of the gloom as il framed in 1t, white,
fixed, determined. At last there came mo-
ment when her heart stopped its hot beating
for a pulse or two, and began to swell She
could hardly remember afterwards precisely
what he had been saying, but when he came to
the words:
at will be ready by the first snow, Virginia.
Will you 20 into it with me!'
sIH'
The questioning exclamation burst from her
lips In great sob, as she sprang to her feet
"You will notl Then I will burn it down ~
The first words had . sad and mournful
sound, and as If they came from q assistance, while
the latter were uttered In a harsh, hoarse
whisper. She would have given a world for
the power to speak again, there in the deep
ening gloom, into which her backward step
had carried her; but the swelling Of her heart
forbade it too long, and the next sound she
heard was the rapid stroke Of the hoofs of
.