The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-06
!" All risht. How is vour father p

l kCSs
 "No, you didn't"
 "Then why did come"
 "Jes ter be CT comin', l reckon"
 "After to-day cannot come so often. '"
 "Whyp
 Because am going to begin blowing tomorrow"
 "Im allus glad ter see yer but it is gittin' erbout time that folks was plow- m eff they wanter do anything. As dad IS so uncertain we kain't tend much uv a crap but we're goin' ter do ther best we ken an trust ter the crossroads boys"
 "The crossroads boys?"
 Yes. That's whut pap calls ther rain in ther summer time when yer ken see it way cross ther field"
 Med, do you know a man named Honeycutt2" ?"
 The girl frowned. "Whut made yer speak us him P she asked.
 merely want to know if you are ac- quainted with him."
 Is that all yer want to know2 No, it ain't," she added, giving Len serious look. "You have heard somethin' an l wanter know who told you an whut they told yer"
 We'll, saw Honeycutt yesterday over at Colonel Bently's. We walked part of the way home together, and, he spoke of you. He bad been drinking, otherwise don't suppose he would have spoken as he did"
 How did he speak ?" she asked. Her manner had changed. An old woman could not have been more serious.
 Well, he intimated that so soon as you became old enough that-that-"
 "That we'd marry3' she asked.
 "Yes. It is not true, is it2"
 "Im eifeerd it is."
 "What you marry that brute2"
 "Oh, don't les talk about it."
 But you must tell me more"
 She tried to assume lively air, but the effort resulted in failure. "Come, little girl, tell me all about it."
 "Thar ain't much ter tell, MT. Gansett Ever sense ken recolleck have been told by dad that l must marry Honey cutt"
 "Your father surely does not like the man."
 "I don't see how he ken, but thar don't many days slip 'twixt ther time uv one tellin' an ernuther. hate ther man. I could kill him. do b'lieve that ct some body wuster kill him ther Lord would say that he done right. Many a time when we wus out uv meat have seed dad give Honeycutt ther last cent uv money in ther house"
 "And to oblige your father you will one day marry Honeycutt." -"l halter, Mir. Len, but hope that I'll die as soon as ever l do."
 "You are very young yet and many changes may occur between now and the time when you'll be of marriageble age"
 "Yes, that's so an it's that alone what keeps me up. aint smart with books, but outside uv 'em ain't CT fool"
 "You are remarkably bright child" "Child," she repeated, "w'y, MT Len, l ain't no child. Let me tell you some thin. I'll soon be fifteen years old. Pm holdin' my age back to keep from-you know what. Lemme tell yer: Ther other night l thought wuz free. dremp' that Honeycutt fell in ther river am was drownded. seed him as plain as day light an then l seed-seed you, an' {: thought yer tole me. that Honeycutt fell tof ther bluff. almos' wush he had"
 "And wish now that had-wish now that Ae had. Ned, you are beautiful girl-dont turn away. You are the most beautiful creature have ever seen, and your soul Is as beautiful as your face. am determined that you shall never be- come the wife of that beast."
 "But dad says"
 1t makes no difference what dad says. You shall never marry Honeycutt."
 How ken l hep it ef dad says must2"
 Let me tell you, Ned, if the worst comes will kill Honeycutt. will take the life of dog to save the life of an angel-chop down weed to save a flow er. Don't look at me so cnricusly. know the thought is horrible to you but it is pleasant to me. will take no ad- vantage of him-will give him every pos sible show"
 "Oh, he might kill you, Len."
 "No, he could not. My cause will be the cause of justice. Ned, you cannot marry that man. He is brute."
 know it, but dad ays that l must.