The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-24
LEN. GApSETT.
BY OPIE P. READ.
CHAPTER XN.


 When IIoncyeutt departed which he did after many knowing winks and not a few repetitious of a malicious grin a facial accomplishment which h" had highly cultivated, Len, ill q perpleXed state of mind sat down and gave him self up to agitatcd meditation. He knew that in the event of lIancy'~ death, IIoneycutt would play upon lIobdys fear until the old man would implorr his daughter to rclinguish her place in the printing office The editor decided to go oyer to Ilobdy's without delay. and with this idea in view, he closed his office early ill the afternoon and set out for the home ot the hcauti- tal apprentice.
 Occasional gusts of rain, iii htiul sput ter, came down, The untitled dove, high upon th, dead branch of tree, tucked down her head in resignation, and the crow, with checrlcss cry, flew oyer the old field long since given up to sedgc grass, running brars and sprouts. The clouds were full of trowns and tears,-angry meditation and violent outhurst> of grief The water falling upon the dead leaves, produced feel ing which i> nowhere felt save in the countryside feeling that an old man has just been buried In the winter, when the tall trees are bare, and when the undergrowth, with youthful attach mcnt cling to their dead leaves. the fresh clay thrown from an old man s grave seems to invite the rain.
 hardly know what to do, Len mu,rd as lie >trodr onward l can tell tn" old man what a pity il would h,. to take Nrd from the office but can l keep her, if the oll man insists upon it. from marrying that wretch2-Hf course she would do almost anything to protect her lathc. but to yield to a fate q thousand times worse than death we'll, the old man should not think of such thing But, after all, how can he help himself? His aim is to protect his own life but can he not. and with de- trnsihlc cause, kill IIoncycutt? Damn il, can not kill him! No, it would be murder--a murder which neither God nor man would excuse. wish that. the scouudrcl would try to kill me, I believe it would be Christian act to provoke him. So help me, God, wonder he stands in the road
 lloneycutt waited for Len to approach
 w helloa. said he, when Len drew near "whut air yer doin'? Irwin ter slip edgeways twixt these showers? Ef yer air goin' my way I'll ,iine yer Been er pol<in' roun' in ther woods ever sense left yer Seed one uv ther Tally boys jest now an he tole me that Hancy ain't no better. Pity fur sich er man ter die, ain't it?'
 Yes, when there are other men who SO much more deserve death, Len re- piled
 That's whut lowed an is whut I'm goin tersa at ther burryin Never seed me at er fun ral did yer7 Oh I'm ther capn when it comes ter burryin' folks. Ruther bury or good man than ter eat. Better ter me than candy pullin', Do yer know these heah woods is gittin dang'us? They air Teller wuz tackled in here luther day. Fore I left town CT frien' nv mine, big mer- chant, swaded me ter take this here pistol. He drew a large pistol, looked at it, returned it to it's place and added Wouldn't like ter shoot CT good man, but he mustn't shove me- Hain't got CT pistol, have yer?'
 No" Len replied, before he thought He immediately perceived change in Honeycutt's countenance.
 Wall" Honeycutt replied with a grin when yer want one let me know, an I'll 'commerdate yer Powerful han ter 'commerdate folks My father an all my folks wuz thater way. Look here, whicher way yer goin'? Ain't that yer neardest road2" pointing "Yer mus be goin' summers else"
 don't know that it's any of your business"