Evening star., 1886-07-17

| aX Yer ter keep yer word" he WHISPERED pas.
1 smooth warm one.
| For a moment the girl did not move, then
sne gently removed his arm. and sitting up
| rlght began TO look confusediy for her shuttle
/ hushlng, paling, not daring To meet her lover's
| eyes.
| ter? she said finally in a low tone.
| Fannin shook his head sadly.
| "Nothin'; hit wus thar, an haint no way a
| provin' didn't put hit thar
That was true and gossip was rife throughout
| the settlement, and the members of Cool Spring
church met In solemn conclave to "deal' with
| the erring young man, who persisted in deny
ing his guilt, thereby adding the sin OF lie to
the sin OF stealing He lost his situation on the
/ railroad, he lost his friends and seemed to sink
to the lowest ebb of fortune But his trials put a
new spirit into him. or else called forth "a great
deal O latent strength, Tor lie met the Sights of
| his associates and neighbors with quiet dignity
and went to work energetically on his farm.
| Il lowed you uns 'ud be a huntin' a new
| home said one OF his neighbors to him, eyeIng
him curiously-
NO. I'm agoin ter stay right t'hum," he re-
He's er turrible sinner" said the gossips on
| learning his determination to remain at his old
home.
Those long summer days were wretched ones
| To Bet crow. She devised a thousand plans Tor
| clearing her lover, but they all came to- naught
she nrmly believed Bill Sanders had caused the
| trouble, though why or how she could not de-
! termine. He had been one of her most ardent
| admirers, and betrayed 5 much anger as dis
appointment when she refused TO "keep
| cump ny with him, but she did not connect
/ that with Toms disgrace. After that one after
noon visit her lover did not come again to see
/ her, and if they met accidentally at church or
elsewhere they only exchanged the briefeSt and
qmetest greeting, but eyes may speak well as
| lips, ana there were glances eloquent and
sweet to both.
Bet did not parade her feelings and people
said she had come To her senses at last. and had
sent "that trifiin Tom Faunn erdrilt.''
one day Bill Sanders stepped boldly up and
asked permission to walk home from meeting
with her. She curtly refused.
w hat 5 the matter, Bet? It's onje to treat
me in sech cr way 'thout cause" he said in
wounded tones.
"You 'uns know / can't be a wantin' emmy
o yer compny." she said, and before the right
eous anger of her eyes he shrank back abashed.
The summer passed slowly, dewey dawnS,
languid, sunlit moons and duSky evenings.
The corn ripened, and the cotton fields prom
iSed a lair yield. Tom Fannin worked steadily
early and late, as though finding in constant
occupation panacea Tor his troubles.
s'He'i soon git tired % that; min what say"
said one prophet, IAN go ter idlin' round agin."
But he did not growing thin and Drawn with
constant toll. But the change had come too
late. The charge OF THEFT could neither be tor
given nor forgotten In that community.
Farmer Crow carefully refrained from men,
tiOning Tom Fannin's name TO his daughter
talked with Mr.. Jim Edwards But his shrewd,
kindly eyes observed the young mans de-
meanor with approval.
Hes got more grit than we 'unS calkerlated
on, ne unused
At last he broached tine subject to Bet.
Hits Il pity Tom Fannin split his fortune
takIn that money; he's Il doin SO mighty we'll
now
Bet looked reproachfulIy at him. "How do
you uns know ne took hit, pope
How do we unS know he didn't, Bet? Honey,
don be IA deceivin' yerseiI. I'm mighty proud
you uhs nave dropped his cump ny.
II haint dropped hit; pop. We 'uns are jest
waitIn'
He sighed.
~ Ou unS air DOW fully SOt In yer WayS Bet
Ter er young creetur."
Pap, Inought we'll give up livin as ter
give up Tom. You uns know how it's her
a h. nd nil fp off f,ar
mother sitting out i'll the entry knitting.
Her fathers face sottened.
Nv ell, We'll, honey, don't do nOthin' you 'uns
ii be sorry ter, that's all AK. Waitin' is some
times mighty tryin' timing.
But hit mus be bettern not having any
thing ter wait fer, she said, sOlemny.
But as time passed monotonously without
bringing any vindication of her lovers name,
and hope died slowly and painfully she learned
Tue bitterness oi waiting.
1t was "todder-pulling time," and the farmers
were out from dawn until evening stripping
the yelIowIng blades from the corn tying il,
and stacking II ill the wide hot fields. The new
railroad sklrted the western bounds OF Mr..
Jesse Crow farm, and through the almost
breathless stiffness could be heard the ring OF
hammer and steel from the bridge building
over Cool Spring creek. Some of the strange
Worklnen had d reputation tor lawlessness
quite shocking to the simple, peaceabe country
people.
Ii was about the middle of the afternoon, and
Bet Crow was spinning listlessly, while her
mother carded the rolls for her. They were not
hatless, covered with dust, and painting heavily,
ieapGd The fence and ran across the yard. II
was BlIl sanders.
Mis- Crow, TOR the love o. God let me hide in
here, he gasped hoarsely, stumbling over the
doorstep, and then staggering into the room.
bill Sanders, what the face o. the yethu'
cried the frightened woman, her fresh-colored
lace growing pale.
They air arter me. they mean to kill me-" he
painted, crouchlng under the lOom Quiyering
with exhaustion wild-eyed with Tear.
bet, Bet! what does hit mean?" exclaimed
her mOtherappeallngly.
Bet ran to the door, and shading her ewes
with her hand looked out. Four or five men
We're running along the road toward the house,
searching and cursing fiercely. She had no
idea what had happened, but she knew they
were workmen from the bridge, and "a desperate
looking gang they were to her frightened ewes
For moment her heart quailed. They might
murder her and her mother, as we'll as Bill
sanders. lie was incapable o1 Offering any de-
tense just then, aud pity filled Ler heart. Her
eyes flashed, ner lips were Set in a determined
line. They snould not get him il she could h zip
Quick mann, blow the horn for pan" she
said. then spranS up on chair and took down
her fathers snot gun from over the door, a
trusty weapon he loved next to his wife and
daughter.
Don't youun come emmy higher till you tell
what you want" she said clearly. raising the
gun III her none steady hands as they scrambled
over the fence, For moment they were non
piussed, and stared at her with a mixture OF
surprise and uncertainty.
We want the man that's hid in there" said
one lowering fellow hercely.
TO hang to the nearest tree
w hat ne been adoin -
killing d friend OF our N down on the rail-
roau.'
The horror of it almost took her breath but
she maintained her defensive attitude brayeIy
That 5 er turriDle thing" she said Drawing
liat every blast OF the horn would bring her
Itther.
see here. young woman, you'd better get
outer that and let us have him We don't mean
no harm To- you, but We amt got time to argue
with YOU
III plum sorry for you uns, but I'm bound
Ter do what kin Ter the law. We 'uns air peace
aole loIhs mere, an like ter be punished cOrdin'
Ter law III yoa uns IL git the Jestice u the peace
jections.'
1heir wrath was evidently cooling somewhat
and they were forced to "a reluctant admiration
OF her pluck.
III they had known that she was trembling
ike a le;.i, tnat her arms were feeling neryeIess
ana weak, her eyes dim! She knew that she
could not mold out much longer in that threat
enlnS attitude. y moment Of dead silence fell
While the men consulted in whispers and Bet
CouIu near Inc deep, hurried breathing OF the
hidden man and the horrified luoans and
eJacuIatlohs oi her mother with a distinctness
absolutely painful To her. But help had come
Her strained eyes wandered uesl airiuoly from
she saw her iather ana two three other men
coming through the lot.
matters were at last peaceably adjusted. Mr.
tFoW argued SO mildly and reasonably with
the aVensing party that they consented-the
FARMERS bearing them company-to take their
prisoner ana allow the law 10 deal with him
But, Ill tell you what, Sanders you owe
your lie To that girl. We would a killed Won
sure II she hadn' stood up in your defense like
siie ulu we dlunt want 10 hurt her." said one