The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-15
CHAPTER NJ.

hGGpps
CHAPTER N.
When Uncle Ben, or "Beniamin
Daubigny, ESQ.," as he was already
known in the columns OF the STAR" nc
companied Miss Cressy McKinstry on
her way home after the first display OF
attention and hospitality since his ac-
cession to wealth and position he re.
manned for some moments in a state oil
bcwildered and smiling idiocy. 1t was
true that their meeting was chance and
accidental; it was true that Greasy had
accepted his attention with lazy amuse-
mcnt; it was true that she had suddenly
and audaciOusly left him on the borders
of the McKinstry woods in way that
might have seemed rude and abrupt to
any escort less invincibly good humored
than Uncle Ben, but none Of these things
marred his iatuous felicity. It,is even
probable that in his gratuitous belief
that his timid attentions had been too
marked and impulsive, he attributed
Cressys flight to maideniy coyness
that pleasurably increased discrimination
for her and his confidence in himself.
In his abstraction Of enjoyment and in
the gathering darkness he ran against
fir tree very much us he had done while
walking with her, and he confusedly
apologized to it as he had to her, and by
her own application. In this way he
eventually 0Yerran his trail and found
himself unexpectedly and apologetically
in the clearing before the school house,
"Ef this amt the singlerest thing,
MISS" he said, and then stopped sud-
denly. A faint noise in the school house
like the sound OF Eplintered wood ut
traCted his attention. The master was
evidently there. II he was alone he
would speak to him.
He went to the window, looked in
and in an instant his amiable abstraction
left him. He crept softly to the door,
tried it, and then putting his powerful
shoulder against the panel, forced the
lock from its iastenings. He entered the
room as Seth Davis, frightened but fu-
rious, lifted himself from before the
masters desk which he had just broken
open. He had barely time to conceal
something in his pocket and close the lid
again before Uncle Ben approached him.
"What mout ye he doin' here, Seth
Davis ?" hG asked with the slow deliber-
alton which in that locality meant mis-
chief.
"And what mout you be doin' here,
Mister Ben DabneyY said Seth, re-
Stunning his ellrontery.
"Well,' returned Uncle Ben, planting
himself in the aisle before his opponent;
81 amt do'in no sherifi's posse business
Jest now, but reckon TO keep my hand
in fur enufI 10 purtect other folks prop
crty," he added with significant glance
at the broken lock Of the desk.
"Ben Dabney," said Seth in snarling
, expostulation, ~ hain't got no quar'll
with YEP
"Then hand me over whatever you
took Just now from teachers desk aud
we'll talk about that afterwards" said
Uncle Ben advancing,
, ~ tell ye hain't got no quar'll with
We, Uncle Ben" continued Seth, retreat
+ ing with malignant sneer; "and when
you talk Of protectin' other folks prop
5 erty, mebbe ye'd better protect your our
e or what ye'd like to call so--inste8d O
uuar'llin' with the man that's helpin' ye
0 I've got yer the proofs that that sneak
r ing hound Of Yankee school maste
i that Cress McKinstry's hell bent on
e and that the old man and old woman ar
: lust chuckin' into her arms, is lynn
!, back.hearted. hypocritical sedUcer-"
/, "stop" said Uncle Ben in voic
. that made the crazy easement rattle.
He strobe towards Seth Davis, n
j. longer with his habitual careful, hes
1t tating step, but with tread that SCENE
e to shake the whole school room.
l. single dominant clutch OF his poweriU
v right hand on the young mans breas
!. forced him backwards into the vacan
t. chair OF the master. His usually tori
ID face had grown as grey az the twilight
lie his DenaclRg form in q moment file
a the little room and darkened the vino
" ows. Then in some inexplic1ble reactio
N his figure slightly dropped, he laid on
,e heavy hand tgemhlingGy on the desl
n and with the other affected TO wipe h
le mouth after his old embarrassed fashion
er whats that you were sayin'
ID Cressy?" he said huskily.
O. lTo lie CONTINUED