Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-04-04
PENNA.

the fireplace. Then. putting on bis
coat. hs prepared to go out again.
"Whar ye goin', pap?" asked Lenita.
stopping in her arrangement of the
rude, homemade furniture of the
cabin.
''Just up the creek a ways, not fur" Z"
he replied, trying to evade her pene-
trating eyes, which sought his own SO
searchingly.
Pap, yer needn't try ter fool me;
you-uus air goin' among the hills up
Roarin' Fork, tn holp Burt Coles run
off them stold ponies he's tryin' to keep
hid" and the girl looked dauntlessly
Into her fathers face.
"waal, what ef 1 air?' demanded
Frenchy sulIenly.
20 papl'' she cried, throwing her
plump, brown arms round his neck,
Yer mustn't go; please don't. The
: woods along Roarin' Fork air full of
men tryin' ter fin Bert Coles an his
gang. Scott Redleaf tole me 50. He's
a holpin' ter iA' him; he's dep'ty, ye
know. He says yOu-uns air 'spected
% holpin' the hoSS thieves, some. but
if you keep away from them he'll let
yer of fur my sakes. So, stay ter
home. pap" she pleaded
- done gin nv word ter Bert to
show him the gully whar Barney S
gang usen ter run thar 'still'ry, up
thar, fore thly got scarf out by the
officers; an l low I'll do it. Thar,
tharl Don't cry, Lenita. III promise
yer never ter holp Bert again. But I
mus this time, shuah. Fur eff L don't
hell burn me out or do somethin'
wuss."
IVY, pap. eff that's all yer feard OF,
don't CO." said the girl through her
tears. I'D druther be burnt out an
hev ter live in holler tree like a
'possum, AN ter holp do whats gan the
law an amt right tall"
"But Bert's goin' ter gin me a heap
o. money fur shown him the gully up
the creek this time, and If you-trhs air
good girl, I'll spend il most all on
giJtin' yer new tiNin's, ribbons an
sich, he said trying TO pacify her.
~ don't need 'em, pap. AL want
is fur you-uns ter do right"
I'VE kin live Ike tine folks, Bert
says, If III holp him. WHY, Lenita,
you-uns kin put on more style an any
gal along the RoaIin' Fork, when git
that money" he said, trying to tear
himself away from her clInglng arms.
But Lenita would not let him go.
mo, pap. you shan't CO. Ye got
| ter stay ter home,' she said, locking
her arms more Ill ghrly round his heck.
! Had 1T not been for the liquor Bert
| Coles had given him 10 drink in their
interview. Joe Frenchy might have
| Yielded TO his child's entreaties. But
warmed by the huiJ poison lie had i'm
/ bibed, her opposition reused demon,
/ and in freeing himself from her clasp,
D Ea. l.a..- n
! force, AMI she fell 10 the door, cry of
( pain escaping her as her head struck
I the rough boards. Frenchy did net
/ look once upon his daughter 10 note
| the result OF the fsl but ne rushed out
/ of the cabin and took tho little flower
| starred path up Roaring Fork
| For long time Lenita lay moaning
on the floor, holding her hand 10 ii
slight wound on the side of her head.
| When she felt able, she sat up AMI
| looked around her. She had been par
/ TALLY unconscious before, but now she
| remembered every hing, and look of
/ mental anguish settled upon her face.
/ She tried to get up, but she was SO
/ dizzy she sat down again When she
/ felt somewhat recovered, she spoke
aloud:
.I've big nst!on ter leave hi a
I strIkin' ME down this away But
done gin mother my word ter stick ter
/ pap through thick an thin, an 1
| reckon I'd be doIn' Ill ter up an leave
| him alone by hisself. It'd hurt mother
/ power ike. in her ang-l home SO fur
| fIum the RoarIn' Fork, ter see me go
away from pap, jest cause he struck
me down."
Then she man ged. with the aid of a
hat,aIR 70 har feat Shs. "a
gered to the door, where she got pan
[ of water After bathing her head In
( the cool liquid she felt much better,
and seated herself on the threshold of
| the cabin, where the balmy south air
PLAYED softly over her face, like the
| touch of a loving friend.
Poor papl" she said, as big tears
| filed her eyes. He'd been drinkin'
some o. Bert Coles smuggled whisky,
/ OF he'd never pushed me frum him so
cruel like. He never treated me that
way before; but he'll feel sorry fur il
when he comes back ter hisself. Poor
papl" and the girl wept as she thought
of the probable fate of her father.
The day wore away. The sun went
/ down, leaving the bluffs tinged with
wondrous halo of amber and purple.
| L-nita had nearly looked her eyes out,
/ and yet Joe French did not come. Had
anything telalien Linn? Her mind
/ pictured a hundred awful fates for him.
/ Yet she waited IN great mental torture,
/ by the doorway. her dark eyes gazing
/ far away into the gathering darkness,
/ hoping to catch a glimpse or his figure
! coming home. Far into the night she
watched and waited thus.
1t must have pesn near midnight.
] 4 har Sn6darlv y loo
/ Frenchy appeared in view down the
path. The rising moon partially lit up
/ the woodland, and LenIta could see
/ that he staggered as he approached the
/ cabin, slowly and laboriously.
In a moment, sIe was by his side,
| assisting him to gain the house
-. pap, yer shotI' she cried, as her
strong young arms supported him
across the threshold and 10 a rude couch
/ in one corner OF the cabin.
He sank upon the couch with a
groan. Lenita stood over him with
/ clasped hands.
40, pap. air ye bad hurt?" she
asked.
s.Don't be scarf, LenIta; but 1
reckon I'm pGrty well used up" he
answered.
..How did 1t happen, pap?"
'sIt was up In the gully. We'd just
got the ponies run in when the cussed
off'cers foun' US. 1t was sich s'prise
ter the hull of us-uns that We couldn't
do nuthin' but break an run. Bert
an, me broke fur the woods. He got
of without any shot in him, but got
two loads in me-" and he groaned
heavily.
40. papl o, papl" was all that the
weeping girl could utter.
.Don't take on, Lenita. It's all my
own blamed meanness. l wouldn't
mind yer warnin', but throwed ye like
an ole bar frum me ter the floor, an
went ter my fate. l only meant ter
60 this onct more, an then break OH.
But went onct too often. The Lowd
never meant fur me tu prosper on
money got from Bert for holpin' him