The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-23
CHAPTER X.

Meanwhile, unaware OF her husbands
sud en- relapse to her old border principles
and of the visit that had induced it, Mrs.
McKinstry was slowly returning from
lugubrous recital of her moods aud feeling
at the parsons. As she crossed the barren
fiat and reac ed the wooded upland mid
way between the school house and the ranch
she saw before her the old familiar figure Of
Seth Davis louuging OIL the trail. In her
habitual loyalty to her husbands feuds she
would probably have stalked detiantly past
him, notwithstanding her late regrets at the
broken engagement, but Seth began to ad-
vance awkwardlY toward her. In fact, he
had noticed the tall, gaunt, plaid-shawled
and holland bOnneted figure approaching
and had waited forit.
As he seemed intent upon getting in her
wav she stopped aud raised her right hand
warningly before her. In spite of the shawl
and sunbonnet. suffering had implanted a
rude Runic dignity to her attitude.
"WOrds that hev to be toOE back, Seth
Davis she said, hastily, "hev passed be-
tween you and my man. Out Of my way,
then, that NAV pass, too"
"Not much betwixt you ard me, Aunt
Rachel" he said, with slouching depTeca-
ton, using the old household title by which
be had familiarly known her. I've nothin'
agin you-iind kin prove it by w0t Pm yer
TO saw And amt trucklin' to yer for my
sell. lot SZ lar NE anu your IL eL CDD-
ceFned, - he continued, with a malevolent
glance, st ar amt gold enough in Caleforny
to make the weddin' ring that could hitch
me and Cress together | want to tell you
that you're bein' played; that you're bei ,
befooled and bambooz ed AMI honeyfogled.
Thet while you're oanin' at class meetin'
and Hiram's quo'ilin' with dad, and Joe
Masters waitin' round to pick up any bone
that's throwed him. that sn akin, hyp1-
lima oh IL rarn1
your daughter to with him on the sly. "
"Quit that, Seth Davis" said Mrs. Nc
Kinstry, sternly, "or be man enough to tell
it to q man. That's Hirdm's business to
know"
"Aad what il he knows it well enough
and winks at it! What eff he's wilhD'
enough to truckle to it, to curry fav n
with them sneakin' YanksF said Seth, ma
lignantly
a spasm Of savage conviction seized Mrs.
McKinstry But it was more from her
Jealous fears of her husbands disloyalty
than concern for her daughters trans
erosion. Nevertheless, she said, desper
ately:
ats liel Where are your proofsT
''Proofsl" returned Seth. who is 1t
sneaks around the school house to have pri-
vate talks with the schoolmaster, and edges
MIN on with Cressy afore folksl Your hus-
band. Who goes sneakin' off every AFTER
noon with that same cantin' hound of a
schoolmasterl Your daughter. Who's
been carryin' on togethers and hidin' thick
enough to be ridden out on rail togetheri
Your daughter and the schoolmaster.
Proofs?-a,k anybody. Ask the children.
Look yar-you Johnny-come here"
He had su denly directed his voice to
blackberry bush near the trail, from which
the curly head of Johnny Filgee had just
appeared. That home-returning infant
painfully disengaged himself, his slate, his
books and his small dinner pail half filed
with fruit as immature as himself and came
toward them sideways.
candy said Seth, endeavoring to distort
his passion-set face into a smile.
Johnny Figee's nall, berry stained palm
promptly closed over the Iin.
"Now, don't lie. Where's Cressyp
"Kithin' her b0."
"Good boy. What beaur
Johnny hesitated. He had once seen the
schoolma,ter and Cressy together; be had
heard it whispered by the other children
that they loved each other. But looki < at
Seth and Mrs. ncKi stry ne felt that some
thing more tremendous an this stupid fact
was required of hi II for grown-up people,
and being honest and ina yinative he deter
mined that it should be worth the money.
Speak up, Johnny, don't be afeared to
tell"
Johnny was not "afeared"-he was only
thinking. He had IL! He remembered that
he mad just seen his p ragon-the rilliant
FL e. 10 cents, the smallest coin then used in
California.