The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-25

bands Sharpe rifle stood Suddenly she
raised her voice as if forgetful of Mr.. Ford.
presence:
20 Cressy!"
20 Inaww
The response came from the inner room.
The next moment Cressy appeared at the
door with an odd, halliday defiance in her
manner, which the master could not under
stand, except upon the hypothesis that she
had been listening. She had already
changed her elaborate toilet for long
cllnglng, coarse blue gown. that accented
the graceful curves OF her slight, petticoat-
less figure. Nodding her head toward the
master she said, "HowdyN and turned tc
her mother who practically ignored their
personal acquaintance.
"Cressy," she sail, dads gone and left
his Sharpe Yer, dye mind takin' it alon' tC
meet him, afore he passes the boundary
wantIn' to see hiui.n
"One moment" said the master, as the
young girl carelessly stepped to the corner
and lifted the weapon. Let HE take it
It's all on my way back to school, and I'll
meet him.
Mrs. McKinstry looked perturbed. Cressy
opened her clear eyes on the master vita
evident surprise.
mo, Mr. Ford" said Mrs. McKinstry,
with her former maternal manner Eyed
better not mix yourself up with these yer
doin's. Ye've no call to do it, and Cressy
has; it's all in the family. But it's outer
yer line, and them Harrison whelps go to
your school. Fancy the teacher takin' wep-
pins betwixt and betweenw
Its filter work for the teacher than for
one of his scholars, and a young lady at
that" said Mr.. Ford, gravely, as he took
the rifle from the hands of the half-amused
half-reluctanU girl "It's quite safe with me
and promise | shall deliver it into Mr..
McKinstry's hands and none other"
Perhaps it wouldn't be ez likely to be
gin'rally noticed ez it would if one of us
carried it." murmured Mrs McKinstry, in
confidential abstraction, gazing at her
daughter, sublimeiy unconscious of the pres
ence of a third party.
YOU'RE quite right" said the master,
compOSedly, throwing the rifle over his
shoulder and turning toward the door. $50
lllsay good afternoon, and try and find
your husband"
Mrs. McKiastry constrainedly plucked at
the folds of her coarse gown.
"Ye'll like a drink afore We goa" she SAID,
in an ill-concealed tone of relief. Il clean
forgot my manner. Cressy, fetch out that
demijohn."
Not for me, thank you" returned Mr.
Ford, smiling.
"On, l see-youre temperance, nat
rally" said Mrs. McBinstry, with tolerant
sigh.
Hardly that" returned the master, 81
follow no rule, drink sometimeS-but not
to-day"
Mrs. McKinstry's dark face contracted.
Don't you see, maw," struck in CresSy,
quickly. Teacher drinks sometimes, but he
don't use whisky. That's ALL"
HaYs m hariS ara rala Ya1 Sli
out of the door before the master, and pre-
ceded him to the gate. When she mad
reached it she turned and looked into his
face.
What did nav say to yer about seein
me just now"
81 don't understand you"
no your seein' me and Joe Masters on
the trail2"
She said nothing"
"Humphm said Cressy, meditatively.
what was it you told her about it!"
Nothing"
Then you didu't see us!n
II saw you with some one-I don't know
whom"
And you didn't tell NAV"
81 did not 1t was none of my bust
ness"
He instantly saw the utter inconsistency
of this speech in connection with the reason
he believed he had in coming. But it was
too late to recall it, and she was looking
at him with bright but singular express
sion.
"That Joe Masters is the c3nceitedest fell
low goin'. | told him you could see his
foolishness."
"Ah, indeed"
Mr.. Ford pushed open the gate. AS the
girl still fingered he was obliged to hold it a
moment before passing through.
NAV couldn't quite hitch on to your
not drinkin'. She reckons you're like
everybody else about yer. That's where
she slips up on you. And everybody else,
kalkiate."
81 suppose she's somewhat anxious about
your father, and | dare say is expecting
me to hurry" returned the master, point
eddy.
"Oh, dads all right" said Cressy, mis-
chievously. You'll come across him over
yon, in the clearin'. But you're lookin'
right purity with that gun. IL kinder sets
you off. You oughter wear one."
The master smiled slightly, said Good
by" and took leave of the girl, but not of
her eyes, which were still following him.
Even when he had reached the end of the
lane and glanced back at the rambling
dwelling she was still leaning on the gate
with one foot on the lower rail and her chin
made slight gesture, not clearly intelligi-
BILE at that distance; it might have been
mIschiovous imitation of the way he had
thrown the gun over his shoulder; it might
have been a waited kiss.
The master, however, continued his way
in no very sslf-satisfied mood. Although
he did not regret having taken the place Of
Cressy as the purveyor of lethal weapons
between the belligerent parties, he knew be
was tacitly mingling in the feud between
people for whom he cared little or nothing.
1t was true that the Harrisons sent their
children to his school, and that in the fierce
partizanship Of this locality this simple
courtesy was open to misconstruction. But
he was more uneasily conscious that his
mission, as far as Mrs. McKlnstry was con-
cerned, was a miserable failure. The
strange relations of the mother and daughter
perhaps explained much Of the girls con
duct, but it offered no hope Of future ameli-
GRAFTON. Would the father, worried by
stock" and boundary quarrels-a man in the
habit of cutting Gordian knots with
bowie knife-prove more reasonable? Was
there any nearer sympathy between father
and daughters But she had said he would
meet McKinstry in the clearing; she was
right, for here he was coming forward in a
gallopw
CHAPTER III.
When within a dozen PAGES Of the master,
scarcely checking his mustang,