The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-08

lonest aud imaginative he determined
that it would be worth the money.
Speak up, Johnny, don't be afeard Il
Johnny was not "afeard"-he wa
only thinking. He had it! He remem
bered that he had just seen his paragon
the brilliant Stacey coming from thu
boundary woods. What more poetica
and startlingly effective than to connec
him with Greasy. He replied promptly
"AIithter Thtathy." He gived her
watch and ring OF truly gold. Coin u
be married at Thacramento."
'You lynn limb" said Seth, seizinL
him roughly. But Mrs. McKinstry in
"Let that brat CO." she said with
cleaning eyes. II want TO talk to you,
Seth released Johnny. "Its trick,
he said, "he's bin put up to it by that
Ford"
But Johnny, after securing safe want
age behind the blackberry bush, de-
termined 10 give them another trial
with facts.
~ know MORN that" he called out.
"Git--you measly pup" said Seth saw
agely.
81 know Therift Briggth, he rid over
the boundary with lot O. men and
horthes," said Johnny, with that hur-
ried delivery with which he was able to
estop interruption. "Theed 'em go by.
Maur Harrithon theth his dads goin' 10
chuck out ole McKinthtry. Hoorayw
Mrs. McKinstry turned her dark face
sharply on Seth. whats that he seq"
"Nothin' but children's gassin'," he
answered, meeting her eyes with an evil
consciousness half loutish, half defiant,
"and ef it war true, it would only sarvc
Hiram McKinstry right"
She laid her hand upon his shoulder
with swiitsuspicion "0ut O. my way,
Seth Davis" she said suddenly, pushing
him aside. "Ef this ez any under
handed work of yours, you'll pay
for it"
She strobe past him in the direction Of
Johnny, but at the approach of the tall
woman with the angry eyes, tue boy
flew. sho hesitated a moment, turned
away with q threatening wave OF the
hand to Seth and started off rapidly in
the direction OF the boundary.
She had not placed SO much faith in
the boys story as i'll the vague revela-
ton OF evil in Davis manner. II there
was any "cussedness" afoot, Seth, con-
WINGED OF Cressy's unfaithfulness, and
with no further hope of any meditation
from the parents, would know it. Unless
Hiram had been warned, he was still
fuiied in his fatuous dream of civfiizd-
ton. At that time he and his men were
in the tules with the stock; to bn salts
fed she herself must go to the boundary.
She reached the ridge Of the cotton
woods and sycamores, and few hun
dred yards further brought her to the
edge Of that gentle southern slope which
ut last sank into the broad meadow OF
the debate&blc ground. In spite Of
invidious criticism of its intrin-
sic value, this theatre OF savage disseA-
sion, violence, and bloodshed was by
some irony OF nature Il pastoral land
scape OF singular and peaceful repose.
The soft glacis stretching before her. was
in spring cerulean with lnpius, aud
later starred with marip0sas. The mead
Ow was transversely crossed by curv-
lng.line OF alders that indicated n rare
OF which in the dry season
only single pool remained to flash
back the unvarying sky. There had
been no attempt at cultivation OF this
broad expanse; wild oats, mustard, and
rank grasses left it tossing sea OF tur-
bulent and variagated color whose
waves rode quite high enough to
engulf horse and rider in their choking
depths. Even the traces OF human strug-
gle, the uprooted stakes, scattered fence
rails, and empty post-holes were forever
hidden under these pillows OF verdure.
OF the field aud near the water
'onrse arose McKinstrF's barn-tbe soil
.ary human structure whose rude, mis-
'hapen, bullying sides and swallow
haunted caves bursting with hay from
.he neighboring pasture, seemed how
,ver only an extravagant growth OF the
prolific soil. Mrs. McKinstry gazed att
,nxiously. There was no sign Of life or
near or around it; it stood rs
mad always stood, deserted and solitary.
but turning her eyes to the right, be.
yond the watercourse, she could see q
slight regular undulation OF the grassy
,ea and what appeared to be the drifting
On its surface OF half dozen slouChed
hats in the direction OF the alders.
There was no longer any doubt; party
from the other side was approaching the
border.
A shout and the quick galloping Of
loofs behind her sent thrill OF relief to
her heart. She had barely time to draw
lside us her husband and his followers
swept past her down the slope. But it
needed not his furious cry, 1.-THE Harris
ons hev sold us out" to tell her that the
'risis had come.
She held her breath as the cavalCade
.livergcd, and in open order furiously
approached the water course and she
could see a sudden check and hesitation
in the movement in the meadow ut that
onset. Then she thought
Of the barn. 1t would be Il rallying point
for them II driven baek-a tower OF de-
fence II besieged. There were arms se-
creted beneath the hay for such an
Shewould run there, swing
TO its open doors, and get ready to barri-
cade them.
Sheran crouchingly seeking the higher
grasses and brambIes Of the ridge to cs.
cape observation from the meadow until
she could descend upon the barn from
the rear. She threw aside her impeding
shawl; her brown holland sun bonnet
torn off her head and hanging by its
strings from her shoulders, let her coarse
silver-threadel hair stream like name
over her back; her face and hands were
bleeding from thorns and whitened by
dust. But she struggled on feFcely like
some hunted animal until she reached
the descending trail, when, letting her
self 90 blindly, only withheld by the
long grasses she clutched at wildly on
either side, she half fell, half stumbled
down the slope and emerged beside the
barn, hreathless and exhausted.
But what q contrast was therel For
an instant she could scarcely believe that
she had left the ridge with her hus-
bands savage outcry in her ears, and in
her eyes the swift vision of his furious
cavalcade. The boundary meadow was
hidden by the soft lines Of graceful will
lows in whose dim recesses the figures
Of the passionate horsemen seem to have
melted forever. There was nothingnow
IN intnrrNnt tho lnn1 viSto NJ y0naCaful