The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-30
CHAPTER XI.

1t was known to Indian Spring, the next
| day, amid great excitement, that a seriou
| fracas had been prevented on the lll-fated
boundary by the dramatic appearance
| Uncle Ben Dab1ey, not only as a peace
maker, but as Mr.. Daubigny, the bona fidt
purchaser and owner OF the land. 1t wa,
known and accepted with great hilarity tn t
.'old marin McKinstry" lad defended the
barn alone and unaided, wIth--as variousi :
| stated-a pitchfork, and old stable broom!
| and pail of dirty water, against Harri-
| son. his party, and tho entire able pc Sc of
| the sheriff of Tuolumne county, with no
| further damage than a scalp wound which
the head of Seth Davis received while fall
| ing from the loft Of the barn from which
| he had been dlslodged by Mrs. McKinstry
aud the broom aforesaid. 1t was know with
unanimous appreciation that the acquisi ion
of the land title by hitherto humble citl-
zen of Indian Spring was triumph of tine
settlement over foreign interference. Bat
| il was not known that the scaoo master was
| a participant in the fight. or even present
| On the spot. At Mrs. McKinstry's sug yes-
| ton he had renamed concealed in the loft
until after the withdrawal Of both parties
and the still unconsci us Seth. Whel Fora
| had demonstrated, with the remark thai
| Seth would be sure to declare the truth
when he recovered his senses, Mrs. McKin-
stry smiled griniiy:
II reckon when he comes to know l was
with We all the time ned rather hev it al
lowed that licked him than you. l don't
say he'll let it pass ez far
ez you're concerned or won't
try to get even with ye, but he won't
20 round telin' why. However" she
added, still more grimly, ''if you think
you're ekul TO tellin' the hull story-how
70 KEN TO be yer d that Seth wasn't lyiu'
49,. n xyhav, ha hlnrfai IL ont nfOrn lam
why / shaa't hinder ye."
The master said no more.
And indeed for a day or two nothing
TRANSFERRED to show that Seth was not equal
ly reacent.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Ford was far from being
satisfied with the issue of his adventure.
His relations with Cressy were known to
the mother, and although she had not again
alluded to them, she would probably inform
her husband. Yet he could not help MOTTO
ing with n mingling of unreasoning relief
and equally upreasoning distrust, that she
exhibited scornful unconcern in the mat
ter. apart from the singular use to which
she had nut it. He could hardly count
upon McKinstry, with his heavy blind de-
votior TO Cressy, being as Indifferent. On
the contrary, ne had acquired the impress
sion, without caring to examine 1t closely,
that her father would not be displeased at
MS marrying NressJ' loI ~ Nouiu Ioahy
amount TO that. But here again he was
forced to contemplate what he had always
avoided, the possible meaning and result Of
their intimacy. In the reckless. thought
less, extravagant--yet thus Tar innocent
indulgence OF their mutual passion, lac had
never spoken OF marriage. nor-and it
struck him now with the same incongruous
tningling of relief aud uneasiness--had snel
Perhaps this might nave arisen from some
superstitious or sensitive recollection on r
part OF her previous engagement TO Seth,
but he remembered now that they had no.
even exchanged the usual VOWS Of eternal
oonstancy. IL may seem strange thatin the
half dozen stolen and raptuous interviews
which had taken place between these young
lovers there had been no suggestion OF the
future, nor any Of those glowing projects
for united destiny peculiar 70 tier years
and inoxperienes. They had lived entirely