The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-06

the panel, forced the lock from It's fasten-
lngs He entered the room as Seth Davis
frightened but furious, lifted himself from
before the masters desk which ne had Just
broken open. He had barely time TO con-
ceal something in his pocket and close the
lid again before Uncle Ben approached him
W hat mout We be doin' here, Seth
Dsvisf" he asked, with the slow elaboration
which in that locality meant mischief
Aud what mout you be dom here, Mis-
ter Ben Dabney~ said Seth, resuming his
effrontery.
We'll" returned Uncle Ben, planting
himself in the aisle before his opponent; II
amt dom no sheriff's posse business jest
now, but | reckon to keep my hand in far
enuH to purtect other folks property he
added, with a significant glance at the
broken lock of the desk.
ben Dabney.n said Seth. in snarling
expostulstion, II hain't gos no quar'll with
yel"
Then hand me over whatever you took
just now from teachers desk and we'll talk
about that afterward," said Uncle Ben, ad-
vancing.
Il tell We | hain't got no quarll with We,
Uncle Ben," continued Seth, retreating
with a malignant sheer; land when you
talk of protectin' other folks property,
mebbee yed better protect your own--or
what ye'd like to call so-instead Of quarl-
lin with the man that's hepin ye. I've got
yer the proofs that that sneakin' hound Of a
Yankee schoolmaster that CresS McKin-
try's bent on, and that the old man
and old woman are just chuckin' into her
arms, is a lynn, black hearted, hypocritical
seducer--"
''Stop!" said Uncle Ben, in a voice that
made the crazy easement rattle.
He strobe toward Seth Davis, no longer
with his habitual careful, hesitatlng step,
bot - a kl.N l.. Il.
whole schooiroom. A single dominant
clutch of his powerful right hand on the
young mans breast forced him backward
into the vacant chair of tho master His
usually florid face had grown as grey as the
twilight; his neuacing form in moment
filled the little room and da kened the win
dowS. Then in some inexpllcabe reaction
his figure slightly dropped he laid one
heavy hand trembhngly on the desk, and
with the other affected to wipe his mouth
after his old embarrassed fashion.
whats that you were seyin' o. Cressy:'
he said, huskily.
''Wot everybody says" said the fright
ened Seth, gaining a cowardly confidence
under his adversary's emotion. "Wot every
cub that sets yer, under his cantin' teachin',
and sees 'em together, knows. It's wot
you'd hev knowd of he and Roop Filgee
hadn't played We fer a softly all the time.
And while you've bin hangin' round yer fer
a flicker of Cressy's gownd as she prances
out o. school, he's bin lynn low and latin
at We, and while he's turned Roop over to
keen you here, pretendin' to give ye lessons,
he's bin gallivantin' round with her and
huggin' and kissin' her in barns and in the
brush-and now you want to quarrel with
me-
He stopped painting for breath, and
stared Indignantly in the grey face OF his
hearer. But Uncle Ben 0 Nv lifted his heavy
hand mildly with an awkward gesture of
warning, stepped softly in his old cautious
hesitating manner to the open door, clos ed
it, and returned gently.
II reckon ye got in through the winder.
didn't We, Seth" he said, with a labored
affectation Of Unconditional ease, "a kind O
one leg over, and one, two, and then you're
in, ehf'
Never you mind how | got in, Ben Dag
ney," returned Seth. his hostility and inso-
lence increasing with his opponents evident
weakness, ''ez long eZ l got yer anu got
by Cd what l KEN here fer! For whles
all this was goin' on and whIle5 the old fool
man and old fool woman was swallOwin
what they did see and blinkin' at what they
didn't, and huggin' Themselves that they'd
got high-toned kompany for their darter,
that heightened kompany was piayin' them
too. by Cd! Yes. sir! that high-toned.
cantin' school teacher was keepin' married
woman in Frisco. all the while be was ere
honey-foglin' with Cressy, and I've got the
papers yer to prove it..
He tapped his breast-pocket with coarse
laugh and thrust mis- face forward into the
grey shadow of his adversary's.
can YOU sorter spotted their bein' in this
yer desk aud bursted itf' said Uncle Ben.
gravelv examining the broken LOCK in the
darkness as if it were the most important
feature of the incident.
Seth nodded.
You bet your life. | saw him through
the winder only this afternoon lookin' over
'em alone, and recxoned to lay my hands
on 'em il had to bust him or his desk.
And didr' he added, with a triumphant
chuckle.
Ben, with slow deliberate admiration, pass
ing his heavy hand along the splint3red lid.
And you reckon. Seth. that this yer show
in of him up will break off enythin' be-
twixt him and this yer-this yer miss-Miss
McKinstry" he continued, with labored for
mality.
Il reckon ef the old fool McKinstry don't
shoot him in his tracks thar'll he white men
enough in Injin Springs to ride this high
toned, pizenous hypocrit on a rail outer the
settlement"
That's So" said Uncle Bon, musingIy,
after thoughtful pause, in which he sill
seemed to be more occupied Win the broken
desk than his companions remark. Then
he went on cautiously: "And ez this thing
orter be worked mighty fine, Seth, p'r'aps,
on the hull, you'd better let me have them
papers,
back with a glance OF angry suspicion; mot
if / know itl'
Seth" said Uncle Ben, resting his elbows
on the desk confidentially, and speaking
with painful and heavy deliberation,
when you first interdoosed this yer subject
yer eluded to my hevin', so to speak, rights
o. pre- emptiou aud interference with this
Young lady, and that in your opinion |
wasn't purtectin' them rights. 1t pears to
me that, alowin' that to be gospel truth,
them Their papers orter be in my possession
you hevin', SO to speak, no rights to pur-
tect, bein' Off the board with this yer young
lady, and ben' moved gin'rally by free and
independent cussedness. And ez sed afore,
this sort o. thing havin' to be worked
mighty fine, aud them papers mauniper-
lated with Judgment, I reckon, Seth, if
you don't objeck, I'll hev-hev-to trouble
you"
glance at the door, but Uncle Ben had risen
again with the same alarming expression of
completely filing the darkened school
room, and OF shaking the floor beneath
him at the slightest movement. Already he
fancied he saw Uncle Bens powerful arm
lowering above him ready TO descend. 1t
suddenly occurred 10 him that if he left the