Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-08-08

Then he wound the rawhide rope round
his hand close up to the houdoo and led
his captive into the log house.
Got some comp'ny for ye, preacher"
"Delighted" said the Rev. Mr.. Noyes.
GAS the locum tenens of the diocesan Of
Mountain Lion | welcome you to its clois-
tiers, my young friend"
"Are you one of the gang?" snarled
Scranton. $50 you've turned road agent,
Jim Mason. Take the fifty and let me go
You're new at the business"
Jim plucked open the stove door with his
spurred heel and thoughtfully spat in the
/ fire.
"Violent language, my sonp' exclaimed
/ Noyes. "If you are sincerely curious as to
| the purpose of my presence here don't
mind telling you that l am here to sol
emnize-a funeral, and that you are about
the size of corpse required"
Jim looked up sharply, whisted a line
Of "Never Take the Horseshoe from the
| Door" opened the stove door with the
other heel, pursed up his mouth tenta-
lively, hesitated, kicked the door in place
again and said:
"Ez to the fifty I'll take it when | want
it, Plugtooth. Ez to my havin' turned
road agent, | amt so sure what | hev
turned"
Are you both crazy
ooh, no. Plugtooth, we amt been eatin'
no loco. Look here, you're gon' to be left
alone here with this gen'rman, an you're
goin' to be tied up, which he amt. Now,
Plugtooth got a notion he's the sort o.
ornery chap tibet if you LASS him will
knock the stuffin' out o. you-so long ez
yer tied up An if was you I'd be kinder
perlte, would"
Scranton swore savagely, and the Rev.
Mr. Noyes expressed his Reproduction of the
practice of profanity.
mo use worryin him, preacher" said
Jim. "Now, I'm goin to tie him down on
tibet bench, an then I've got to quit you
one while. Here's his pop, preacher, an eff
he wriggles too much chuck hunk o.
wood at him, but don't shoot eff you can
help it, And you kin talk to him about
anythn' not too excitin'. Savvyi"
"Perfectly."
"And water him If he gets dry"
When Scranton had been carefully Sc
cured Jim called Noyes to one side and
said:
You don't want to try and square your
self with the dude, preacher. Never change
sides in the middle NV fight. Eff you do
I'll follow you plumb to Tophet but what
I'll git you"
81 quite believe it-you needn't worry
about that"
IL don't worry much"
when will you be back with the ladyp'
"Tomor, l reckon. Don't say nothin'
bout her to him. Jest kinder amuse him
ike; lies an SIGH. So long, preacher"
Jim saddled the horse and rode over to
within two or three miles of Burton's, and
then took the bride off, hitched the ma
carte on his wrist and wrapping himself
in the oilskin "slicker" slept soundly
through the night while the horse cropped
the grass within the scope of his tether
In the morning, an hour after sunrise. he
rode down to the ranch The men were
all out Oh the range, and after getting
a cup of coffee from the cook Jim awaited
developments. BY and by Helen Burton
went down to the corral and he followed
her. She said good morning absently
enough, and Jims heart failed him lit
tie But he pulled himself together.
Miss Helen, do you know that Scran
tom"
"Yes-yes"
"Well, he's over ter Mountain Lion, an
he wants ter know eff yer wouldn't like tel
ride over there with me-"
us he i'll? Is
"Not 'zactly i'll, but he's got Teller from
Town over lueTt. TtthOu he wants you
towel, | amt sure, but seems to me he:
preacher! Anywise, he wants you tC
come and not say nothin. Will catch NJ
that little blue o yourn and clap your hui
onto him."
Thank you, yes. Oh, it's a long way
over. Can get back
"Oh, that'l be all right"
Helen Buttons clever little blue pony
gave the hired horse stiff pull, and early
in the afternoon they rode into the cora
at Mountain Lion.
Twill you jist hold on here a mint?'
said Jim, and entered the house, where h,
released Scranton.
"Now, Plugtooth, there's dame com
in in here, and the preacher is going t.
marry you. An I'm goin' to look OF
through the winder Fl yer make kicl
or don't behave pretty to that dame you'll
git them ears o yourn reamed out will
. forty-five. Savvy' | mean it, too, yol
little scoundrel. Git your fXin's ready
preacher, and tie them solid and quick"
When Jim brought Ellen in the cabil
she ran toward Scranton, and was abou
to speak to him when the Rev. Mr.. Noye
interposed.
pardon me, my dear young lady, bu
for the moment we will consider this rud
nut JidCe VI worship. mere IL Tue rug
Mr. Scranton"
r In five minutes the ceremony was finish
Y ed. The final injunctions which Mr.. Noye
< SO unctuously delivered seemed to exas
e perate Scranton beyond all patience, ant
r turning to his bride he said:
: II hope you are satisfied If | don't''-
| Jim Mason's hand dropped on his shoul
der.
5 Excuse me, Mis- Scranton, but | wan
Y to speak to this gen'lman outside. Preach
o err, you and the lady wait here"
5 He led Scranton to the side of the creek
5 where a box elder made a feeble effort t
i. shade its cattle trodden banks.
+ Jim returned Scranton's pistol, saying
"Now, I'll trouble you for that fifty TO
/ the preacher"
Scranton seized the weapon, a new SCI
5 cooking revolver, and fired almost in jim
/, face. He was not successful, however, i
l. his revenge: his rage was uncontrollabl
= and his aim bad.
/; Jim's reply was prompt 81 didn't thin
z you'd try it," be said, and as Scranton wa