Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-03-19


Run river.
In one OF these long walks they hap
Tened 10 pass by the mill. Beckett was
at the time leaning through the little
window looking listlessly down the
road that ran OFF through the woods,
and all AZ once his gaze fell upon the
advancing couple.
In a moment dark frown came over
his face, and his brows contracted with
veX ttion. lie watched them until they
had passed on and out of sight, and
then, with dissatisfied shrug of his
broad shoulders, lie turned away NUT
tering:
'Twon't do-'twon't nigh do! That
thar feller's gittin' too numerous in
these parts. am the first thing l know
that gal will be fer marryin' him. 1
promised old Jerry I'd keer fer 'er, an
I'll do it. 'Taint't fer her gOol to
marry sech upstart as him, an she
shan't do it.
Since the death OF Beckett's wife,
Betty had gone to live at Dan Bunker s,
and accordingly, as soon as the gristS
had all been ground out, Beckett closed
the old mill. and dressing himself in his
bet suit, walked over to Bunker's
house.
Pretty soon after his arrival, Dan
and his wife managed TO retire, leaving
Beckett and Betty alone together in
the Ot st room.
Ruth Dan said, when they were
outside, Eyer know what Beckett 5
come ferF'
No, don't, ruth replied.
wal, L DO
Then what is it?'
Why, he's come a sparkin' NV Bet. >
The land sake, Dan! do you reckon
SOP
4 know it. Amt lie got on billed
shirt an his gO-tO-meetIn' blue-jeans
coat? An what else would he have
them on for If he wasn't figuring on
/ akin Bet TO have himI'
Dan Bunker, do you know what I
/ think Of old Beckett?'
NO, | doI't, Ruth; but, for that
matter, l low it's not 50 much what
/ you think of him as what Bet thinks of
/ hun, that's of interest to Old Beckett.
We'll, think he's an Old yarmint;
and, for that matter, l 'low that Bet
won't think much different when she
/ luds out his business. The idea of the
/ Old thing marryin' a pretty young gal
! ! Ike her-an' that, too, when his other
/ wife amt been dead week!'
As soon as Dan and Mrs. Bunker
/ We're well out of the room, old sam
turned TO Bet anu remarked:
I see you walkin' about a good bit
IF late with that preacher feller, an I
/ don't approve of it. l hope you don't
/ mean nOthiu'-like business
Il don't know that | understand
your meaning, Mr.. Beckett the giri
piled. hut l must say that am at d
loss to know what objection you can
have 10 Mr.. Uackett.'
Wal, I've got this much objection t.
him or 10 anybody else; l don't want
you to marry anybody but me. III
your guaIdeen, an know who'll
make you a good husband, and | ain
wIiiIu. to trust you with them thai
young upstairs. I've made up my mind
to marry you, Bet. l done that t
day THY WAS buried, an now I've
come to AK you to jIne me.
Marry you!' the girl exclaimed, in
amazed wonder. Why, L never thought
oI such a thing!'
Don't need 10 be thought Of. AL
YOU want TO 90 Is 10 SAY the word, an
III GIT Dan TO 90 an fetch Squire
. Beeson, an well have it over in less 4
hour. Don't need no thInkin', Bet
You know me an know you, au' you
know how IN ca money an land I've
= L, an you know what sort of home
kin offeI you. Amt that enough?'
NO, IT'S not enough. \ hOu are a foo
if you think l could be induced t.
marry al old man like you, simply
because you have a little money; and
That, too, when your poor wife Is hardly
cold in the grave. | won't listen tt
you, and either you or | Will leave tht
Ioomr
DO you mean what you say, Bet?'
Yes, L mean what L say-=very
word Of 1t. ia die before I'd marrl
you!'
We'll, I aia't used to bein' treated il
That way, gal. an you may be sorry foI
1t yet
'Never!'
4 think you will; an, as your Lawful
guardeen, l now give you notice tina
YOU shdn't never marry that upStaTt OF
preacher. DO YOU h, ar that?'
Yes, l hear It?'
Then see that you heed it'll
4 won't DO it. I'm going to MARI,
him, and you can't prevent it,
Coin to marry HING
Yes, going to marry him.
Old sam took two or three turns
across the room, then halting in from
OF the girl, his face lIvid with rage anC
his form shaking with anger, he len
forward until his hot breath scorche,
her cheeks, and hisSed:
You shan't do it. You're mine
and Pm goin' to have you, and betor
You shall marry that fellow I'll. I'll-
lie never finished the sentence, bu
the look III his eyes and the awfulnes
or his manner made his meaning plail
to the girl, and she shrank back iron
him.
You will not, she cried. You dar,
not
Won't l. You'll see. And, girl
his blood VIII be on your head, for yol
drive me to 1t. I've had five wives
and loved them al. / loved them a
well as men usually love their wives
Dut never loved anybody as L low
YOU
Go! I've heard enoughl' and wit.
hat lie girl swept from the room.
For a moment Beckett stood still
looking after her, then, whirling on hi
heel, he strobe out and away.
As lie walked along the road leading
toward the mill, his mind dwelt on til,
~crne lie had just quilted, and, witt
each succeeding minute, his rage grew
tiercer and his anger higher, and hi
face looked strangely white in the sof
moonlight Once he clenched his fist
and muttered:
1T shan't be so. I'll kill him first
It's her money that bought the lant
and her money that built the house
and though nobody knows 1t, it'll bt
found out if she marries him, and the
III be fixed in a nice pickle. No,
mustn't, and it shan't be. She must bt
nv wife,
He had walked quite a dis ance an,
come to the point where the road fol
lowed along the river bank. 1t was
narrow pas between the river and tn