The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-11-14

81 his'n." ~ rival
"rhar's some more newcomer. . -,
ner aunt partly opening the door Iesd
~ INTO the larger room and pcer;cs
eur'ousiy beyond. II low q Gabe be,
- she spoke there was ! confused
Hrmur 81 voices among them bcipe
tnat 81 Link McCord. who va - 4.
1abe's best man. while . chorus sa,,nsd
% % inquiring concerning the tard,
Links voice suddenly dropped 20 :
lower key. and some one. near the mart.
opened door, called out warnipriv "a
Moiiie's aunt: ''Shet tn door: aon't IL,
her hear" -
Inc brides attentive ears. however.
mad caught these words, and before
her aunt could obey them sbe had
pushed her aside and entered the larper
| room.
Al her coming . sudden hush fell
upon the garruious com pany-the dane
ers stood In little groups upon the floor
ana even the fiddler stopped with \
wailing cry Of his instrument
"Naat's tn matter?" cried Mollie
looking aDxiously from one to another
where's Gabc?r
Instinctively the crowd fell hack ana
made way for her as she crossed over "a
where Link McCord stood. silent ana
embarrassed with the burden OF iii new
he bore.
What's become o Gabe?v she asked.
In shriller tone.
He-he's been kerried on" STAN
mered Link at last.
'herried orr echoed the expectant
BRIDE wonderingly--"where?,
dunno-tho Government oflcers
hev tuck i'm" responded Link. now
grown loquacious since the ice OF his
reserve was broken
"Jes' ez he war gettin' ready ter
come over hyar. lot o. pot cutters rid
up an ketched i'm, an tuck i'm wav
with EN- down ter tn valley kentrv.
They foun' his still. too. an cut an
barnt that up. He got word ter me Ter
come right street erlong an let yer all
know bout his bad luck an why he
couldn't come hissoIr
TWAS all too true: even then this hap
less groom was being hurried further
and further away from his waiting
bride and the merry company who b ad
gathered TO witness his marriage. = the
Officers, with their unlucky prisoner.
rcce along the winding mountain way
towar1 the valley lands and the Fed
eral court in which be was q be tried
for illicit shilling.
While his fate under ordinary circum-
stances would have been a matter OF
comparative indifference. It was now
thing Of the utmost moment to him.
and the young mountaineer was beset
with harasSing fears
This anxiety Of mind lasted him
throughout the slow. tedious journey
down to the valley lands. and through
the imprisonment which followed, until
the slow process Of the law had fixed
his punishment q two years in the State
prison.
Two years Of captivity to him Who
had been - free IS the bird and beast
d his native hills yet even be failed at
drst to realize how many weary DAYS
could be crowded into two long years OF |
waiting.
II he could have hidden his sweet
heart goodbye. and whispered into her
ar how lasting VAS his love, and en- |
treated her to b Of good cheer until be /
anne back. fate would nos have seemed |
% cruel but 70 be thus dragged away
IN his very bridal night that was in
Iced. . trying ordeal Nor was this
essencd when one day there came to
his knowledge, through = guard. who
rad been among the raiders when he
vas captured. tho fact that he had been
betrayed into their hands and the secret
ocation Of his still revealed BY one Of
he mountaineers OF that region.
On closer questioning, and after !
more minute description Of the man by L
he guard. Gabe Hardesty suddenly i
'ucssed that his betrayer was none other
han Milt Spurlock. his rival in the ar
&c tions Of the pretty girl he was 50 soon
o have welded.
From this moment the fortunes OF
JEALOUSY were added to his already un-
Iappy lot
80 y ~ ~ HFatff ldAut4 Lut COttttu
rizc. that. until this moment. he had
ever once doubted her constancy or
Owe; but nov thousand horrible fears
ashed him wiki their relentless scourg-
mr. L,
lie grew hollow-eyed and min. while
Is customary lethargy gave place to
cree restlcssness. like some captive
nimal pining for its native junglcs.
His very dreams were filled with I'M
appiness and unrest
Again and again the fair vision Of the
retty mountain girl disturbed his {
umbers yet now il was ever MARRIED
y the dark shadow Of Milt Spuriocx.
hich seemed to hover always near
Once he dreamed that his marriage
as taking place In the cabin on the :
iliside. yet after the ceremony was
yer he saw. all at once. that the groom
- mt ~ a1off h.st tb.< Nil. k~.,~l<r1~ l =