Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-12-29

AluA-1dCCu NhTS 4O"ICE AOOhCu oSCA
her husbands shoulder from the win
dow and surveyed the handsome young
fellow who was in the act of assisting
Be ssie to dismount
''Why, do believe it is Tom," she re-
turned. show handsome he's grown
to be!''
Handsome, the dickens" and he
strobe toward the door angrily. CPL
pay him for his impudence in ridin'
with our Bess."
Flinging the door open he faced Bes-
sizes escort with an angry flash in his
eyes
81 don't ask any odds of any Hart
ley" he said, grufiy. brushing Tom
aside. 81 can help my own gal of her
pony"
'Father!" mildly demonstrated Mrs.
Fowler from the doorway.
81 mean it"' he went on, rudely drag
ging Bess from her saddle. snow you
go in the cabin and stay there. Bess,
and you," to Tom, get on your beast
and ride back to your dads ranch. I
amt goin' to have you hangin' round
here, film my gals head full O. nom
sense"
Bess staggered into her mothers
arms, and hid her burning face on that
sympathetic breast. Tom Hartley's in
dignation was aroused against the old
| man, but by great effort he con-
trolled himself to speak calmly:
''See here, Mr.. Fowler, what's the
sense in letting your old misunder-
standing with father separate Bessie
and me? 1 love her truly, and believe
| 1 could make her very happy" Tom
| went on, fearlessly. 'Its New Years
tomorrow, and think you and father
had better bury that old fuss and be
friends again. He's willing if you are.
1t would make Mrs. Fowler and
mother happy, know. Come, begin
the New Year with all the old dis
Bessie and me enjoy an unclouded hap
piness."
New Years be hanged-' replied
Fowler, admiring Tom Hartley's spirit,
although he was resolved to be unre-
lenting. "You can tell your father
amt willing to make up if he is.
amt forgot all he said, and I'd just as
lief begin my calendar of the New
Year with that old fuss as with any
thing else. Ride on, and don't come
back to Big Elm any more. You can't
nave Bess, and you're not needed here"
and, pushing his wife :nd daughter into
the cabin. he shut the door almost in
Toms face.
Singing with indignation, the young
fellow mounted his horse and rode
away. AS he passed the window he
had a brief glimpse of pretty Bess cry
ing her dark eyes red on her mothers
shoulder. The sight almost maddened
him, and he felt disposed to ride back,
force an entrance, and carry her away
from that unreasonable OGRE" her
father.
but who knows?" he communed
with himself. ''The New Year may
bring about something for Bessie and
me. No need to make the fuss worse,
if haven't done so already. Maybe
the old man will cool off little. I'll
wait and see," and he rode on.
Then he began calling his father and
the postmaster at Big Elm rather un-
pleasant names for being so foolish as
to allow q slight mistake to cause such
a disruption of friendship. Why
couldn't folks exercise more sense,
more dispassion in the affairs of bust
ness? 1t would save so much trouble
if they only would.
The sun had set. Darkness was set
thing over the prairie, and the stars
were beginning to appear here and
there in the blue vault above him. But,
unheeding the lateness, Tom Hartley
rode on, he cared not where. He was
in no mood to go home, and, as a kind
of reaction of the condemnation he had
H. hAa rk
heavy. and he began to entertain ap-
prehensions of his ever being able to
win Bessie Fowler.
1t was growing chilly, SO he spurred
his horse into a reckless gallop. This
| rate of travel suited him better, and he
let the spirited animal 60 as fast as he
pleased.
They had Just entered some low,
| woody bluffs along stream. when the
horse caught one of its forefeet in q
deep rut and stumbled, fiinging its rider
violently to the rocky ground
| Frightened at its own mishap, the
horse extricated himself and went tear
ing off across the prairie, leaving its
| master where he had fallen
Tom Hartley was too stunned to
move for several minutes. When he
did at last attempt to rise he realized
that his right arm was badly sprained.
But congratulating himself on hav-
ing escaped worse injury. he started
| toward the stream, resolved to refresh
himself with a sup of water. then hur-
~ to the ranch, where he knew the re-
turn of his horse without its rider would
| create alarm.
He was picking his way around q
blum when voices suddenly attracted
his attention.
Two men were earnestly engaged in
conversation not ten feet from where
he halted.
He was about to pass on when he
heard them pronounce . certain name.
| This determined him to listen, and,
slipping into dark niche of the blum.
Tom Hartley overheard the following
dialogue:
$50 Old Fowler never mistrusted the
| message wasn't o. K?"
mo. I worked it slick. You SEQ be
owes Mr.. Gray for money loaned him
70 pay OF his mortgage. and when
told him that Gray wanted to sec him
1t once on important business. he
racked right out on his pony without
askinG me another question"
/ Then there's nobody at Big Elm but
the old woman and gal?"
That's all It'll take old Fowler
till after midnight to get TO Gray's, and
f1.~ ill., h~~~ H. 2