New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21

IL has been for the best. Joe never Knew I.t 81
was Of age that he had anything, and we dldn 'ui'
Percy OF il then, because he was only SeVehiccn
Joe put his money into the ranch here anu h'pV
quiet about it. o5.aO or
| course, this is between ourselves. But-u2 SoII
know, l wish the boy had won. He's g2od g Ge3
of man. and, now come 10 think of II, It aIioI
| has hit him hard They could have Wallet
| couple of years, you know" And Jack WaKeu
| off, slowly, taking long whns at his pipe. ~.
Several weeks passed, during which saw di,To- Ne
| Her laugh was not the jolly laugh had neeii ac-
customed TO hear and she seemed pensive at times
hoped it was Shorty. But, somehow, when PEG;
pie pine they to lose color and get thll ana
Ncttic Parker did neither. And still no word rom
Shorty and the day for the wedding only week
| away.
II was Wednesday of Thanksgiving week and
there had been great preparations at Parker s. ne
people for miles around were invited 10 the WcuuiHS
| which, old sam lowed" would be IN bang
uppest thing they ever he'd in tn lentry rode
something TO present TO the bridc-elect. In the
postofllce, some one tapped me on the shoulder,
| turned. 1t Shorty Fleming-Shorty, win a
| handsome mustache, and smiling quite happily
" How long before you're going out?' he asked
Bully, Faber, go and borrow a horse, until
| to-morrow-tell 'cm yours is lame, and you'll nave
to lead him Nobody has recognized me back Of
this overcoat collar and the hirsutc adornment and
/ don't want EN- to. I'll walk ont and head up
| the road. Hurry up with the horses
| In tbout twenty minutes ! was following him,
riding horse had borrowed from my friend the
doctor, and leading my own | soon caught up
| me a letter signed "Ncttic' and proceeded to I'M
| fold plan he had in mind which, for the qual fty
| Z pure nerve" | had never heard surpassed
| There was nobody at the house hut Manuel,
the cook, and Shorty soon had him sworn TO silence
after which he proceeded TO camp in the cold littc
upstairs store-room off my dcn where nobody
| could find him. Jack was not to know OF his
presence. he said, because Jack is so laundering
honest and persnickety, and would squal or spoil
| the job"
The haf-hundred guests at Parker's had been
enjoying Thanksgiving Day TO the full. All OF
| Mrs. Parker's good things had been slowed away
where they would do the most good The min
lister from town getting ready for the ccre,
mony, and the guests were busting about, amid
observation. Nettie Parker, pale for once. stood
near the front door, pulling her fingers ncrvousy
waiting, supposedly. for her father. .,,.,
| Some knocked at the door Nettic pulled
| il open, gave little cry, grabbed mans hat
| from the back of chair and an ovcrcoat from a
reg near by and rushed out slommlng The d ieiI
| dazed. Then, we heard horses ho0ts Gathering
up the road, there was rush for the outside
| Up the road. disappearing fast, were two horses
whose riders were evidently in hurry. There
was another rush--this time for the Stables-led
| by old Sam Parker. Put. somehow, the doors
would not open They had been nailed mp, very
making hypocritical efforts TO get. one of them
open ..,..,.- .....
WIcn IUPN HndllN SuCiftu'h III WV
| or three men for pursuit, the runaways had Three
or four miles start At this junctnre, Cottrell. as
cool as if he had never thought Of attending his
| own wedding. came mp and spoke quietly to old
Parker, who dazed that he had not opened
his mouth so far.
| The old man started "Bv gorry Morris, mebbc
thets c'rect. No use yowln split milk.
| Come on. boys" And they rode off, but not very
rapidly.
II told the old gentleman" remarked C3ttrell
to me. as turned toward the house. that II
4 a head them of. THEY'LL no
| married inside of an hour" Then, in tone that
contained no trace of bitterness. he continued:
ut is far better 10 have happened now than
than later And-as it isl think maybe there.
will be only one unhappy, person, nsead Of three
| That was Morris Cottrell-philosopher and man.
Mr. and MrstPercival Fleming were met at the
justices office by old Sam Parker, who remarked
WAL | swow Yew air a Merry boy. Amt
We both ashamed ont ?"
| No, they not and after Nettie had had n
| good cry in her fathers arms, the runawavS were
escorted back TO the Parker ranch TO receive 'he
| congratulations Of their friends, foremost among
| whom was Morris Cottrcll.-(R j.. Ketchum in
The San Francisco Argonaut