Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-08-29

whispers and finally died away.
''Take care what you say about him,
said the girl, note of alarm escaping
her. ''He was here to-day, as said,
and he is very bitter against you. He
did not threaten you openly, but he
said many things to show that he hates
you and that he means to be even with
you for the snub you gave him at the
meeting last week"
"Just like the coward" Blake said
angrily, ''to come with his threats to
q woman. Why doesn't he come to
me and make them?"
Reginald Brown is a man not to be
defed," Mary said, putting down her
knitting to conceal the trembling OF
her hands, ''and you had best not be
SO outspoken. If he should hear you,
you might regret it."
''Pshaw," he cried impatiently, 'I'm
not afraid of him. If you want him
Mary, Just say so; don't try to scare
me away"
She looked doubtfully at him q mo-
ment: then anger flashed over her
face, and she said:
'I'm not trying to scare You away.
DIO"u Inns tho o<shAo
right to consideration as you. He
was here to-day, ns have said, just as
you came tonight, to get final an
6wer from me-"
"And what answer did you give
him?" he asked impulsively.
"Have you a right to ask that? But
T will tell you anyhow. I gave him
The same answer I will give you. I
will take my own time to answer. I
won't give it to anyone until I am
ready. have no answer to give you
tonight. That is your answer"
The young man rose slowly, took his
hat from the table and walked toward
the door. Deep dependency was up
on his face as he turned there, and
said:
''Mary, see it all now. You love
Brown. You love him when he comes
to you, trying to win you by threats
of rival. That isn't manly"
Haven't you done just as much?
You have called him names tonight"
"He deserves them. don't fear
his threats and I'm going to leave you
to him. I'll take the liberty, though,
Of saying that you'll never be happy
with him. I repeat that he is a cow
ard. Goodbye"
He turned again, and, with sudden
impulse she moved one hasty step
toward him, but determination came
back to her face, and she restrained
her impulse and let him go out. He
hastened down the walk to the road,
and turned aside into the path leading
past Blackman's Gully.
Mary walked back to the chair and
resumed her knitting, but soon let it
fall to the floor. She was restless;
looking into the fire q moment, then
rising and walking to and fro. Once
she put on her shawl and red hood
and stepped to the door, but there she
stopped, took them of, and with
forced laugh said: Nonsense, it was
only Imagination, or the frost on the
pane" and sat down again by the fire.
/ 'Of course it was only the FROST"
she repeated. 81 am like a child.
But didn't do wrong. If he is SO in
dependent about not wanting to come
here to live, I can be independent,
too. And then the way he demanded
my answer. just won't stand it, and
I'll"
She was interrupted by the distant
crunch of tho frozen snow under run
ming steps. They came rapidly near
er, and when they turned into thd
yard, she leaped up and stood ready to
receive the conner. Her father hur-
ried in, his face pale and startled. :.
"Mary, get bed ready at once"
he said. ''There have been terrible
1oings this night"
"What?" she asked forbodingly. :
"You will know soon. A man has
been thrown over into Blackman's
Gully. As was coming home I saw
him lying part way down the steep
side, where he had lodged against a
tree. It's mighty lucky it's moon
light, or he'd have frozen to death, il
he's not already. Iroused the neigh
bors and they're bringing him here.
Be quick and prepare the bed" ::
! Father" she asked, tremuiously
catching his hands, ''teu me right
out. It's James; know it's James
isn't it?" !
'Yes, it's James"
! The willfulness with which she had
driven him away died now like q spark
on the hearth, and gavo place to an
anxiety which would have rendered herI
helpless to get ready for his coming
had not her father sternly bade her
obey. :
The unconscious man was brought in.
and placed in the bed. While q
physician, who had accompanied the
carriers, was examining his injuries
Mary followed the men down stairs
She was thoroughly active and earnest
now, and calling their attention in the
itting-roor, she said:
'Men, Reginald Brown has done
this. know it. He was here this
afternoon and he threatened Mr.;
Blake. M. Blake YVES here tonight,
ind when I told him of Browns threats
ae called him a coward. At the mo-,
mont he called him q coward I saw q.
lace in the window there. told NY
,cH at the time it was only the shape
Of the 1rcst on the pane, but now
know it was Brown looking in. He
heard Mr.. Blake call him o coward, and
be has pushed him into the gully for
that and other rcasoHs. Go and do
your duty"
| The accusation was es o draft of air
upon their smoulderinS hatred of
Brown. Tho whispers Of the life he
had led in tho West sounded again in
their ears Gs loId corroborating voices.
There wac rot man in the crowd to
whom James Blnke had nc. shown his
fairness and generosity. OF course
the scoundrel Brown had committed
this decd. He had thought to cover
the act under the probability that
man could easily slip into tho gully on
such an icy night. One of the men, a
burly, resclute fellow, who had often