Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-02

her grandfather Now she stepped eager
ly forward and spoke his name.
Instantly he fell back a step in blank
amazement, then said hurriedly:
"Oh, Miss Dare, your grandpa's out
side. II think he wants to see you -
CHAPTER XXI
"My girl, we can show them the
Overtons know how to die.
Dare had indeed found her GRANDPA
ther with the mob, found him bound and
helpless, yet sitting as upright and fear
less upon his horse as though for the
chase. 1t had all passed like a dream,
the sight of him, the mounting behind
one of the leaders, the tramp into the
wilderness, from which she had but just
escaped Now the hillmen had halted in
front of the house Cleve had chosen for
her prison, had hurried the two within
it and were deep in counsel outside.
1--WE can de-" Dare echoed, "but we
shall die innocent. We have never
harmed, but always helped as far as lay
in our power, these lawless men. What
charge can they bring against u.s."
Ildb We dIc ofGltcli>, t11C OAlt
said bitterly. "Overtons, he repeated,
1.-THE rightful owners Of this which 9th
er men wish to sell and buy. AT sun
down as l sat i'll my study these fellows
came upon me, demanding that l give
up my rights. In their phrase, Take it
OF leave it and let men who have money
set the wheels turning They were tired
of waiting and starving if was not If
l dared to refuse, l must take tho con-
sequences. did refuse, then and for
ever. was alone in the house, almost
so upon the plantation. Gagged and
bound, was sat upon my horse and
headed for this place. | know it well,
the loneliest, the widest spot in all the
tract, so wild and lone murder might
| be done here hundred times with no
risk of detection. All the way l was
thanking God that you were safely away
Tell me, my child, how it happens that
you, too, are entrapped?'
Dare told him, keeping back nothing
save the scene i'll Jinccy's cabin. The
more than midnight darkness OF their
prison house hid the old mans face as
he listened, but his hand lay on that Of
his grandchild, and amid all her stress
of feeling she noted the surging leap OF
his pulse as she told of her peril, her es-
cape. ~
''Oh, for one more day of life to meet
that gentleman he said through his
set teeth. MY child, my child, it seems
let you go into the very lions den.
Forgive me, my girl. I have not been
tender and thoughtful of you. shall
love you more through our little inch CT
time than in all the years of your life. y
"Thero is nothing to forgive, Dare
said, laying her cheek softly against his
hand A culver of lightning played
along the floor and showed her big tears
dropping from the brave old eyes
II have not shed tear before since
Margaret died." the old man said, with
8 gulp over the name.
You must not cry now. Weneed all
our spirit, Dare said, nesting closer.
"Kecpa good heart, grandfather. These
men surely dare not murder us outright,
and help must come before long. f..
'You don t know them as do, daugh-
ter" Major Overton said, with sigh.
"They have gone too far to draw back
now. Our lives are the price of their own
safety no less than their prosperity My
wonder is that they have not given us
shorter shrift-indeed that we came
into this room alive.
The hillmcn themselves wondered not
a little. In truth, there was division
of opinion among their heads.
Il tell yc, both must die, er we'll
swing for it, - said the man Dare had
recognized. Il tell ye, ye might "a
knocked me down with feather when
seen tibet thar gal in ole Jincey's cabin
al she spoke up so, Why this is Mr..
Henslcy' I'd ruther take er year S
vhippin AN ter fetch her rough, but
whut's er man Ter do? She lmowed me.
I tell ye thar amt no safe way but the
| bloody one. =-.-~
can l tell you, you fool, said deep
or voice. ''if harm comes to her, ter so
much as Il hair of her head, Wo'Q all
have our trouble fer our pains. The fel-
Ter dat's got most or de money were SO
anxious he should spend here is plumb
crazy about her The man dat touches
her is as sure ter swing fer it as de
spendin Of a million dollars can make
him. l know, fer H, yo' know who,
told me dat was i'll de game Eff he don t
git her. most lill' he'll quit de country.
l say de thing ter do is keep 'om here,
keep 'em comfortable, treat 'om lik'
fightin cocks, but keep 'em close till
they're willin ter agree ter hold their
tongues" -
THAT d be eenabout always. Man,
yo' don't know them Overtons. Bad as
1 hate 'em fer their high headed, high
handed ways, L know they're game
amt afeared o. man ner devil and
wouldn't bulge hair from what they
said wus right fer all dis world, with de
next thrown III. Talk about maxim
terms Put it ter vote, say. Fix Ell hat,
somebody. All in favor of maxim a sure
thing o. dis job put crossmarks on their
tickets. Dem ergin it, leave 'em white. )"
A little time, and 80 men came past
the hat, over which hung their solitary
lantern, each dropping from his hand a
fluttering slip whose import was life or
81.