Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-03
The Mystery
POLLY L0PP,
Copyright 1894.
Continued from yesterday.)
CHAPTER Ill
BY OPIE READ.


CHAPTER Ill
Three men had been dangerously
wounded, and the law, now brave
enough, took charge of them. Polly and
Nell were heroines The president Of
the mite society called a special meeting
in their honor, and old man Aimes made
a speech, with his shirt collar buttoned
almost tight enough to choke him.
Now it was declared that Polly should
never leave the village; and it was
also avowed that if she wanted to be
acquainted with three men from away
off somewhere it was her right, and
that it was nobody's business if she
had chosen to engage herself to them.
Ono afternoon Aimes called at the
Office and told Nell to go home. eco
right on now and wait there till come"
he said, thinking to whisper to her, but
speaking loudly enough to be heard
out in the street. Eyes, right now, and
when do come l may have mighty
interestin' piece of news for you"
Nell went out and Polly knew what
was coming. The old man sat down.
Little cooler than it was yesterday"
he said.
YES" she replied. Cooler than i.
was day before yesterday"
Cad, reckon you are right. Say,
do you ricollect that some time ago l
told you about my field of corn down
the creek? Well, you ought to see it
| now. Seventy-fve or hundred BUSH
els to the acre. And you know that I
told you that you might even spend fif-
teen dollars. Of course you ricollect
it, for how could woman and as
brave woman as you ever forget it.
Well, have been thinkin' the matter
over since then and have come to the
conclusion that you may spend twenty
dollars at snort. Now what do you
think of it?"
But you don't owe me anything
she replied.
"No, but 1 want to give it to you,
don't you see-give it to you to spend at
snort, hah? I want to marry you,
don't you understand"
MIR. Aimes, you are too brave man
to throw yourself away"
Now look here. don't come twit-
tin of me- he said. II was goin' to
help you shoot them fellers, but, hang
1t. Nell took the gun and slipped away
with it before I could get to the house.
l can't run as fast as could at one
time" 'e
but saw you running through the
street and deer couldn't have been
faster"
"You are right, and I was runnin'
for the gun"
"But you were not running toward
your house."
mo, of course not, for I knew that
Nell had tuck my gun and l was goin'
after another one. And it's a good
thing for them that didn't get it. But
let us git down to business. / have
been thinkin' the matter over and l
have come to the conclusion that |
can't git along very well without you
and l know Nell can't. Why, look here,
you ought to be mother to that girl,
hah? Didn't she risk her life to help
you? And amt such courage as that
deservin' of mother? It's easy enough
to be a mother to her."
"Yes, but I can't very well be
mother to both of you"
THE horn spoon 1 don't want you
to be mother to me; want you to be
n wife to me-"
II think a great deal of you, Mr..
Aimes."
"Bleeged to you, gad."
And will break my engagement
to those three men and engage myself
TO you for one year"
Cut it down and I'm with you."
"All right, we'll say three months"
"And will you swear you won't fool
me?"
III swear that will not break the |
engagement unless you are willing"
But here, you won't cut up no caper |
In the meantime that will cause me to
draw off, hah? All right now, it's a
go, and I'll tell that old woman to
weave another rag carpet" He stopped !
at the door, turned about and remarked: |
Amt quite as chilly as it was yis-
tidy"
And before she could reply he had |
lunged out into the street and was has
tening to tell his daughter of his hap
piness. When Polly reached home, just
as twilight was tangling itself amid the
dead vines in the garden, she found |
Nell standing at the gate, waiting for
her. The girl was nervous. and she
opened the gate with jerk ..
What have you told father?" she
asked, when Polly passed through tho
gate. Don't 60 into the house just
81
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