The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-27

in their comfort that he loosed their
halters. Then he cast q glance up
wards and chuckled. A wasp nest as
big as a mans hat was hanging be-
tween two of the rafters. teeming with
these irritable insects. John Wesley
went outside, climbed up to the top Of
the shed. counted the clapboards both
ways. planted himself above the wasp
nest, and with one quick stamp of the
foot knocked hole in the rotten plank.
The noise startled the horses. the wasps
swarmed down on them, and the next
instant they were going down the road
the way they had come, squealing,
whickering. kicking and running like
mad.
When they We're out of hearing John
Wesley went into the house by back
door, got his rifle and went off through
the woods.
Hildreth of Hall and his companions
must have had cool reception at Par
malee's, for In about an hour they
came back in some haste. II they were
alarmed, that feeling was increased
ten-fold at finding their horses gone.
Their sadles and brides were where
they had left them, but the horses were
gone. They held a hurried consulta-
tion In the lot, climbed the fence
instead of coming out near the house,
skirted through the woods, and enter
ed the road near Mrs. Pruett's, moving
as rapidly as men can who are not
running. A half mile farther the road
turned to the left and led through a
ravine.
On one bank, hid by the bushes,
John Wesley sat with his rife across
his lap, lost in meditation. Occasion
ally he plucked rotten twig and
crumbled 1t in his fingers. After awhile
he heard voices. He raised himself on
his right knee and placed his left foot
forward as an additional support Then
he raised his gun. struck the stock
lightly with the palm Of his hand to
shake the powder down. and held him.
self in readiness. When the men came
in sight Hildreth Of Hall was slightly
in advance of the others.
John Wesley slowly raised his rifle
and was about to bring the barrel to a
level with his eyes when he saw a flash
Of fire on the opposite bank, and heard
the sharp crack of a rifle. He was
so taken by surprise that he raised him
self in the bushes and looked about him.
Hildreth of Hall had tumbled forward
in a heaD at the flash. and the other
men jumped over his body and ran like
rabbits Before the hatful of smoke
had lifted to the level of the tree tops
they We're out of hearing.
John Wesley crossed the road and
went to the other side. There he saw
Loorany Parmalee leaning against q
tree. breathing hard. At her feet lay
u rifle.
You spilled my game" he remarked.
rs he dead?" she asked.
'oh ba rar1io1 fbray
her head back and breathed hard. John
Wesley picked uo the rifle and exam
, ined 1t.
WAS you gwine to kill him." Loo
rany asked.
We'll, sorter that away. reckon"
Did you have the notion that I'd
marry you afterwards"
II want a-gwine to AK you," said
John Wesley.
"Will you take me now, Jest as
am?"
why. l reckon" he replied, in q
matter fact tone.
In course of time boy was born tC
Loorany Millirons. and the event made
her husband q widOwer, but the child
was never known by any other name
than that of TOog Parmalee-and TOOe
was the chap that shot his sweetheart
All these things, as Mrs. Pruett said
were the cause of the difficulty you read
about in the newspapers the other day
"Thribble the generations" she added
IAN sins arm is long enough to retct
through 'em all
| (The End)