Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-04-16

ting to be stately, guinea fowls GROW,
suddenly gregarious, pigeons swoopins
from aioft to share in the liberal larr-ess
would all come, futtering. fyinp
/ scramblirg, hurrying, each filed witt
genuine human greed, striving to ca,
ahead of its fellows
Sue rather liked feed -time., IN come
II broke up the dreadful monotony OF
ner day, and introduced cheerful clamo,
into profound silence.
She was left very much alone durine
the day. Her father and her four un.
! couth brothers were always off as soon
rs the breakfast she got up at dawn to
prepare was disposed of.
| What their business was, beyond the
making and garnering of the meage,
crops which seemed never to result in
any retirement of her own condition
she did not know. Nor did She much
care. She was not of a speculative turn
She went the dull round of her sordid
duties unquestioning, unrepining. She
mad condensed the ethics of the case,
with unconscious philosophy, into sim
gle aphorisms
"Frettin' don't do no good, so whar's
the use of frettin'?"
Under softer conditions she might
| have developed into an uncommonly
pretty girl. The first time Bradley Mar
tin saw her her face was as the face of
| a guardian angel to him. Their intro
| duction was strange one.
From the stile that crossed the rude
yard fence the mountain footpath
dropped precipitately downward. This
rendered approach to the house posi-
BILE without any warning view before
hand. Standing on this stile, holding
his hat in one hand, while with the
| other he dashed great beads of sweat
from his forhead, Sue saw the man!
She levelled her clear, brown eyes on
| him in intense surprise. He was a
stranger, and strangers were not COM
mon in Lumley's Pass. She stood up.
| with the corners of her check apron
gathered together mechanically, with
thrifty thought for her shelled corn.
She gained in dignity by change of pos
ture. She was tall, and just now she
| was standing on the defensive.
"Who be you? and what be you dom
standin' stock still on our stile?" she
| asked, in slow, gentle drawl that gave
no Indication Of her perturbed state.
Her voice was as sweet as a wood
pigeons note. Her eyes were clear,
steadfast, fearless. In spite of the short
ness of her coarse cotton gown, there
was a certain air of command about
this mountain girl which imposed upon
the stranger. But it was face to be
trusted, and the young man on the stile
stood in sore need of a friend.
He was by her side in few swift
strides. She could see his broad chest
heave with the breath that. came in
pants.
you are alone? he asked.
She trembleu at the eager excitement
of his voice and manner, but her fright
did not appear in her drawled answer:
"Wcal. what it be?''
Hide me, and keep my secret"
'fWhat for shall hide you? Who
be you, and v hat you been up to? Moon
shinin'?''
He cast about him excitedly with eyes
that looked like hunted animal'3.
IF you don't want to have murder
on your soul, hide me. got into trouble
down IN Davis dell. a man was killed
Circumstances point to me. A posse is
out looking for me. I've been running
and hiding for two days. I'm about
spent. If they get me I'll swing. For
heavens sake, girl, hide me quick"
Quick" was n word seldom heard in
that locality, more seldom acted upon.
She released the corners of her apron
and let the shelled corn stream into a
wooden bowl at her feet. She never
once took her eyes off the travel-stained
before her. She carefully busted the
loose bran from her work-roughened
hands before speaking again:
"And be you bloodguilty?"
II am not"
"You don't look like Lumley Pass
folks. You be from town somewhere, 1
reckin. How can l tell whether you be
lynn to me or not?"
II swear before heaven I am inno-
cent"
She darted away from him, but was
back before he had time to conjecture
She held a tattered, backless book in her
hand.
This were mammy's Bible. Can you
The stranger laid his right hand SOL
e1nnly on the book:
by your mothers Bible"
''Come long. then. Pop and the boys
will be home soon"
She wrapped the book in her apron.
She turned swiftly and led the way to
an old stable, many degrees more
dilapioated than the dwelling house
which is conde.nning it totally. Slip
ping through crevice by preference
to wrestling with the huge, unmanaye-
able doors, she pointed upward to
loft raggedly filed with hay. The man
was close behind her.
''Climb up and burrow under the hay.
Quick-1 hear mighty trampin' of
hoofs! But don't you be scared, I'll
manage 'em. You can trus' me-"
1t took the fugitive but second to
vault upon the ramshackle feed-trough,
and from that into the hay-loft. She,
standing on the edge of the trough,
scattered hay over him literally. She
was singing Justify, somewhat dis
cordnntly. entirely by homemade meth
DDS, while she was about it.
The tramping of feet had succeeded to |
that of hoofs. Firing ner arms with |
hay, still singing at the top of her voice.
Sue left the barn just in time to confront |
her father, brothers and half dozen |
other mountaincers. She leaned against |
4 ba f,o ~, .l~,<,r nd "a, rod M