The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-04-23

that Of hoofs. Filling her 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 dozeu
other Inountaincers. She leaned against
the barn door and stared at them.
In the name of wonder. folks, what's
up? A barn-raisin'?
On the top of the hay with which her
arms were filled lay her blue apron
folded about the old Bible. She specu-
lated vaguely about the probable fate
of girl who should. Tell a lie with tho
Bible right under her nose. Her father
was spokesman for the searching party.
"Jeb Wilson's been done for down
in Davis Dell by town chap. Yves
]ookin' for him. Seen anybody pass this
way, Sue?"
Sue laughed scornfully.
Likely, amt it, so many folks pass
this way!"
Her father laid his hand on the clumsy
latch to the sagging barn door. Sue
Strengthened her back against it reso-
lutely.
''Not in there, pop. I've just found
that old yeller turkey hen we thought
the minks had got. She's settin' up in
the hay-loft, and I wouldn't have her
pestered for 40 Jcb Wilson's. No, I
wouldn't! She do look so peaceful and
proudlilze. Bud Frank, take the gentle
men to the springhouse and give en-
bit of buttermilk: Fresh churned
this 1nornin', gentlemen. And you uns
do look like you'd been swallerin' yo'
peck of dust all t'oncct."
Lumley took his hand off the latch
and faced toward the men.
''We're foolin' away valerable time,
gents. Will you step down to the milk
house and wet yo' whistles before we
start ag'in?
won't the gentlemen stay and take
bite" Sues hospitality waxed ur-
gent rs she perceived her father was
bent on pushing forward. "'Twon't
take me more'n half an hour, pop, to
get 'em somethin' hot"
'They'l have something hot when we
ketch the Teller that done for Jeb Will
son; so will he"
This witticism revived the tagging
energy of his followers, and after .
hurried excursion to the springhouse,
Sue had the satisfaction of seeing them
mount their horses and disappear down
the steep, stony bridle-path by which
they had come.
When the last hoof-beat had ceased
to sound upon the rocky ground. she
fed her prisoner, and loading him down
with provisions and good advice, sent
him away in an opposite direction from
that taken by the horsemen. He turned
and waved his hat to her before the
black woods swallowed him up.
''Of course, won't never see him
again." she said, stolidly, "and don't
know as I care to; but I lied for him,
right on top of mammy's Bible, and
that's goin' to make it hard for me to
forget him out and out"
In point of fact, she found it impos-
sible to forget him tout and out" She
called herself mean-spirited creature
for clinging so tenaciously to his mem
ory, but it did not mend the matter At
all.
Jeb Wilson's real slayer was discov'
cred and summariIy dealt with. Jeb
Wilson himself was well nigh forgotten
when Sue, sitting on the slab Smelling
corn. rs she had been doing that even.
ing, lifted her eyes to guage the length
ching shadows of the familiar land
scape, as she had done on that evening,
and saw a man standing on the stile
that spanned the rude yard fence.
She sat quite still, but q slow, sweet
smile came to her lips and glad light
into her clear, steadfast eyes.
"You be come back! What for?''
He was by her side in few swift
strides. He held out his hands to her
and smiled down into her uplifted face.
''I'm building a house over t'other
side of the dell"
ooh, you be?"
"And I'm goin' to live there"
"Yes?" The color came and went in
the girls sunburnt cheeks in a hot tor.
rent.
I'm going to take my wife to live in
my house when it is finished"
"Yes?"-it was almost whisper. She
fell to Smelling corn lis if the world held
no other possible occupation for her
trembling little hands.
He seated himself boldly on the slab
by her side. He laughed and filed his
hands with corn she had shelled.
Don't you want to learn something
about the girl I'm building that house
for?"
eff you I've anxious to talk about her."
IL am"
He flung the corn from him, and the
pigeons came in white-winged throng
to repair the waste.
''Shcs the pluckiest girl I ever saw.
Shes worth ten dozen of me. She got
the dearest, clearest brown eyes in the
world. and-and once upon time she
saved me from being hurried out of the
world by a lot of IDIOTS who insisted
upon calling me a murderer"
Slowly the truth dawned upon Sues
mind. She leaned toward him with
hands folded on her knees. - d"
Il lied for you on mammy's Bible!
How arc we going to get around that?"