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

tue WOunLaln.WatleO Cle6T1OG. HtP~tt
Sue was sitting. alone on the rough
pine slab that did duty for front-door
step. Her lap was full of corn and corn
cobs. A pile of unshelled corn was
stacked on the slab within easy reach.
With q fine disregard for her own cuti-
Gle, she rubbed the grains free from the
cob with the reddening ball of her right
thumb.
When all the corn should be shelled,
she would lift up her voice shrilly, and
countless feathered pensioners would
make glad response. ROSTERS, forget
ting to be. stately, guinea fowls grown
suddenly gregarious, pigeons swooping
from aloft to share in the liberal largess,
would all come, futtering, flying,
scrambling, hurrying, each filled with
genuine human greed, striving to eat
ahead of it's fellows
Sue rather liked "feed-time" to come.
1t broke up the dreadful monotony of
her day, and introduced cheerful clamor
into profound silence.
She was left very much alone during
the day. Her father and her four un7
couth brothers were always off as soon
On the breakfast she got UP at dawn to
prepare was disposed of.
What their business was, beyond the
making and garnering of the meager
crops which seemed never to result in
any betterment of her own condition,
she did not know. Nor did she much
care. She was not of a speculative turn.
Che want tho dill ,,o,,u1 - har. sord;1
duties unquestioning, unre pining. She
had condensed the ethics of'the case,
with unconscious philosophy, into sim
gle aphorism:
"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
guardian angel to him. Their intro
duction was a 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 doin'
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 wood
pigeons note. Her eyes were clear,
steadfast, fearless. In spite of the short
ness Of hcrscoarse cotton gown, there
was a certain air of command about
this mountain girl which imposed upon
the stranger. But it was a. 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 Gee his broad chest
heave with the breath that came in
pants.
"You are alonc?" he asked.
She trelnbled at the eager excitement
of his voice and manner, but her fright
did not appear in her drawled answer:
"Wcal. what it be?'
"Hide lie, and keep my secret"
"What for shall hide you? Who
be you, and " hat you been up to? Moon
shinin'?'
He cast about him excitedly with eyes
that looked like a hunted animals.
IF you don't want to have murder
on your soul, hide me. I 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 a word seldom heard in
that locality, more seldom acted upon.
She released the corners of her apron
and let the shelled corn stream into
wooden bowl at her feet. She never
once took her eyes of the travel-stained
garb and the haggard face of the man
before her. She carefully busted the
loose bran from her work-roughened
hands before speaking again:
"And be you bloodguilty?"
"Iam not
"You don't look like Lumley Pass
folks. You be from town somewhere, 1
reckin. How can I tell whether you be
lynn to me or not?"
II swear before heaven 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 nammy's Bible. Can you
swear on tlat?'
The stranger laid his right hand SOL
e,nnly on the book:
''By your mothers Bible"
"Co1nc long, then. Pop and the boys
will he home soon."
She wrapped the book in her apron.