The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-04-17

woman. II amt goin' tor hov you
hangin' round here tryin' ter steal my
da'ter. III you git her you'll wish
yer hadn't"
Aleo's face hardened.
"Dely'a a good gal an you amt no
call 10 talk that away about yer da'ter.
1 don't ever want ter hear no more o.
that"
She stared at him dumlounded,
then, starting up, hurried to the side
wall and beat her head against II till
tho partitions croaked.
Alec glanced around A long wool
scarf hung over q hook. On another
hook we're suspended two or three
saddle girths.
In another second Mrs Townshend
suddenly felt herself grasped around
the waist and borne iorcibly to the old
splint rocker.
She screamed, struggled, kicked and
bit. It was Of no use. Deity and
quickly, though as gently as possible,
Alec bound her firmly in the chair,
and bound the chair TO the tall, four
poster bedstead, and confined her
hands and feet.
Use RELY afeard ye might hurt
yerself, Mis- Townshend," he said
kindly.
"Aleo Penlan', how dare vel Turn
me loose, turn me loose I'll put yer
in the penitentiaryl" yelled the vic
tim.
"Sho, now, I wouldn'tl There
Don't fretl win is er comm back
afore shutdown, yer know, an hen
unite yer. / wish yer good day, Mis-
Townshend"
He backed out of her presence like
q courtier, carefully shut all the doors,
and hurried to the springplace.
Poor old woman She gave one or
two discordant cries, and then aston
ishment got the better Of anger. By
this simple expedient of beating her
head against the wall, she had all her
life ruled with an iron rod her whole
family. Was it possible it was going
to fail now?
Alex found Miss DEFY sitting on the
steps at the springhouse, churning.
She wore a dark-blue gown, and the
cream which foamed up around the
dasher was not whittier than her cape.
She looked, Alec told himself, as
pretty as posey.
She smiled at him and babe him
"Howdy /"
Alec thought of Bob Wilson,
''Thar shan't nobody say he war q
better man than mel" he muttered.
He went boldly up to MissDely and
kissed her. Then he laid his shaggy
head close and whispered something
in hear ear.
ooh, no, no, Alecl Mad beat her
head off.
"No, she won't. She cayn't."
DEFY looked scared.
''You amt killed her, Alec?"
ooh, moi She's-gone a-visitin'. I"
Miss DEFY got up quickly.
"Alec, what you been er-doin'P %
"Nothin'l But I'm goin' ter kerry
yer off,"
''No, you ANTI" cayn't go!"
'Now Delyl" coaxingly. "Be a
good gal. Come"
81 cayn'tl Alec, what you done
with map"
, ''You come an I'll tell yer"
'No, no, Alec / cayn't!"
| ''But say yer got ter"
Miss DEFY protested, but her resist
: ance grew weaker. Perhaps it was
t the tender words he kept whispering
in her ear that sapped her strength.
, He half led, half carried her down
4 the bank of the branch into woodsy
bride path. There stood his big, black
, mare Molly, all saddled.
He helped DEFY to the top of bowl
, der close by, and then climbed into
the saddle.
} "Comel"
2 He reached out his hand and caught
hers.
'No, Alec, mol"
But she put her other hand on his
} shoulder and sprang up behind hinl
r "Oh I cayn't go, Alecl !"
"Yer cayn't helped 1T, he said tri
Z umphantly, and the mare cantereG
/ down the shaded roadway toward
q Asheville.
Three hours later, when the wester
ing sun was low, they were slowly re
g turning in the same way along the
! same road. And so returning, whc
: knows what pleasant castle-buildins
was interrupted by the sight Of WOOD
wagon jogging along in advance o
, them.
I. "There's Willp exclaimed both.
ARREST Of the team Alec drew rein
7 'Whoa !" cried Will, and he stopped
!, and stared.
"Ef 1 were you, WILL" said Ale,
gently, "Pd hurry home. Yer mi
Q needs yer. An viii, you tell 'er "a