The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-11

communicating the Mandatory rumors
that were ahoat in the neighborhood
about Adrien Strong.
Silence fell between the two men.
Seth's mission had failed. He would
wait and take his supper of black coffee
and fried bacon with Strong, then
climb the cliff and go home.
The darkness deepened within and
without Old Whey came into the room
with globeless kerosene lamp in her
hand placed il in the middle of the
table, flung pine knot in the fire and
hobbled slowly ont again.
The insistent rain, made invisible by
the interior illumination of lamp and
freight battered dismally upon the
hard beaten surface of the dooryard
The clock on the rough pine shelf over
the fireplace gave a premonitory cluck
and struck seven.
Whey made a second grand entrec,
laden down with plates and cups and
saucers, which she arranged upon the
table with considerable clatter and no
taste whatever She was hobbling slow
ly toward the door once more when
something caused her to lift her turban-
ed head and to stand still in an alert
attitude of surprised attention.
Il yhers w'eels, she said, turning
automatically toward the two men on
the hearth.
"Wheelsr'
They laughed incredulously. No one
ever sought Neck or Nothing on wheels
under the brightest sunlit skies Who
should be cropping thither in this storm
drenched darkness?
lyon kin smoker s'long as you amt
got no manners, but yhers EN- all de
same. Dey done STOP"
She hobbled TO the front door and
flung it open with assertive violence,
sending yellow band of light athwart
the wet beaten walk between the cabin
and the still.
'She is right Hail Columbia! Who
can it be-" said Seth, rising quickly in
his establishment.
Strong lifted himself more deliberate
ly. Not even the unprecedented posi-
bility Of visitors to Neck or Nothing on
beyond the point of looking behind the
door for his umbrella and lifting his
lantern from the floor with tentative
swing to decide if there was any oil in
it. Then he joined Seth and Whey in
the open doorway.
What they saw was close buttoned,
mud despatched carryall, between the
shafts of which stood steaming, weary
beast of burden with detected, down
dropped head and dripping harness
What they heard was the sound of
voices parleying behind the wet cur
tains-women's voices. young voices
which stimulated the curiosity of the
two men without enlightening them.
Il suppose we've got to see it
through" said Strong, and he plunged
resolutely out into the rain closely fol-
lowed by Seth. A few strides brought
them to the stile, against whose outer
steps the carriage was drawn closely for
the convenience of the travellers.
A child's fretful protest against bro
ken slumber, woman's querulous re-
Spouse, cheerful gurgle of encourage
ment, lifted curtain and boundless
surprise.
"Wellw
"'Pon honorl''
"Strong Martini
"Mamie Colyer!''
OF course the woman was the first to
grow coherent.
If 1T were not so excessively damp
on this stile, should feel impelled TO
sit right down on this platform until
got the better of my feelings. Annabel,
Ann, my dear, where do you suppose
we have fetched up finally?'
A white, tired face, pretty but pee
wish, had been thrust from between the
parted curtains. To it Miss Colyer had
addressed herself.
"At Mr.. Martins, haven't we? You
told that awful imbecile to take us to
Mr.. Martin s.
En- done it," said the lawful inn
beetle" in stolid resentment "Them
thar is bofe of 'em Misterses Martini
There is no denying that" said
Strong, with such a bright ring to his
voice that Seth glanced away from the
phenomenon of their lady visitors to
stare at Strong in fresh bewilderment.
He had no clew to Strong's one love
secret. Mamie Colyer's name and her
bold championship of his cause were too
sacred for idle comment.
And your mother will take two bad
ly wrecked women and famished child |
in for the night Mamie was demand |
ing eagerly, looking down upon them
from the stile, with her skirts gathered |
closely about her trim ankles in prepa-
ration for descent.
my mother lives three miles from
here" said Strong, holding out his
hand 20 assist her.
She drew back with frightened |
gasp
Goodness! Anna, do you hear that?''
II don't hear anything but this cross,
ugly boy crying for something to eat.
Adrien, shall certainly 90 crazy if You
don't shut up.