The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-01-01

"Wonder Of 'Bige thinks she's wuth any Q
part Of II, e300s Reckon he's safe though.
The land oughtor fetch considerable more'n a
the debt But dunno, neither. Moneys
skase, an there amt nobody much likely
ter want secn er big place the thin beard 9
ed man said meditatively, twiddling his /. |.
thumbs Shocky Waters glared at him
through narrow lids, then said darkly:
"Gentlemen, hear my racket, now while
ye've got time 'Bige Potter knows ne
CANT have 'Lizabeth. He thinks, though.
he'll take his spite out gittin Marg ret
Now, there's some on US here wouldi y
mind scein him fooled. When the sale be-
gins, he'll bid lively-no doubt o that In
the world. Now whutever he cries. ye al.
help me ter cry ergainst him. Never mind
Of II "a An the thousands-raise him know
whut I'm doin an ye all know me
Shocky Waters amt never yit left ernother
feller the bag ter hold. I"
THAT ye amt. Shocky. III stan by
ye, no matter whar she goes. Bob Lump
kin said heartily.
"Son l." said the thin bearded man
The Rev. Mr. Barker dropped his saddle
bags, groaning aloud Brother Bemish
gave SLY chuckle, saying aside TO the
sheriff:
"Bixby, pears like they wanter make
mo- work fer ye.
"Shl Thar they come" the ofncer said.
unlocking the fiddle case and thrusting his
} hand inside He meant the touch TO oe
soundless. but In some fashion Il drew
! forth q sort OF muffled resonance indescrib-
ably soft and sweet
At the sound Major Clark tottered and
caught heavily at Elizabeth's arm. He
was hale old man, with apple cheeks ana
.. q firm step Until the last few months no
had kept the untroubled gaze OF child
hood Now there was suggestion OF
= rheum In the eye corners, besides new,
tense lines all around the mouth. he
stopped too Elizabeth looked the taller OF
the pair. She was tall girl anyway, with
: square shoulders, a long neck and small
= hands thoroughbred In line despite the
:. roughening Of hard work. She had small,
!. proud stepping feet, too, and carried her
head high Dark brown eyes looked AT
you from under straight. level brows
J. Her skin was rich olive, stained with the
most vital red at the cheeks and lips.
3 Even the huddle Of shawls she wore
J. could not wholly mask the litheness ol
v her figure. As she came through the dooi
y
q head. Shocky Waters made haste To set q
n chair for the major. Bob Lumpkin fetched
? another for Elizabeth. b. the sheriff
r shrank out Of sight like O.. suddenly dis
; covered doing an i'll deed
IN Elizabeth's head bent lightly In greet
Or ing, then she looked ut the clock.
IL lacked minute of l2. Without hesita
Do ton she stepped forward, took the hddl
er from its case and laid IL within her grand
~ fathers hands.
cd He took it tenderly and laid his chez
ne to 1t. whispering: "Marg ret, Marg rel
az how could l put ye In pawn' Ye that
ts named for my Mare'ret dead and gone.
wish had died first Now ye must b
BY sold at 12 o'clock-the laws says 1t.
In done IL myself, Marg'ret. amt got n
d. right even ter break ye mp and save y
er from that man. Goodby, my girl, goodby
IN IL won't last long without ye.
er 'Lizabeth at his elbow alone hear
ey what he said. A touch made her turn I
es face 'Bige Potter, lean, oily, smartl
ge clothed, smiling at her cadaverous tr
q umph.
:" III you had any feclin for anybody bu
ut yourself, you'd put stop TO this. he sal
er under his breath, nodding toward the ol
man,
70 'Lizabeth's lip curled.
set "I am all YOU have left him. Don't II
In to take that away, too" she said In n
ar own key He wheeled sharply abou
pnawing his under lip. The clock wt
ire striking. The sheriff had laid hands o
he Marg' ret and was crying. with wild q
i'm tempt at jocularity; Gentlemen. ladie
rd nipeers and the rest Of mankind here's
I'm idde--a fine fiddle-a reg lar Jim Crac
- Corn hidle-thatll II come mighty near Il
Ia playin itself How much fer its Bid liv
ir iy, now Warranted not ter wear, tea
led rip, ravel run down at the heel. ner c'
a. In the eye How much do l hear Fi'
2 id dollars Tens Oh. shucks Gentlemel
YER no time fer foolin Bid somethin respeo
able. This yere instrument cost or hu
Ige dred dollars, rememberi Bid fer old a
'ut oua,ntance sake The last one o. ye h
tin danced ter her musici Ask 20 pardo
er- Brother Barker, 1 fergot you wuz her
red Who bids Who bidss Who bids Te
snt ten; now gimme the twentyi Twenr
five do hearf Thanky. Shocky. That
put sort o. like II"
ole "A hundred hercl No use In maxim T.
har bites Of a cherry" 'Bige Potter "a
ost shortly.
,ck Make It two hundred" said Shocky.
Outl " nree nun0reu, CHiicu y oeeet.
, II Five hundred even." Bob Lumpk
ed shouted, setting his hat 80 far back that
Ugh tipped of and fell But nobody laugh
as at the diverting spectacle, for Potter "
on shouting, his face apoplectic. "A tho
last sandl A thousandi'
set 1.-Two thousand" sang out the On
le d bearded man. Shocky had just whispci
up In his ear.
MAKE It three" Potter shouted fu
up ously.
aar. MAKE Il fourr' retorted Shocky. =
my Lumpkin began the double shuffie rs so
slight expression Of his Joy
but Five thousandl My debt, an-Al
you intrusy" Potter cried In white rage.
way "No good Six won't git ye. Marg re-
that Shocky half chanted half cheered, hoppi
he from one foot TO the other. The she
70. stared wildly about. The bidders,
seemed 10 him, had surely lost their min
Q he He became more than ever certain OF
the when 'Bige Potter shouted: Seven tn
III sand must--I will have that fiddle J
lick aye can't have her, 'Bigy mani He'
4 an eight thousand over here Shocky 9
hip tantalizingly.
.l..i-rS IA -. a,,Ss1 Eiuhk IN