San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-14

stud ON Their cliff an seed yer drug i'm
up 'mongst Their stick weeds, an seed
We tex Their wallut outin his puckit an
count ther money, an then ye kivered
it up wit sand afore ever ye let on
tibet ye'd found i'm.
There was startled, wicked CLEAN
in old Gilliad's eyes.
"Ye she devili" he Kissed ''Ye lean
faced huzzyr
He let the dead cat fall to the floor
and raised the bloody knife menacingly
at her. He glared from his deep set eyes,
with their grizzled lashes, like amaniac.
Laney crouched at his feet. Her IN
kempt hair glistened in the freight. A
moment he stood over her with the
dripping knife. His stiff white hair and
long beard bristled, his bumped shoul-
ders were drawn back, and his horny
hand threatened her life.
Up in the mountains, deep in its re-
cess of gray rocks, fringed around by
lichens and high grass that crinkled and
dried in the wind, is an Indian spring.
The water is deadly poison. An old
story relates that a tribe there paused
in their march, in all the glory of saw
age war paint, bent upon the destruction
of a nobler race, and gazed and drank
and died. The venom in Gilliad Moons
eyes was as deadly as the waters Of the
mountain spring Laney covered before
it and crouched upon her bare feet.
While he stood there thought came to
him that of all the poor creatures with
whom his life had been linked here was
the dearest He was about to strike
down the only living thing that he
loved Gilliad Moon had saved himself
from developing into veritable human
vampire by that very love for Laney.
Strike her? MOI He had never yet laid
his rough hand upon her in anger His
arm dropped to his side.
"Ef We uvver do watch me again.,
he said with quavertlg voice, "ef ye
uvver do. I'll lay hands on ye, shore
I'll tar ye inter threads O. whit leather
an feed ye ter the DEVILS huntin dorg."
The old mans face settled into its
stolid scowl. and he resumed his work
The two dogs stood by. swapping occa-
sionally at each other, and greedy for
the blood The knife glittered as he
flashed 1t before the fire
II know d ye he'd money, said
Laney sullenly 'Taddy Green sed es
how Their inginearer showed pile O
money ter some un ct ther falls Their
vary day he was drownded.
"Thadeous Green gut tibet money
% l. L., . -
said Gilliad
Il seed ye git it, persisted Laney.
IAN eff ye don gin me huff fur par
o. shews I'll tell on ye. "
"Ye dassent, said Gilliad, with an
ugly smile What dye want wit
sIuos emmy nOwE re nuvver hev hyu vu.y
yit They'll confine yer feet SOS ye
KANT walk.
She tossed her head and sneered at
his arguments The frown on her face
grew darker
"Ye kin do es We air a min ter,
pappy, but eff yer want me ter stay here
ct home an dredge fur ye es l hes did
sence nanny died yell hev ter shew
me, 1 air too pig er gal ter be goin
barefoot afore hlks.
stay at hone, " said the old man
sullenly Kant blame ye eff ye go
| bar foot ct homt"
'I'l leave y an hire out like q
niger, said Lacy "Inuvver did hev
haight fur ter ny close wit. an air
iis' tired o dredan fur nothin -
I'VE air got Ter head turned Their
wrang way, like a whoot owls, scarf
out O. his hole in her daytime. Ye air |
thinkin ter pat9rn arter them hum |
backed gals what ONES ter Their hotel, |
an ye min me. | ST, eff l ketches We |
doin ennythin furhem. er up thar fur
emmy cause whatsoever in the least, |
I'll git me bunclD' rope an larrup We |
uvvery step ter tn caben. Ye hear? |
Now We min me eff } want a home. Eff
We don want no hoe here, jis' light |
out es soon rs ye q min ter Ye
don hope me marry light Me an Their
dorgs kin git ON fine bout ye."
Gilliad Noon then ;alked out of the
house
Laney squatted by e fire where she
had held the carcasSf the wildcat,
rested her chin in her lnds and looked
out at the evening sky Her thin face
seemed to grow longer the twilight.
, Her eyes frightened anbrimmed over,
and the tears ralned dcn her cheeks.
She heard her fathers itsteps descend
the hardened path and Q away in the
distance. She shudder Then she
noiselessly crept towarde greasy old
box in the corner
1t was not all stolenoney in the
box. Since she was llt'g girl Gilliad
| had heen contributing tcts oo,,+or.,