The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-14
NECK OR NOTHING.
By JEANETTE Il. wALw0RTH.
copyright. 1897. by the AuthOr.l
fro BIZ CONTINUED

SYNOPSIS. Strong Martin. son OF the over
seer on Governor Strong's plantation, SAM
SOuci attends college with the governor
grandson. Adrien Strong. He is suspected Of
some college thefts in the closing term and /;
ostraciEed BY the faculty and his fellow tstu
dents Mamie Colyer. daughter of a professor
alone stands hy him. CHAPTER ul.-Goyer-
nor Strong's dsughter-in Jaw, the widowed
mother OF Adrien. has made Liza Martin
Strong's sister, her protegee and educated hei
beyond her station. IV.-Mrs. Martin talks
plainly 10 Mrs. Strong about spelling Liza
The case is discussed at sans Souci. Liza
must be helped. but not brought in contact
Eith Adrien.
The querulous clamor of innumerable
frogs. TO whom life in the Shiny fast
neSSes Of bramble fringed bayou near
by seemed suddenly grown unbearable.
did not tend to enliven his reverie Both
time and spot, a starless night and un
peopled space. were prolific of gloomy
suggestion. and not even the careful
recalling Of every kind word spoken by
Mamie and tenderly reproduced by
memory could render him even tempo
rarily oblivious of the present that was
full of menace.
Impenetrable darkness surrounded
him. Overhead, when the night wind
stirred the branches Of the sycamore
tree with it's itful breath, an occasional
star became visible, glimmering coldly
and unsympathetically upon him from
a sky that seemed UNNECESSARILY far re-
moved. A rod or two away, invisible
but audible, his tired horse crunched
the supper of corn and oats flung loose
~ ON the ground before him and stamp
ed his feet III irritated protest against
the swarming mosquitoes Other sounds
none
He had been sent by his father ahead
of the column to find a camping place
for the night.
Houses, if you can, but water must
be nigh at hand, houses or no houses
Thar's 200 head of stock all told to be
watered before we turn in to sleep to-
night, boys. You can take Sandy long
with you and send him back to pilot us,
No use your comm back; better save
your horse You'll have need Of him. "
Had the gift of prophecy been given
to old Eben Martin?
All this Strong had done. Found the
tenantless cabins of a deserted planta
ton, found the water course and sent
Sandy back to- meet and pilot the al
vancing caravan that represented all
the modified wealth of Sans SOuci
Alone he had watched the yellow
sun sink lower and lower behind the
somber crowns Of the Expresses that
stood knee deep III the dark watcrs c'
the bayou, leaving long trailing souvo'
Mrs of the dead day in swift fading
bannerets of purple and gold. Theu
darkness. sudden, dense, uplifting
TO fight off creeping sense Of un-
easiness, he reSolutely turned his
thoughts backward Not very far. only
to that moment Of time when he haG
written his note To- Mamie Colycr, OK
planning his sudden call TO assist his ~
Their in moving Governor Strong pos
sessions beyond reach Of danger ant
telling her Of his resolution to enlist
The note had closed trific lugubrious
ly.
"PerhapS if can fetch homo an arm
less sleeve or a broken leg ] may become
more valuable or less valuclcss M you
eyes than ! am now. even though tn
uniform | propose To- don be blue.
Liza had scolded him in whisper
standing on tiptoe 10 kiss him goodby
She had called him the hermit pessi
mist and credited his heavy heartednes
10 habitual morbidness. She had prom
Used him, with quaint nod of he
small, wise head, TO "see that matte
of Adrien's wife and boy properly at
tended to, and she had comforted hir
immensely concerning Mamie COlyer
saying sapiently
I'VE lonely women will have 10 co
onize for self protection After all Z
you go away, Seth will be the onl
white man within radius Of 20 miles
Poor old Seth will have TO teach NJ;
mie how to weave. Amy is getting q
splendidly. Eight yards yesterday.
intend to keep Miss Colyer with us III
til her father OF you come for her De;
me. what lot Of heroes we are turnir
off our reelsl'
And she bad laughed while the otho
we're weeping Yes. decidedly. Liz
was Just tho sort Of woman one want'
about in an emergency. The madar
white and tragic, had stood, as if tur
ed to stone. holding back the traili,
tendrils of madeira vine with NJ
long, jeweled hand as she gazed in 4
eyed CONSERVATION at the slowly mo
ing column headed by her father
law. Rebecca. rotund. plebcian. II
cere, had voiced her misery loudly "A
shrieked adiurations and counsel aft
them until they were hidden LII
alone had stood inscrutably smilli
bright eyed and composed.
Forward. in reverie, to the long to-
Gus night. when. favored by the da
ness, they bad launched their feet
fats and swiftly placed the rushing
tiers Of the Mississippi river betw'
themselves and home. Captained u
piloted by four resolute spirits Q