The Holly chieftain., 1898-11-11
N.-CoSrSurp.
tcoprishs. rss.. by May d.l,oek Eoo...]


Does the lady wear number Mines,
says l, an does she shmoke the Seal O.
North Carliny?' And l Civ her wink.
long, says she; for what do you
take me?'
For somebody's darling says /,
and for nobody's fool And axed her
which av her firms was wantin' Jack
Darcie.
Do you think says she, confiden-
tial-like. that If the boys did want him
they couldn't get him"
Well says l. him an me is workin'
pardners; whin they want him they
can have Mike, too. We goes by pairs,
like the cap and the fuse; if We meddle
wild wan, yen likely hear from the
other
Thin she laughed. DO you go
sparkin' in pairs 2 says she. For / think
the lady business is not in wild the two
av yez.'"
Mike, what are you giving me now p"
said Darcie, sternly.
Its Gods trut' I'm givin' ye, in the
very words av her mouth-and maybe
there was kiss or two t'rown in, but
that's not for me to mintion. / brung
the word straight as she gev it me-"
What is the word? Who does
it come from?"
1T comes from the parlor at the Big
Horn by the way av the kitchen, which
is not always the safest way, thinks
l, but that's no business av mine. And
whin / chaffed her about the lady,
she answered me plain, lookin' me in
the eye.
You'd betther not be monkeyin'
wild this message, says she, there's
more in it than you know. And If he
thinks we're putin up game on him,
tell him this: The word is from her he
called the Mountain Lily"
Mike" said Darcie, flushing, II don t
know what to make of this. Are you all
right, old man-honor bright? How
many friends did you meet down at
Pegleg's saloon"
Pm as straight as a string" Mike
asseverated. "Ye know well enough !
have no truck wild any O. that crowd.
Faith, 'twould be as much as my life
is worth to be seen in town wild a jag
on. By the cross-and niver take me
oath on that but I'm tellin' the trut'-
I'm givin' ye the very words; and where
she got thin how should know?
Mabby you know yourself who's your
lily?"
where did you say was to meet
her?"
"In quare place entirely, yet not SC
onhandy to the mine. On the fringe o
the tamaracks, up the gulch. where ye
niver will meet wild soul, passin' uE
or down; and by token, there's big,
lone cedar standin' in bit av clearin'
If ye go there to pluck lilies, I'm wild ye
Darcie dear"
go along with your blarney! When
did she say was to be there?"
1.-THE hour is the quarest av all; be
chune half afther tin and eliven O'Clock
next Chuesday night. An unwholesome
honr,' says /, and a great wish she must
have for him, to be pacin' the woods al
that hour!'
Hiatt says she, don't you bescared
It'll all be proper, for she'll have me wild
her.
"Thin I'll be there, darlin',' says 1
You may bet on me. But me own no
ton av that meetin' is that we'll shmell
powdher before we'll get SO much as a
scent av the lily And she tossed her
head.
I'm tell the lady he's afraid to come
widout little Mike to purtect him.
~ dunno fwhat he'll be- says I,
nor where he'll be next Chuesday night;
but where he is, little Mike will be. And
don't fail me- says !, for the joys av
life is fadin' on me-"
mike, you've ruined me! It's like
your blazing impudcnce to answer my
messages for me. You will go straight
back to your girl, whoever she is, and
get another kiss, and tell her I'll be
there if I'm alive and cam get there; and
you will not be with mel"
II wouldn't put me fut on that road
again tonight for the kiss av peace in
Paradise" Mike drawled
"Then / must go myself. Are you
sick? Are you afraid? What's the mat
ter with you?" shouted Darcie.
"Pm thinkin' what size boots the
Mountain Lily wears I bet she wears
thirteens, and the print av her f"t is
studded wild nails"