The Eddy current., 1898-10-15

ence. advanced beyond the barn and
harked more herreiy. Hut everyone
knew he Wae not dangerous.
Then Mary Brsnzock heard the
bursting al a ripe melon IS y Sas
hurled upon the ground. Another ana
another followed. " was simply wan
ton destruction Of her crop-the de-
spelling OF her property. And sue
would need that money TO pay the IN
terost. For rhe would not burden her
now husband with financial obiiga-
tlons
No one but n farmer can conceive tho
anger such n revelation inspires Ana
Mary Brennock. aelf-reIiant, because
women OF the period had 90 be feif-re-
liant. ran into the house and got down
her late fathers cid rife. II had not
been handled since his death. and she
did not even stop To wonder u II Were
loaded. Il was a gunf
She ran again to the garden fence
and laid the barrel between two Of the
paiings and tried TO llft the hammer
Twice Il slipped from her thumb ana
fell against that dusty old cap. Then
she tried to push up the hammer with
the nat OF her left hand. holdink the
atocF clumsiiy. And this time when
Il slipped the blow was harder. and
the gun was discharged.
For a moment there was silence In
the watermelon patch and then two
shots we're fred and Mary ran back
terrined-but stlll angry-to her moth
er and her baby girl.
They listened, but there w9s no more
Noise. except tho provoklngly Inslatent
barking Of the house dog.
The excitement kept Mary awake un-
tll way along toward morning. when
gNe heard james Monahan's wagon
! fmblinE through her lane and knew
he was gathering the load OF melons
for market
Then she slept; and Il was dawn ON
her wedding day.
Monahan found n ready buyer for the
oad. They said afterward he was sim
gularly IN haste TO close the trade, The
buyer had the wagon driven TO a posi-
tlon on Main street where the crowd
was already gathering and there he
began selling the melons at retail. Mo
nahan hurried with his horses to llV-
cry stable.
And az the demand was large the
buyer quickly disposed OF many mel
ons. Bat beneath them he found the
llfoless body OF Jim Wilkinson. He
was lying on his face at the bottom ~
the wagon box. n wound In his back.t,
The railroad gang had just bought b
melon and they shared the discovery
one Of them having mounted to tho
hub In order TO pick ont fine speci-
men.
Al once the cry was for James Mona
han and tho gang told loudly OF the
quarrel and OF tho farmers threat.
Some one had seen Monahan going to-
ward the depot. That looked bad. The
town marshal ran down the tracks
and saw the suspected man waiting.
very nervous and kinder dOdgin'," he
said. by the baggage-room.
so they arrested him just as the cir
Gus procession was passing and locked
him up In jail.
Mary Brennock went tC the Jail and
told Monahan about having fred the
rifle, but he laughed at her.
"You couldn't hit a flock OF barns" q"
he said and held her close. pattlng her
shoulders. which shook with the sob
bling. Didn't you hear me shoot2"
Yes, but why"
well, / didn't know the cuss had
crept into my wagon. reckon when
he was hit he Just run-they all did (:
and he slipped down the lane ana found
my wagon and crawled In. lie was bad
hurt hut he won't destroy any more
watermelons. oh, I'll get out all right.
Aud then. Mary"
YES" said Mary. and kissed him.
and went away with the ialler. and
cried all the way home. forgetting the
circus and the priest and the marriage
. license
Well, he didn't get out OF H. IL
p came near hanging. for the men on ths
II new railroad swore steadily al each
p trial. And after the extreme penalty
- had been pronounced twice. they goI
j twenty years on the last trial, and
o James Monahan took II.
y lie told Mary Brennoek not to sa,
u a word about firing that old rife
y IL would only make you trouble" HI
u said. land you didn't do a thing only
y why. you couldn't hit a fiock Of barns
II Just wait. Mary"
! And she waited TN she died
~ lie came back In little over twelyl
Il years. haylas learned the timer
n trade. and he set up a little shop II
,o Fairylew. Tie was steady and thrift,
IA and saved a good deal Of money, AM
ID he finally accumulated quite prop
as erty.
- Little Martha Brennock grew 10 va
n manhood-an orphan long ago. sh
OF met James Monahan when he cam
back from prison aud once a week sh
ne visited him nt the tinshop. and the
d. understood Il was she who, IN hi
he last Illness. wrote that line IN hi
OF prayer book. but he would not sign /
a. And 80 he died. l.. A.