The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-05-26
CHAPTER ".

"Own up" he said, with smile, you
didn't git wink o. sleep last night"
81 confess it," was the answer. 81
didn't know what was the matter with
me-"
"But I do" David touched his brow
significantly; at was hot blood in the
brain. know how you felt. You jest
rolled an .tumbled. i heerd you git
up an look out o. the window 20 see
eff it was gittin' daylight five times ef
you did once. My Lord, / couldn't rest
for two nights fore / whipped Budd
Meyer fur reportin' me fur sellin' that
quart to The Calhoun boys, but you bet
after / made his face look like buckle
berry custard / slept the sleep of the
righteous. Two O my friends had 10
pcrjure the'rse'yes 10 keep me out o.
the chain-gang, an / was tryin' 10 wash
out :he'r sin with his blood; ef Their
conscience amt clear il amt because
thar wasn't enough o. the fluid fur
laundry purposes, fer be bled like a
stuck pig. i reckon" Dave broke off
suddenly as they began to descend the
stairs, that breakfast is,about ready,
/ heerd the old man cussin' about thar
bein' too much ham fried"
After breakfast our hero left the
houseandtook theroad leading
Carnleigh lie wore his best suit OF
clothes, which fitted him perfectly.
In each of the pockets of his dark sack
coat there was a revolver; he had
shaved himself by the first rays of the
sun and wore q becoming necktie; his
boots shone with fresh backing, and
he had on n stylish straw hat.
AS he left the house Mary Lou and
Ann Josephine, having shirked the
dishwashing, stood arm in arm on the
porch. Their shoes were unlaced, their
dresses soiled and torn, their hair dis
hcveled.
''IIe walks mighty biggity," observed
Mary Lou; III reckon he is maxim
tracks fur town 10 see about bein' ex-
amined fur the lazy. Who do you reck-
on would hire i'm TO speak fur emp"
"Thar's no tellin' the luck Of lousy
calf" opined Ann Josephine. IRON
amt nobody's fool a body couldn't
read as many papers an magazines an
study law as hard as he does without
rarnin' something"
Hell take keer o. number one any
ways" commented Mary Lou. IL heerd
pa say t'othcr day that Ron refused
TO market his cotton when everybody
in the county was turnin' loose o. theirs
last fall an that he held onto il tell il
riz an he put n cool two hundred dol
lars profit in the bank; an another
thing he never goes in debt over head
an ycers like pa an Dave does; he's the
only farmer round heer that pays cash
fur labor an that's one reason he gifts
sc mucho out o. his hands. Niggers don't
want to work fur orders on the store
at two prices when the cash planlSed
down will git so much better bargains"
Meanwhile the subject OF these re-
marks was walking swiftly down to-
wards Carnleigh. The great house was
now in full view, and that part of the
grounds through which flower-bor-
dered walk led in sinuous curves from
the veranda down the grassy slope
where there were a spring, summer
house and rustic seats. The spot was
only few hundred yards from the
main road, where, in a corner Of the
coloncl's zigzag rail fence, Ronald
paused and waited, hoping that by
some chance Capt. Wrinkle would stroll
In that direction MS Ronald in passing
had once or twice seen him do.
He had not long 10 wait. lie saw
Wrinkle in fatigue uniform come out
on the veranda and receive a cigar from
n man-servant. A few minutes after
wards, under a banner OF blue smoke,
the young officer took one or two turns
on the lawn among the flower beds,
and then, as IL obeying Ronald's fierce
desire, conveyed 60 him GEOGRAPHICALLY,
he turned into the walk leading down
TO the spring. lie moved easily, with a
lazy, swinging stride, ruthlessly cut
ting at the nearest flowers with cane
which he poised on his shoulder like
sword or swung in front OF him as II
fencing.
No sooner had Ronald seen the d.
rection he was taking than he vaulted
over the fence and made his way
through the dewy grass and weeds into
the wood which intervencd between
him and the spring.
He came upon Wrinkle as that worthy
stood on the fiat stones round the
spring. The officer wore his eye
glasses, and had his cigar between his
liups. The grass mufiled Ronald's
steps, and as Wrinkle was look
ing towards the house as II expect
ing some one, he did not notice our
hcro's presence tim he stood beside him.
'Ah!" calculated Winkle, as he
turned. and then through his glasses he
eyed Ronald coldly from head 20 foot.
"Ahl" he repeated, and then he took a
ran at his cigar and blew the smoke