Evening journal., 1900-03-13

We'll. 'Riah. IL yo' biz-ness press
lngT asked the colonel sarcastically. |
AS he straightened his rotund figure |
Amariah looked from one to the un-
sympathetic face and his own flushed /
painfully.
MY biz-ness is mo- private than
pressin, cunnel.' he answered with |
dignity after a pause.
well. you couldn't be mo- private |
than with me an Jedge Gary"
My biz-ness have nothin' TO do |
with Judge Gary; it's-about-Lssy" !
he jerked forth with so visible an
effort that great drops OF perspiratlon
stood out on his forehead which he
wiped away with a large plaid hand
kerchief.
"Oh. as to that-if it's bout Lissy."
Ghuckled the colonel, with a knowing
wink at the judge. "Jedge Gary has
half interest there, too; mind. jedge.
I've only said half today"
Amarlah's limbs were stlff and
tired, but he would not sit down unin-
vited. and now an angry CLEAN shot
from his dark eyes.
II see you air very shO' OF my gran
fathers place. cunnel an much JOY
may you have-for whatever is come
by honestly is boun' to be enjoyed"
"IIumphw growled the colonel.
"who told you to come here with your
| impudent, KNOWN talkw
Avery Solon." giggled the judge.
The young man felt that he was not
pushing his suit with policy but his
blood was decidedly up
You may sneer jedge, an you. cum
mel may laugh. but as sho' as thars
a God In heaven that plantation is
mine, an but for kinks an law
terms. that us folks can't understan'
thar wouldn't a been any suit tween
my father an youl AS for Llssy--I
love her. an she-she keers for me;
but so long as | have only a po' shell
ter sich as mine TO offer her / amt
fit TO kiss the groun' she walks on!
God will help me through feel it,
an. / warn you, the Jessup planta-
tion'll never be yOursw
"Whatw yelled the colonel, spring
ing from his chair and glaring suspi-
ciOusly at the two men.
What / tell you. you lyin rasldll.
that I'm as sartin Of that plantation
as | am Of the-the-the jedge's hon
esly" laying a heavy hand threaten
mgly on the judges shoulder.
An 20 show you how sartin | am
I promise you that If tomorrow even
in that plantation amt in my posses
sion you can have Iissy an'-an'-
half my place to boot"
softly. colonel" expostulated the
judge.
"Yes. | mean It," cried the excited
colonel: you know. iedge, l put my
trust on you; no halfway measures
suit me, an you see l am mighty sho'
of you. cause never break my
word"
well. have yo word. cunnel."
said Amariah. calmly. "an' the jedgc
Is my witness" Then before either
could speak he had vanished among
the trees.
The moon was Mt its full when Am.
! arah shut and fastened the door Of his
little room in The old stable. and sO
, bright and soft Das the light she gave
! thar he smother ID the feeble fame OF
! his candle till 10 tlickered and went
E out; then cropping around on his knees
he found n plank very loose at ong
I end. and running his hand along thI
e edge drew out a small leathern hai
b and emptled its contents on the foo
I | gold eagles and a handful of silve
2 the savings of his life. It had seemed
a great deal Of money to 'Riah, bu
now he realized how little it would
!. buy.
(. 1T amt much" he muttered. 'bu
{ Il might do n good deal II somebody
Y could cot at them law papers-n the,
/. | could DC en-then-then-nO
no. he cried, burying his face in hi
hands, things come by dishonest,
don't do any good; it amt In me.
can't cheat and stealF'
Slowly he dropped the pieces one b!
one into the bag and put them bacl
in their hiding place; but his sleel
that night was disturbed by strang
dreams. and e'er the sun was fairl.
un he had left his bed to breathe tn
cool morning air Idly shouldering hi
gun. as was his habit. he once NOR
turned his footsteps toward the Jes
sup plantation, now gone from hin
forever.
Colonel Jessup. also desrous Of see
ing his newly acquired wealth by ear
ly sunrise had taken his accustOme
seat on his verandah. field-glass Il
hand and was surveying the beaut
full wilderness at his leisure.
As Amariah stood looking,
seemed TO him that the tall willow
bent until their heads almost touche
the river: low, rumbling soun
er. and with a crash, sank into th
river: the gray old house tottered an
< trembled and. with a hoarse rattl
Z, of wood and stones. was devoured b
> the greedy waters.
= "AIy God. the plantations Gavin
: orr Amariah gasped as he dashed II
to the woodland path to the hill Je
sups, shouting as he came nearer.
y Bring men-men. the plantation
y cavingw He reused the hands, VII
= came running to the point of land an
= worked with all their might to say
y the old cotton-gin and its valuable mi
ie chinery. Amaiah gave orders an
-, lent himself willingly 10 the almol
hopeless task. while Colonel Jessu
y sat stock still in his chair. holdin
~ Lissy's hand tight in his own clums
!, fingers. In an hour the Jessup plal
- tation had vanished from earth III
ie n spectre. and nothing was left to e
of IL but a mass of trees and planl
~ whirling down 10 the sea.
y 'Riah," called the colonel. faintl
II you've worked for me this morni
ike my own son. but even nature W.