Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-07-05

truth! He is no rebel. 'Tie not so,
good sirsl VIII you not drink a bump
er to the king and to our honeymoon"
j could not say a word. / could do
naught but stare open-mouthed at her,
for, with the skill of intuition, she had
hit the one point-would they not drink
a bumper to us--would they? The one
thing to win them over! Then / caught
her arm. What was she doing? Twas
a foolish and a'futile plan.
See, sirs, you see he tries to make
me deny il! But / will not. You would
not injure a good soldier of his ma
jesty, would you? And you will drink
lord. will you not fill US up mugs of
ale to drink the toast?" And she
stepped back, and took my arm with a
hand that shook like a leaf, though her
eyes never wavered from the men she
I addressed. y
by God! IT'S a brave wench.'' cried
one of the men. And a health it shall
be-"
Stay" said another, a huge clout,
who was no more a Britisher than 1.
II do not believe it! He called IL
friend in there a British spy. Dost
know that?"
But l say she shall have the health"
cried the other. Jack Purdy, We have
no soul in We! Can We not see the girl
tells the TRUTH"
AYE, look at him. said a third; "he's
a shame-faced bride groom!"
Wei do 1T In shape" said the first.
Here you. Gowan'-to the landlord
tell Jim Marvin to come in here. Now,
mistress, to you and your happiness!"
ITO youi" chorused the crowd. And
we two stood there, the shaking arm in
mine, the brave eyes smiling a forced
smile, but looking the men in the face,
T as she Nqicn1 tho 61thu nnyytAr IN hnr
lips and touched the ale. The devil
himself could not make drink, till /
bethought me of another toast, and,
turning to her, drained the cup without
a word.
The somber individual. who it APP
peared was Marvin, now entered: and
/ watched them confer with him. A
laugh broke from his tipsy lips, and he
muttered: "'Twould be a good close!
Here l am saving one mans life, and
now paving the way for the making Of
others" And still we two stood there,
waiting, neither looking nor speaking
to the other.
$50 it shall BET" cried the big one in
a moment, and instinctively / clutched
a pistol as they all moved over towards
the fireplace near US.
you've say we've just run away to be
married, do you?" asked the la
She nodded.
very wei, then, well have the cere-
mony here and now. Here's Marvin,
as good at marrying as at curing dead
men, and Wen ave the ceremony and
celebrate the wedding this night,
damned if we don't, ch, boys?" An
other chorus of assent erected this. But
| found my tongue at last.
THAT yoI shall not" said | firmly.
Then string him up for a rebel, and
We'll take good care of the girl!' cried
one. | broke away from my companion
and leveled two muz2les at tie nearest
fellow
The first to move is dead" said /,
hopeless though | knew it was.
Tut, man, We'll punch you full Of
holes, if you talk like that" said Mar
vim, smiling with the assurance of five
to one. And, then, why should you
not join us? What harm to be married
now, If you have run away to be? And
will you have all the fun to yourself?
Nay, nay" he went ON in his nasal tone.
You've broken up our evening now,
INC yen break your own neck or help
us to finish it in our own way. Gowan!
Hey, Gowan! Where is the man?
Here he added, as the tavern keeper
stuck his nose through the door, bring
Us a bible"
CONTINUED Next Week.)