The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1903-03-26

IkF 90 xplI try Tor years. but these
IWWN0J had not served to entirely
INTyS'TTWl eradicate the traditions
IVWlyyIlI and the inborn teachings
IfXz1JyfTtII of his home state. Wild.
lnn!lz!taA411lJ lnl!a1-!lJ uneducated, unit itored. he
was a savage still
He had brother. Younger. less
wild. and weaker, this brother appealed
strangely To his love and to his pro-
lection. When Tatton came to the low
country his brother had remained he-
hind. For months he did not hear from
him. NJ length he received word from
friend. For the moment he was stun
ned and could not understand the real
ity. Tom. so the friend wrote. had be-
come involved in n quarrel with a man
In the scction-one with whom Tatton
was well acquainted-and in the course
OF the personal encounter that ensued
ho was shot and killed.
After much labor Tatton had man
aged to read the letter. II was slow
work. for he could not read SO well as in
the old days when he had casually at
tended the little school out by the
branch. Distrusting his own knowl-
edge. he took the letter with him to the
village some distance away. There he
persuaded friendly storekeeper TO
read II for him. II was indeed as ne
had read for himself: Tom was dead.
Tatton dumbly thanked the man. took
the sheet of paper. and silently left
the place. Out into the woods he made
his way. towards the Old Fort swamp.
Once there. he seated himself on n log.
one that had served the purpose before.
and bit by bit went over the informa-
tion he had received. n was woefully
brief and insufficient in It's details.
Tom had become involved in a quarrel
with one Ben jenkins over hog. One
word led tn another. each pulled his
gun. and In the fusillade that followed
Tom fell with bullet through his head
Jenkins gave himself up to the authori-
ties. was tried and acquitted. He had
killed Tom In self-defense. That was
all there was to H. Tatton went bver
the meager details time and again. un-
III they were indelibly engraved on his
mind and heart.
That morning. just prior to receiving
the letter. another blow had been ad-
mlnstered to the man. The woman
who kept the house where ne took his
meals was Mrs. Hawkins. Long had
Tatton observed her. for she was good
Ia look at. There was grace In her
every movement that he could not un-
derstand. but which he admired. Her
face was pretty. and he felt that he
could look at II forever and lot grow
tired. He did not know what love was:
but he would lie out beyond the fence,
In n clump of low pine saplings and
watch her for hours as she passed to
and fro In the pursuance OF her duties.
Sometimes there was a child with her.
.G..t ..F, ....I Tas
admitted to himself that she was like
unto his conception of an angel.
During these months that he had
been In the low-country his shrewdness
and industry had not gone unrewarded.
He had saved some money. One day,
some weeks before, the thought had
come to his mind to ask Mrs. Hawkins
To marry him. Night after night he lay
sleepless. thinking II over. and weigh
ing his chances of failure or success.
Finally he decided to put II to the test.
He called on Mrs. Hawkins and made
known his desire In his blunt. straight
forward way. No less blunt and
straightforward was her answer. She
was married. her husband was still
alive and in fact she expected him
home that very evening. He had been
away for long time. but today he
would return. Tatton saw the look OF
JOY in her eyes, heard the ring Of glad
ness In her voice. He turned from her
and left the house. As he walked de-
jectedly to the front gate. the little girl
ran after him. shyly slipped her hand
into his, and told him not to look so,
that her papa was coming home that
night. Tatton stopped abruptly. took
her In his arms, and held her close for
n moment. Gently placing her on her
feet again, he continued his way to the
woods, while the little girl returned
and told her mother what the man had
done.
When he came to the village the let
| ter, notifying him Of Toms death, was
/ given him. Out by the Old Fort swamp
| he brooded over II all. He wondered In
! a mechanical way how much II would
/ cost to reach Kentucky. Once there,
| he would shoot Jenkins. Tom would
/ rest easier In his grave n he knew OF H.
Late that evening he came to the
/ Hawkins house. He came late purpose
/ ". that he might miss seeing Mrs.
Hawkins husband. As he approached
| the house To took refuge In the clump
| OF sapllngs. to see n the road were
clear A glance convinced him that II
was not. Coming towards him. along
| the path, were n man and woman. be-
! fore them, In childish glee ran a little
girl. He knew the three at glance.
As they came nearer something about
the man seemed familiar. Tattoil
watched him closely. Tho man raised
his face TO look at the full moon In the
east. There was no misfaking him II
was Ben Jenkins. Tatton's first emo
tlon was one of ferocious pleasure. His
blood surged hot within him. and tnen
ran cold. Already was his enemy with
In his reach. He paused not tn think
how he came, or why he came; but
pulling out his pistol was prepared to
do bloody work. One second he hesi
tated and then II was too late. Softly
he replaced the pistol. and as softly
slipped from the sapling thicket deeper
into the woods.
at mout scare Mis- Hawkins an the
leetle gal" he muttered: "I1l come
back tonight an git him wen they ain'i
so clost to him"
True to his word. two hours later hi
returned with his rife. Long he paus
ed In the thicket, but he could see NJ
one about the house Finally he slip
ped up close to the front door and Lay
IN hiding From within came thu
sound Of voices. Socn Jenkins ap
pesred on the small front porch. Ant
with him came the little girl. Sh'
climbed Into his lap ~ he sat on thu
step ,snd called him papa"
Up TO this time Tatton could not con
ceive Of Jenkins' relation 70 Mrs Haw