The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-11-05
Continued.

kept your wits. That Lorimer fellow
Is back at the Grove again. and he's
making a bold stand now. If he had
known carry that snakeskin
reckon he would have followed our
chain. But Dick Yates is here. We
tried to find you last night, and
couldn't"
81 tell Sally l not believe her!"
shivered Antywine
"And then you leg it out here and
pass sentimental night and watery
day on Daddy Camerons grave! I'm
surprised at you."
The American way of joking over
what had been tragedy seemed
delicious to the Canadian boy as he
tramped back the long seven miles.
When he reached his house at the end
of the village Lincoln did not think it
advisable to take him any farther.
Antywine was so i'll that he lay down
upon the floor, resisting any suggestion
Of food.
Through delirious eyes he saw the
blaze, which Lincoln contrived to start
in the chimney, interlace sticks piled
there months before in readiness for
a first house warming.
Lincoln was on his knees blowing
1t when he heard Sticky Green pant
through the door:
Are you here Abe? You're wanted
at the tavern"
whats the matter at the tavern?"
The Grove boys are coming to
throw everything out of doors If you
don't give that Lorimer man the Span
lard and her money"
How do you know"
Martha Bell Clary slipped off on
her fathers horse and brought word. y
Where's Dick?"
Hes looking somewhere else for
YOU"
Lincoln stood UP and glanced at
Antywine, who had suffered, but was
unable to fight, resting like log at
the hearth corner.
Poor Antywine!" he whispered, and
carefully shut the door as he went out
to settle the unconscious boys fate.
The sef-appointed censors of the
Grove had once wrecked store In New
Salem, and kicked the merchandise
about the street. The population OF
the village was about 100 souls, few
of whom could be mustered as fight
ing men; while the Grove males were
all fighting men.
The night was starlit and cloudless
but there was no moon. Dull panes OF
oiled paper revealed candles In some
houses, but hush like expectation
seemed to stretch along the unseen
windings of the street. When the Grove
boys mounted for a raid of any sort
they usually rode at full gallop, yelling
like Indians. Lincoln was ahead OF
Sticky Green in the race to the tavern
when both stopped, halted by pro-
cession with lanters. There had beel
no noise of shouting and no crash OF
destruction. The quiet approach OF the
company seemed worse than it's ordi
nary rioting.
"They didn't stop at the tavern!'
whispered Sticky Green.
They had been to the tavern, for Dicl
Yates, bareheaded, was leading then
peaceably away from it, walking II
front of the cavalcade; and girl:
figure could be discerned sitting upol
a led horse. The velvet dust OF
village road muffled the tread of hoofs
But along house fronts on each side
where footpaths were marked by daily
use, sounded the uneven patter o
many feet. Men, women and children
of New Salem, suffered to witness Wha
they could not prevent, were hoverlns
around Lincoln and the little Spaniard
He thought he saw Ann Rutledge, IL
her short-seeved house dress, her face
showing white and anxious through
the dark; and Minter Grayham, whose
haggardness and puny strength thu
Grove boys would have laughed at l.
opposed to them.
Here is Abe Lincoln" announced
Yates; and as if he had given a com
mand to halt, the company halted.
Here | am said Lincoln. do
YOU want me?" Dick and Sticky stooC
beside him in the middle OF the road
my friends and |" spoke vote
with a foreign accent, have an at
fair of two minutes with you. Yol
have somewhere q snakeskin purs'
belonging to my cousin, Consuel'
Lorimer. Bring it and you shall no
be injured"
But ii | did she'd be injured!'
Don't let them take me, Mr. Lin
coln!" besought Peggy from the mids
of the riders. Il will not go! Where
Antywine?"
Boys, you ought to be ashamed o
yourselves"
I'VE didn't come out for a speech
Abe" Knocked Redmond Clary.
And I'm not pacticing polemics."
You get the girls money and ham
it over"
"You let her out of that gang"
The gang growled.
I'VE have crowd and you have JUS
two hackers. New Salem people can
do anything. We don't want to hur
you, Abe, unless we have to-"
String him up like a horsethief!