Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-03-15
SPANISH PEGGY
ASroRY OF YOUNG ILLINOIS
copyr,eh. ,sa By Hsrssrsa ssoa. s 60.

The self-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 a 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 been
no noise of shouting and no crash OF
destruction. The quiet approach OF the
company seemed worse than its ord1-
nary rioting.
"They didn't stop at the tavern!"
whispered Sticky Green.
They had been to the tavern, for DICK
Yates, bareheaded, was leading them
peaceably away from it, walking in
front of the cavalcade; and girls
figure could be discerned sitting upon
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 OF
many feet. Men, women and children
of New Salem, suffered to witness what
they could not prevent, were lowering
around Lincoln and the little Spaniard
He thought he saw Ann Rutledge, in
her short-sleeved house dress. her face
showing white and anxious through
the dark; and Minter Grayham, whose
haggardness and puny strength the
Grove boys would have laughed at II
opposed to them.
Here is Abe Lincoln" announced
Yates; and as if he had given COM
mand to halt, the company halted.
Here l am said Lincoln. do
you want me?" Dick and Sticky stood
beside him in the middle of the road.
my friends and I" spoke voice
fair of two minutes with you. You
have somewhere a snakeskin purse
belonging to my cousin, Consuelo
Lorimer. Bring it and you shall not
be injured
"But if I did she'd be injured"
Don't let them take me, Mr. Lin
colnl" besought Peggy from the midst
of the riders. 'I will not go! Where's
Antywine?"
Boys, you ought to be ashamed of
yourselves!"
I'VE didn't come out for a speech,
Abe" Knocked Redmond Clary.
"And I'm not practicing polemics."
"You get the girls money and hand
it over"
''You let her out of that gang"
The gang growled.
1--WE have crowd and you have just
two hackers. New Salem people can't
do anything. We don't want to hurt
you, Abe, unless we have to-"
''String him up like horsethief!"
cried man at the rear.
"Are you going to hand over the
Spaniard's money!"
NO, Ill uOt, TSpllcu LluCOlu.
ride him down." cried another, and
the horses were spurred forward.
Some women and children shrieked in
fright as the three young fellows were
driven in retreat to Antywine's cabin
and sprang upon the chest of drawers.
Standing close together with that short
rostrum under their feet, they faced
about the ring of horsemen who drew
up around them. The perforated tin
lanterns showered drops of yellow light
on trampled grass. Behind the mems
heads and shoulders we're a void of
trees and the starlit sky, and the ex-
cited murmur Of New Salem. Lincoln
lowered in the midst of the circle.
He could dimly see the Spanish girl,
and he remembered for one instant
how Antywine lay exhausted within
the cabin She was looking for the
last time at what was to have been
her home, and wondering, with an ache
of grief worse than her terror of the
ruffians, what had become of the
gentle housemate who had never be-
fore failed to take her part.
Nov men, listen to me one minute"
exclaimed Dick Yates.
We're not here to listen," ruled the
leader.
These boys ought to be put out"
one man insisted. I'VE don't want
them"
Let my cousins property be re-
stored to her." spoke Pedro Lorimer,
without delay"
"And who are your" demanded
Yates, the beauty of his rosy youth,
which had been felt rather than seen,
changing suddenly to the power of a
man with irresistible magnetism. His
voice rolled out across the wall of
rough faces. His eyes had scathing
lights. His unwilling listeners raised
their lanterns to look at him. 'T have
been gathering facts about you for
more than a year. You are a New Or
leans gambler. You ply your trade
under cover of some political scheme
about Cuba, place you never saw.
All you want of the poor young girl
sitting on the horse beside you, is the
handful Of money her father contriyed