Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-04

their hardness and began to think on
what they should do TO the man who
had brought misfortune and terror up.
on them. For a long time he had been
publishing their threatening letters and
warnings in II column which he headed
"Humor of the Day"
When the Briscoe blackboard had left
the Crossroads far behind and had
come In sight Of Plattvillc MIR. Bris
GOES visitor turned to Fishec with a
repetition of the SILVER that the laugh
ter of Mr.. Skillet had caused her and
said half under her breath. 81 wish--I
half wish--that we had not driven
through there" She clnsped Mr.. Els
bees hand gently. His eyes shone. He
touched her fingers with q strange, shy
reverence.
"You will meet him tomorrow" he
said softly.
She laughed and pressed his hand
I'm afraid not. / was almost at his
side last night when Minnie asked him
to call on me. lie wasn't even inter-
ested enough to look at me-"
Something over two hours later, as
Mr.. Tom Martin was putting things to
rights in his domain, the Dry Goods
Emporium, previous to his departure
for the evenings gossip and checkers
ut the drug store, he stumbled over
something soft lying on the floor be-
hind n counter. The thing rose and
would have cvaded him. but he put out
his hands and plnioned It and dragged
it 70 the show window, where the light
of the fading day defined his capture.
The capture shrieked and sQuirmed
and fought earnestly. Grasped by the
shoulder he held n lean, fierce eyed,
understood girl of fourteen clad in one
ragged cotton garment. unless the coat
of dust she wore over all might be es-
teemed another. Her cheeks were sal
low, and her brow was already shrcwd-
~ lined. and her eyes were as bypO-
critical as they were savage. She was
very thin and little, but old Toms
brown face grew n shade nearer white
when the light fell upon her.
you're no Plattville girl" he said
sharply.
"You lie" cried the child. "You lie!
l am! You leave me go, will you? I'm
lookin' fer pap, and you're a liar.'
you crawled in here to sleep after
your seven mile walk, didn't you!"
Martin went on.
you're liar" she screamed.
Look here" said Martin slowly,
''you go back to six Crossroads and
tell your folks that if anything happens
TO a hair of Mr.. Tarkless' head every
shanty in your town will burn. and
your grand and your father, and
your uncles, and your brothers. and
your cousins, and your second cousins,
and your third cousins will never have
the good luck to see the penitentiary.
Reckon you can remember that mes
sage: But before l let you go to carry
1t l guess you might as well hand out
the paper they sent you over here
With"
His prisoner fell into a paroxysm of
rage.
I'm git pap to kill ye." she shrelled,
striking at him. Il don't know nothin'
bout yer Six Crossroads, ncr no pa
pers. ncr yer Mr.. Harkels neither, ner
you, ye razorb2cied ole devil Pap
II kill ye. Leave me 20. Leave me
80. Pap II kill ye. I'll git him to
kill ye." Suddenly her struggles ceas-
Ell, her eyes closed. her tense little mus
cles relaxed, and she dropped toward
the floor. The old man shifted his "Trip
to support her, and in an instant she
twisted out of his hands and sprang
out of reach, her eyes shining with tri-
umph and venom.
'Yahay, Mr.. Razorback," she shrlll-
ed. "IIow's that fer high: Pap II
kill We Sunday. Yen be scrcechi.' in
hell in week, an we 'ull scr up an
drink our applejack an laf.'
Martin pursued her lumbe"'ngl7. but
she was agile IS a monkey and ran
lodging up and down the counters and
Knocked him, singing. Gran nanny,
Tipsy Toe Al las, she tired of the
game and dartod out Of the door fling
ing back hoarse laugh III him as she
went. He followed but when be reach
ed the street she was a mere shadow
fitting under the courthouse trees He
looked after her forcbodincly. then
turned his eyes toward the Palace no
tel on the corner. The editor of the
awning, with his chair tilted back
against IA post. gazing dreamily at the
murky red aftcrglow in the west.
whats the use of tryin' To bother
him with liz" old Tom asked himself