Mower County transcript., 1904-11-23
CHAPTER XIV.
II HE next day Truitt slouched IN
to the warehouse, finding Hill.

working over some bills OF
lading of big shipment of cotton they
were making to eastern mills.
"Whar on earth have you been?'
FIillyer asked eagerly. 81 sent out
home fer you an none O. yore folks
knowed thing about you. The truth
is, got worried told George I was
afenrd you'd gone to-
That's whar ! went" said Truitt,
his glance on Georges expectant face,
"an' the Lord went with me. I hui
INFLATED that skunk an, as fer as I'm
concerned, I'm willin' to drap the mat
ter. Eff I was the man most inter
ested I'd be satisfied"
What did you do, Tru1tt?' George
was eying him eagerly, his eyes burn
ing sullenly.
Truitt Made detailed explanation,
leaving out nothing He spoke Of it as
if it had been an ordinary business
arrangement that was finally settled
satisfactorily But" he ended, 81
never felt as mean, somehow, in my
life. I'm sorry he wouldn't hit back.
I'll be burned eff he didn't jest wiggle
an say 'ouch! when twisted his year.
George, my boy, you ort not to give his
words another thought. What he said
to you was jest what a sneakin' cow
ard would say. He's got less sand in
his gizzard n any man l ever run
across l hope you are satisfied"
"Yes, I'm satisfied" said George SIM
ply, and he extended his hand, "and
I'm glad there was no bloodshed. Mr..
Hillyer told me what he did yester-
day in passion. Well all have to
find some way out Of our troubles other
than bloodshed."
God knows l agree with you on
that" said Hillyer feelingly, and he
turned and walked out Of the Office.
But that hain't all I done," said
Truitt, leaning against Georges desk
and looking down sheepishly.
Not all" exclaimed Buckley.
mo, I got my foot into sOme'n' else.
Jest after l landed in town I come
down here, but you wasn't about.
Then, as I had nothin' to do an re-
membered that had promised Major
Cranston to come in an give i'm an
estimate on movin' several hundred
acres O. tan bark on some O. his noun
tain land, I went down thar. He's
sick man. They got i'm propped up in
big chair in the settin' room, an his
wife an daughter are nussin' him like
a baby. But he wanted to see me, an
fhoU n06n in IJic
beauty, George you know that-an'
never seed body seem as much wor-
r1ed over sick pusson as she was over
her daddy. She loves every hair o. his
old, white head Whenever he'd have
a spell O. coughin' she'd actually turn
pale an run fer his medicine. Well,
when got through with him I started
off, but she follered me out on the
lawn. She wanted to ak me, she said,
ef rally thought her pa looked bad.
She said she was afeard the doctor was
keepin' back somen' ur was behind the
times an hadn't diagnosed the case
right l eased 'er all could, laughin'
at her fears tell she sorter got in a
good humor, an then in a roundabout
way, fore she knowed what was on
foot, l led up to my trip to Atlanta,
an'"-
Heavens, Truitt, you didn't tell her
that?" George cried
"Yes; l had to, George" said the old
man, his eyes averted. "Some say she's
thinkin' O. marryin' that man beca Sc
her sick daddy wants her to, an I'd
never be satisfied eff let a woman
marry thing like that belieyin' he
was honorable an brave like her daddy
an like somebody else know. No; |
would thank anybody to tell a daugh-
ter O mine sech thing, an l felt like
it was my duty"
George bit his lip and stifed an ex:
clamation of irritation, but he met the
old mans look presently with a steady
stare.
"What did she say, Truitt?" he asked
finally
"Say? l hardly know" said Truitt.
Her face got the purtiest color I ever
seed, an while was talkin' she kept
sayin', Go on, 60 on Mr.. Truitt, 20 onv
an right in the middle O. some things
she'd jest laugh out an kiver 'er mouth
with that white hand O. her'n, but she
kept sayin, Go on, go onp an looked
like she jest couldn't wait fer me to
git through. An when 1 finally got
to whar I lifted i'm by one O. his side
straps out O. his chair she jest hol!erei
NO, you didn't rally, MIR. Truitt Did
you do that to the governor O. Georgia :?
l told 'er l certainly did, an she
laughed like she'd bust She followed
me clean to the front gate, You may
think she's purity woman, but I'll bet
she never looked as purity to you as she
did then. The wind was devilin' he1
hair, an her cheeks looked like ripe
peaches. Seemed like she'd sorter tuck
likin' to me, fer once or twice she
forgot an put her hand on my arm
Then she said, Mr.. Truitt, I believe ]
kin trust you with a secret an l wan
to tell you some'n'.' ,r r
II told 'er was a graveyard itself
when 1t come to keepin' secrets fel
women folks, but she sorter hung fire
Her face got serious, an she wouldn'