Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-20
The Thwarting
 of Tucker
By THOMAS P. MoNTFoRT

Copyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub Col THERE was great excitement in the Judkins household. Everybody was disturbed, restless and uneasy. The cause of all this excitement was the failure of Minerva Judkins to ap- pear at the breakfast table, and the further fact that search of the house had not discovered her whereabouts. These things within themselves were not so strange and startling as to set the whole household wild, but, when taken in connection with some other things, they had most portentious meaning.
 "Oh, Minerva! Minerva!" Mrs. Jud- kins walled. "I wonder where she can be?"
 Old Sam stopped and glared at his wife. Whats the use in saying that?" he cried. T know, and you know, ex- actly where she is. There's no sense in beating about the bush, trying to de- ceive ourselves. She's eloped, that's all there is to 1t. Eloped with that Jack Burns"
 No, mol" Mrs. Judkins moaned, .'don't say that. It can't, it must not be true!"
 Well. just the same, it is true. They've e1oped. But promise you right now that it's mighty little good 1t will do them. I'm going to follow and bring her back, and if I lay eyes , on Jack Burns he's a dead man. I'll shoot him on sight "Oh, Sam! You mustn't do anything rash!"
 Don't you bother about that!" he cried. "I'll not do anything more rash than putting a bullet through Jack i Burns heart''
 Minerva Judkins was a woman grown and had perfect right to mar ry whom she pleased, and no one was privileged to say her nay But her father did not see it in that light, and, having selected a husband for her, was , determined she should marry the man Of his choice, regardless of her own !, preferences in the matter This arrangement would have been distasteful enough to Minerva even if the man of her fathers choosing had been decent, respectable sort of per- son, but when he offered her an old
 
 shaven face and woefully unkempt appearance, it was simply revolting The thought of marrying such a man was the more revolting to her from the fact that she was in love with Jack Burns, a man nearer her own age, and one of whose personal appearance and 1 character she could justly feel proud. ] In reality Sam Judkins had nothing against Jack Burns, and if he had l been left uninfuenced he would have been perfectly willing for Jack and ] Minerva to marry. But, unfortunately, he was not left uninfuenced. Old Ben i Tucker, the widower above mentioned, attended to that He had an influence over Sam that the latter found ire sistable. He had a mortgage on Sam farm, which he threatened to foreclose unless he was given Minerva for a wife.
 Tucker was at the Judkins home when it was found that Minerva had disappeared. In fact. it had been arranged that he and Minerva should marry that morning. and it was for that reason that he was there. It was also for that reason that Minerva had had disappeared.
 When Sam took down his gun and announced his intention of following the elopers old Ben offered to accom- pany him, and his offer was accepted.
 Near the Judkins farm was a river, and across the river was a town. It was to this town that old Sam very naturally concluded the lovers had gone. It was the only town anywhere near, and then in other elopements the elopers had always gone there to get married.
 j A boat was secured and the two men got in and set out across the river Tucker took the oars, while old Sam sat in the stern nursing the rifle. In perfect silence the former pulled away manfully, and the latter stared straight before him, watching the opposite I shore.
 In this way they proceeded until they had reached the middle of the river, where the water was deep and the current swift Then all at once ol6 1 Sam sprang to his feet in state oi wild excitement and raised his gun tc his shoulder. Just before him he saw Jack Burns standing on the river bank
 HUH Iu0 UOdI SIl1l, Cdu you ut called to Tucker. Let up on then oars."
 What is it?" Tucker asked, for seat. ed facing Sam he could not see Bur1is What are you going to shoot here for?'
 He's there on the bank" Sam re piled. Jack Burns. I'm going to kil him. Hold still until I get bead or T him.
 Instead of doing as Sam admonish ed, old Ben, at the mention of Burns name. sprang excitedly to his feet il get look at his rival In so doing h, inadvertently threw his entire weigh on one side of the boat and tipped i over
 Tucker was 8 good swimmer, but olt Sam could not swim a lick The for L.