The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-23
THE 1HWARTING OF
 TUCKER.
BY THOMAS P. MoNTFoRT.

JuuktHS nOuSEnOlu. GNCiyoOuy disturbed. restless and uneasy. Mrs. Judkins, a little, frail, timid. washed out woman, wandered aimlessly from room to room, moaning and wringing her hands, while old Sam Judkins, the head of the family, hoped about as frantically and aimlessly as a chicken with its head just wrung oh.
 The cause of all this excitement was the failure of Minerva Judkins to ap- pear at the breakfast table. and the further fact that a 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 a most portentious meaning.
 "Oh, Minerva! Minerva| Mrs. Jud- kins walled. T wonder where she can be?" old Sam stopped and glared at his wife. What's the use in saying that?' he cried. 'I know, and you know, ex- actly where she is. There's no sense in beating about the bush, trying to deceive ourselves. She's eloped, that's all there Is to it. Eloped with that Jack Burns"
 NO, Nor' Mrs. Judkins moaned. don't say that. It can't, 1t must not be truer
 Well. just the same. it is true. They've eloped. But I 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"
 As he ceased speaking he stepped over and took an old rife from rack above the door. Mrs. Judkins flew to him. and, clasping his arm with both hands, cried:
 "oh. Sam! You mustn't do anything rashi"
 Don't you bother about thatw he cried. I'll not do anything more rash than putting a bullet through Jack Burns heart"
 Minerva Judkins was a woman grown and had a 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 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 a decent, respectable sort of per- son, but when he offered her an old widower with six children, an un- shaven face and a 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 | Aa cha 1ntrIA itIaflV feel nr0IId | In reality Sam Judkins had nothing against Jack Burns, and if he had been left uninhuenced he would have been perfectly willing for Jack and Minerva to marry. But, unfortunately, he was not left nnlnfiuenced. Old Ben Tucker, the widower above mentioned, attended to that. He had an influence | over Sam that the latter found irre- sistable. He had mortgage on Sam s 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, 1t 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 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 | Accordingly when Sam strode forth ir pursuit of his daughter and her lover he was reinforced by Tucker.
 Near the Judkins farm was river and across the river was a town. II was to this town that old Sam very naturally concluded the lovers hac gone. It was the only town anywhere near. and then in other elopements the elopers had always gone there to gel | married.
 A boat was secured and the two men got in and set out across the river Tucker took the oars, while old San sat in the stern nursing the rifle. lr perfect silence the former pulled away manfully and the latter stared straight before him, watching the opposite shore.
 In this way they proceeded unti they had reached the middle Of the river, where the water was deep anc the current swift. Then all at once old Sam sprang to his feet In state ol wild excitement and raised his gun tc his shoulder Just before him he saw Jack Burns standing on the river bank
 Hold the boat still, can't you?" h' called to Tucker. Let up on then oars"
 what is it?" Tucker asked. fol seated facing Sam he could not set Burns. What are you going to shoo here for?'
 Hes there on the bank" Sam re | nlied. Jack Burns. I'm going tC kill him. Hold still until I get beaC on him."
 Instead of doing as Sam admonish ed. old Ben, at the mention of Burns name sprang excitedly to his feet il order to get a look at his rival. In SC doing he inadvertently threw his en tire weight on one side of the boat ana tipped it over.
 The next moment the two men were fioundering wildly about in the water while Sam's rifle lay at the bottom o the river, and the boat fioated idly bottom side up.
 Tucker was a good swimmer, but olC Sam could not swim a lick. The for mer, as soon as he had got the water out of his mouth and nose, and recove cred his breath, struck out for th' shore. The latter, floundering franti cally to keep himself afloat, yelled lustily for help. Tucker heard bu turned a deaf car. He was too mucf occupied with saving himself to waste any time on any one else.
 Old Sam finally managed to get holC of the upturned boat. He could no right it and get in. but by hanging tt 1t he could save himself from goinl down under the water. With an un certain fingerhold on the wet, slipper!