The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1905-03-03

| gle! DID ne suspect that knew RuCht
OF his secrets, what might he not do to
me! Kill me-imprison me for life! In.
stincttvely l felt that he would pause at
nothing to secure his own ends. l must
say something. To his proposition. or
rather to his inuendoes, l could make no
reply. would evade the Question--try
to turn the subject. As a matter of
course. l said the thing which above all
others ! ought not to have said.
| Did You hear anything about my
friends while you were in the city,"
Had thunderbolt fallen at his feet It
could not more suddenly have changed
his whole demeanor. He pushed back
his chair with start; and such look
OF fierce inquiry came into his face. such
a savage twinkle came into his eyes, that
| ! felt sure he was going to strike me
down upon the spot. The words were
scarcely off my lips before I was con-
scious Of the irretrievable blunder had
made.
what do you mean p he cried, NEIL
acingly.
did you not say you intended to make
city," faltered.
wv W you. nave you Ueeu iiSteu-
ing?"
could feel the telltale blod rush into
my face Mt the question. "E, er since
You were speaking to me on the subject.
l have thought Of nothing else" l cried.
in the same faltering voice.
Look here. Master Silas: what's the
meaning of this behavior? There's some
thing up-I know there is. by your man.
ner. Don't attempt to humbug me. be-
cause It won't do. Or Is it that you
are such Thoroughbred idiot that YOU
don't understand the drift of what I've
been saying? I'll satisfy myself upon
that point by and by. In the meanwhile,
I'll speak little palmer. mean you
to marry my daughter. To this you can't
possibly make any objection. as all the
sacrifice is on my side and hers. Now
come. what do you say to thatr'
Now that he had thrown off the mask,
and spoken more plainly, felt, for the
first time in my life. something like
courage to oppose him. II know that I
possess no advantages to entitle mo to
such match, but l am too young to
marry" l said. with some little firm
ness.
II am the best Judge of that" he an
swered sharply.
But l have no wish to marry"
'What" he exclaimed. furiously. do
you mean to say that you've the impu-
dence to refuse my daughter?"
Then followed a string of invectives
and opprobrious epithets that l need not
repeat. He literally foamed at the
mouth.
You shall smart for this insultr' he
went on, wiping the perspiration from
his face. you shall go down upon
your knees and beg my pardon for this,
and pray with all your heart and soul
for what you've just refusedv''
With these words. and casting ma
lignant look upon me, he hurried out of
the room.
l sank into chair, literally stupefed
and overw helmed. But even the faint
resistance that had made inspired me
with new confidence. felt that l was
no longer school boy, but verging on
manhood; that it was cowardly and dis
graceful to yield slavsh obedience
against my conscience to such q inan
as he had now shown himself. The first
resolution formed consequent upon this
better and frmer state of mind was that
would make clean breast to Martha
of all l. knew, and then be guided by
her superior worldly wisdom as to what
l had better do. Feeling much relieved.
I went up to the school room to SUPER
intend the afternoon tasks
CHAPTER vi.
The days work was done, and I vent
down into the kitchen to have my tea
and my confidential talk with Martha.
In this last intention. however, l was
doomed to be disappointed. Her master
had entrusted her with certain commits
sions that obliged her at once to set ont
for Bury. So l was left alone. As
soon as had finished my solitary meal,
l wandered down to the bottom of the
orchard. Lying down in the shadow of
large pear tree, l soon forgot my trou-
bles.
Behind the high, thick hedge at my
den. | was disturbed in the midst of
my meditations by the sound of voices.
Their owners were walking in the gar
den. and presently l could hear their
footsteps close behind me. For the Sec
ond time became an involuntary caves
dropper. Covering still closer to the
earth, caught their words.
81 tell you. Judith, he knows some
thing! believe he's been listeninev'
I heard Mr.. Porter say.
"He has not the brains or the cour-
age" she answered scornfully, "He's
simply fool"
"Why. then. should he ask me such a
question, and follow it up by stammer-
ing that l had told him? I intended do
ing SO before l went away; certainly
did intend doing SO. but never mention
ed 1t even to you. Besides that, there's
been a great change in him during these
few days back. Instead of being CRATE
full, as he always was before. for any lit
tie indulgence, he seems to shrink from
It, and from me. tool! Then he added
quickly. as though a sudden idea had
struck him, where was he the night
that came back? If l remember. we
held all our talk in the. parlor, with the
window wide open, and you didn't speak
in very low tones"
An exclamation broke from Judith.
The footsteps paused close behind me. I
feared they would hear the violent tsat-
ing of my heart.
stop" she cried. "That reminds mel
Not quarter of an hour before YOU
returned he was clipping a bush In front |
of that window. saw him from INV
bedroom"
There was an ominous pause; In INV
niud,a ova I could p;o%,..