Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-22

lated. ''MaSta, q know I've never
raised girNGbut mark this-if l had
raised one, she'd not talk no such
way as that"
"Myrilly got right to her no
tions," Mrs. Lacy said noncommittally,
but with significant glance at her
sister. AS Myrlla disappeared into
the kitchen she added In q half
whisper: Don't please name beau
to her" nodding toward the door,
while you're here. I'll tell you why
the first good chance"
The chance came next day-Myrilla
had driven to town and was safe for
some hours. She was no more outside
the big gate when her mother burst
out: "Its all on account Of Len Tai
bot Myrilly never says so, but her
! eyes tell me. They turn like morning
sunshine when she sees him pass.
Stop? Why he never stops nowhere.
Won't hardly speak to folks--not un-
| less they're sick or In trouble-then
I'm agree he's like an angel from
heaven"
"He oughter be. Remember what
he's got to make UP for" Aunt Jane
said, pursuing her lips. But dear,
dear! To think OF my own and only
niece loving the son of murderer"
"You can't call old man Talbot
that-you know he come clear at the
trial. Mrs. Lacy put In with faint
show Of spirit. and then he died
saving life. Didn't you hear how he
swum through the foodwaters and
brought out all that Millet tribe Q,
children? Got pneumonia by it-and
old Sam Millet had been harder down
on him than anybody. Old Sam tried
Ito make up with Len at the funeral.
but Len couldn't see his hand even
then. He didn't say nothing
harsh, mean-just looked the other
way. And to everything offered he
had one answer: Thank you-but
my father no longer needs any help,
Since then he's been just the same,
stirring and thriving, the best farmer
| in the district; keen on q bargain. but
not what you'd call close; civil as
can be when he has to be, but never
letting anybody get nearer n arms
| length. Not even Myrilly--"
well! If she was the least kin to
me she's have more pride n to give
him a thought Aunt Jane inter
rupted.
Mrs. Lacy sighed. "Myrilly's not
| forward she said. You'll see that,
no matter what you think. believe
she'll live and die loving Len-and
all she's got to feed her heart on is
Just this; she made a wreath--am-
brosia and white rose buds and sum-
mer chrysanthemums, and sent 1t for
the old mans funeral. Lots more
folks sent flowers, the very best they
could pick in their gardens and Len
left them in the parlor. But Myrilly's
wreath went on the coff1n-and with
it-down in the cold ground. You
see, before the trial, while the old
man was in jaiI-they wouldn't take
bail seeing the charge was murder
she'd sent little nosegays to him
whenever she got the chance. Folks
| Thought it was awfulme letting her
| do t-but she was just such young
| thing -and i felt sorry myself-the
| Talbots, you know, had held their
heads so high, 1t did seem Q shame
their come down"
well! All I've to say is-the
day she ups and marries some good,
sensible young man-you say they all
like her-that day make my will
leaving her all I've got, Aunt Jane
announced. "But II she's going to
keep on incoming after one Of that
bloody-minded stock, my money goes
straight to my husbands kin"
"Myrilly won't care she's mighty
independent. And IL she ever knows
you say that, she'll be more'n ever
set Mrs Lacy said with q little hard
laugh that had in it a spice Of pride.
II won't care either" she went on.
E"Whatever Myri1ly may or mayn't do,
she'll be worth q dozen such as John
Miller's slipshod nieces."
cts easy to see where she gets
some Of her foolishness," Aunt Jane
retorted angirly, going outside In
huff.
It was a soft spring day-the break
ing plows were in the old grass. the
very meadow she had run over SO
many times in her childhood and
youth. She made her way down the
lane, snuffed the ploughland odors
gratefully, then strolled on into q
stretch Of pasture, debating whether
to stay and enjoy the orderly COM
fort OF the Lacy house, or go back TO
the slipshod nieces Of whom her soul
was sick
She knew the pasture no less than
the meadow-it was the old Hicks
farm, it's owners thriftlessness pro-
claimed by the rocks and bushes that
numbered the face OF it. 1t sloped
gently upward to long crest, from
which enc could see the Talbot house
and the fields about It.
Mrs. Miller had morbid wish to
see it. She made her way slowly up
the slope and came out at last upon
the crest, but in little dip Of it that
partly sheltered her from view. In
the dip she found another occupant
Rob Roy, her sisters dearly loved
collie, recreant to name and nature,
sucking the blood OF newly killed
eve. Her twin lambs lay little be-
yond, their heads bitten through.
Another eve was gasping q yard or
two away.
At sight OF human being Rob Roy
r. 8 - IL -