The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-07-02

Sure / can do that easy"
II must get on to Elmdale tonight.
The lady and gentleman who were
with me will come In the morning.
Say nothing about 1t, but after you
get your supper come out and hitch
up for me-"
But that lame horse!"
THE hours rest win make him all
| right" He mumbled a little, but the
IS bill was a wonderful argument
AS soon as he was gone I changed
the location Of those two teams. so
that the lame horse was In Hanks
stall and his fresh team standing
where Pat had left my own weary one.
This job safely accomplished,
went In to my own supper, recalling
,, as / stepped inside the house that, In
moment of forgetfulness. had
signed my true name, Mark Hathar
way. on the register, and there was
my hated rival standing at the desk
reading the list Of guests.
Whatever scheme might be on foot,
soon noticed that the nephew was
making a successful attempt to avoid
the uncle, who chung persistently to
my side. At length. however. we cor
nered one another at the hall en-
trance. and to my amazement the
| younger man was embarrassed at
meeting his relative.
you here?" was his only greeting
as Uncle Silas grabbed lem by the
hand and FASTENED to introduce me as
Mr.. James Lacey. Of Springfield"
"Mr. James Lacey, of Springfield"
repeated Hank, open-mouthed in as
constituent why. I thought"
l. Il am glad to learn" hastily
broke in, that you have been able to
arrange your trip to Canada"
Hank shot a CLEAN of hate at, me
as his uncle exclaimed:
Going to Canada? You don't mean
to say"
I withdrew, and Is minutes later
| Pat and / were on our way to ELM
dale, conscious that II Hank followed
he would have an all-night Job with
lame horse. Before midnight had
| told the whole story to Uncle Tom.
| and early in the morning we drove
over to Marian's.
Hank was not there, but his father
was. and he glared at me in such q
belligerent manner that Immediately
took Marian in my arms and kissed
| her.
Young man." he said, spreading .
| pious mask over his face, do you
mean to say that you have come up
here to take this innocent girl away
from her home and friends and marry
her against their wishes?"
II certainly intend to marry her." I
replied.
| "Oh, Marian, Marian" continued
Pa Collins; oh. little Marian. who has
been in my Sunday school class and
grown up under my eye, kin you, I
ask, kin you so far forget yourself as
to marry this MANI"
II certainly can and WILL" came
firmly from little Marian"
Then" spoke up Uncle Tom. "the
laws of the country having been COM
| piled with, l as clerk Of the county Of
Wooster certify that you are man and
wife,"
They - are - man - and - wife,"
asked Pa Collins.
II am glad to hear you pronounce
them So" Uncle Tom flashed back be-
| fore any one else could speak. That
was all that could possibly be neces-
sary to make the marriage regular.
Valid 1t was, anyway"
| ~ ia
both Of Marian's parents In one
breath.
What do mean? I mean just
this: That Mr.. Collins being a jus
tice of the peace, having asked each
| one of these young folks II they would
have each other. and both answering
yes he has pronounced them man
and wife, and as clerk Of the county
court will be obliged to make out .
certificate for them to that effect"
That's So" Pa Collins calculated.
sinking back under the weight of the
blow. But never thought Of It,"
What more might have been said
or done no one can conjecture, for
just then there was a jingling Of
sleigh bells and Uncle and Aunt Giles
burst into the room.
do you know what that scoundre1
of a son Of yours has done?" Uncle
Giles cried. shaking his fist in Pa Col
Inns face. Il sent him $4,000 to in
vest in the Canadian Mufiler company.
with a written agreement that II he
should ever wish to sell out he would
notify me so that could protect my
self. Last week he made fraudu-
lent assignment without mentioning
me as a creditor, and today he was to
have gone to Canada with the three
men he assigned to. where the assets
were to be turned over. and would
have lost my money. But Providence
was on the side of right, for by mis-