Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

mIO IL. DeileNe COulu Steep SIdlld11lS
on the gallows with rope around my
neck
Somewhat to his surprise, Mrs. Tingley
said nothing as she got up and lighted bit
of candle. With it in her hand she went into
the adjoining room. The two men heard her
steady tread on the rough, creaking flooring
as she moved about. Presently she came
back without the candle and said:
"Your beds ready in there and she
motioned toward the door with a stiff
hand.
well, Hartley said as he rose, @Ill tell
you goodnight Il hope you'll both rest
well. You don't know how grateful | feel
over having you take me in this way and
listen to my running on about my private
matters If you ever come my way, I'll tr.-
to repay you. Goodnight"
XIHEN he had gone the old couple still
~ sat over the fire, their eyes on the red
Goals. For moment they heard Hartleys
movements in the other room, and then all
was still For half an hour the Tingleys sat
motionless, neither uttering a word. Sud-
denly Mrs. Tingley raised her head and
pushed back the hood of her bonnet.
Hiram" she said, and the sound was in
her dry throat rather than on her quiver1ng
lips, Il like him the best of any young man
- =
| ever run across"
"Oh, l know" Tingley said doggedly, che
means well, and he's all right, as far as he
goes; but this isn't any time to be thinking
of that Nice ways in man wouldn't turn
Dick Tarpley, and me and you are fiat under
his thumb
"Hiram, he's Nettie's sweetheart and
the poor dear child"
"Oh, don't begin that!' Ting1ey broke in.
Besides, he's well off, You heard him ad
init it, and the ready money he totes on him
isn't all he's got
"That amt the point" said the old woman
in harsh undertone. "The point is that
man with his eye in his head amt going to
be led off and ransacked by gang of men
calling themselves a Sheriff and deputies.
He'll see through it and will fight for his
rights He'll fight till them devils over
power him and kill him."
"Now, thar you go trying to conJure
up some trouble that isn't near happen
ing!'
at will end in bloodshed, | tell you!" re-
iterated the old woman. "And it's an un-
pardonable sin for me and you to lend a han
to it when it concerns nice young man and
our best girl friend Me and you are old,
Hiram. It won't be long before We'll have
to pass on to the eternal bar of God Do
you UI1Ilk we can dlIOTu 10 go leu IldiIuCd!
We've been coerced and imposed on by this
gang of thieves; but we've reached the turn
ing point We will do this, if we do it, after
calm deliberation. Maybe God Almighty
has brought all this before us as our final
earthly trial. First it was Nettie coming in
her sweet way to tell us about her sweet
heart; and then him following with his side
of it. Hiram, me 'n'you just can't afford
here as we sit with our feet in our graves to
put up our hands and with our last earthly
strength choke the life and happiness out of
two young 'uns who are just starting out on
life's road strewed with flowers. We can't
do it, l tell you"
"Huh!' Tingley grunted, and he moved
restlessly in his chair. "You know what
Dick Tarpley would do if he come here and
found that man gone. He'd simply put us
out of the way Finding him gone would
prove to Dick that we wouldn't do to trust,
and he'd git rid of us to save himself from
our testimony"
"Well, Hiram" his wife said firmly, ave
simply reached the end. Dick and his dirty
gang kin come here and kill me if they want
to; but I'm going in that room and make
that man leave in time! A body's only got
one time to die, and I'd rather die doing
right than wrong
Old Tingley said nothing. His glance rest
ing on the red logs wavered, and then his
rugged breast rose suddenly and fell. "You
Il L..