Las Vegas optic., 1912-10-14
Confined frOm Yesterday
cHAPTERvLI.
q Which [asI. . y: !. psrson and Mr.. Pepper

70 Which the pareon and Mr.. Peppe,
Declare Their Independence.
That afternoon, when dinner was
over the Reverend John decided +
make q few duty calls The first d
these he determined should be Oh The
Peppers.
Inc Pepper house was situated Just
on the main road on the lane leading
over the dunes to the ocean and the
light It was a small building. its
white paint dingy and storm beaten.
and Its little fenced-in front yard dot.
ted thickly with cIumps Of silver-leaf
saplings. A sign. nailed crookedly on
post, informed those seeking such IN.
formation that within was to be found
"Abishai G. w. Pepper, Tax Collector.
Assessor, Boots and Shoes Repaired. !
And beneath this was fastened a shin
gle with the chalked notice. "Salt Hay
for Sale"
The boot and ahoe portion of Shs
first sign was q relic Of other davs.
Ryan had been q cobbler once. but it
ss discouraging to wait three or four
weeks while the pair Of boots one has
left to be rescled are forgotten in a
corner.
The minister walked up the dusty
lane lifted the Pepper gate, swung II
back on its one hinge, and knocked
at the front door No one coming IN
answer to the knock, he tried again.
Then from somewhere in the rear OF
the house came the sound Of human
voice.
"Hi!" 1t called family Whoever
you be. don't bust that door down.
Come round here"
Ellery "came along" as far as the
angle where the ell joined the main
body Of the house. So far as he could
See every door and window was closed
and there were no signs Of life. How
ever, he stepped to the door, a green
painted affair Of boards. and ventured
another knock.
Don't start that poundin' again!"
protested the voice. "Come round to
t'other side where be-"
So around went the Reverend John,
smiling broadly. But even on ~t'other
side there was no one to. be seen.
And no door, for that matter.
aWhy!' exclaimed the voice, ''if
'taint Mr.. Elleryl How dye do? Glad
s to see you, Mr.. Ellery Fine day, amt
IT? Here be at this window
Sure enough; one Of the windows
ILf. ~t5.t ~ 4J,.o to.rca x.vo 9 vo4ccd
about six inches at the bottom, the
shade was up, and peering. beneath the
sash the minister discerned the ex-
,pressive features Of Abishai Pepper
or as much of those features as the
size Of the opening permitted to be
seen.
"Oh!" exclaimed the visitor, 'is that
you. Mr.. Pepper? Well, I'm glad to
see you, at last. You are rather hard
to see, even now"
'Er-er-come to call, did your"
why, yes, that was my intention"
"Hum! Er-er-Layiny, she's gone
over to Thankful Payne's She heard
that Thankfuls cousin up to Middle
boro had died---passed away, mean
and she thought she'd run over and
find out If Thankful was willed any
thing. She said she'd be back pretty
soon"
'sVery well. Then. as she won't be
gone long, perhaps I'll come in and
wait"
@You see, Mr.. Ellery," stammered
Ryan, It'd like to have you come In
fust rate, but--er-Laviny she's got
the Key. she Oh, consarn it
all, Mr.. Ellery, she's locked me in this
room a-purpose, SOS ! won't get out
and 60 somewheres without her know
In it."
"She done 1t a-purpose, continued
Ryan, In burst Of confidence. eShe
had me put one of them new-fangled
spring locks on the door Of this room
t'other day, cause she said she was
afraid of tramps and wanted some
place to shut herself up in If one OF
'em come. And-zand after dinner to-
day she sent me in here for somethin'
and then slammed the door on me.
said she caI'Iated I'd stay put till she
got back from Thankful's She knew
mighty well couldn't get out Of the
window. cause it won't, open no
further'n It's now. | want never SO
provoked in my life. 'Tain't no way to
treat your own brother, locRin' him up
like young one; now, is it?"
Il don't know. You're Of age, Mr..
Pepper, and you must decide for your
self. / think / should declare my inde-
pendence. Really, must go. -"
"stop your foolishnessl Ohl--I--I
esk your pardon, Mr. ElIery. That
amt no way to talk to a minister But
I'm goin' to 90 out when I want to II
bust a hole through the elapboards.
i amt fascinatin'. You ask any wom-
an-except her--if | be, and see what
they say. Whatll doge
vfIa. hal I'd0n't know, I'm sure. You
might lock her up, suppose, just for
a changea 4
s1eyw There was a sound from be.
hind the pane as # the Imprisoned one
nad slapped his knee. risy gumI I
never thought Of that Would you
ne.0 afy--s.sa-vg Would -xonl sSEs-i'