Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-09-12
answered.

Il -
~ my own And the Reg'lar
church What do you mean? Has
Matt
mo, he amt. But that cussed girl
Of yours"
rstop!" shouted Captain Hammond.
"Elkanah Daniels, for your own sake
now. be careful. II you dast to say a
word, another word like that, I'll"
IT dast! The hussy! But there's
no use talkin' to you. You're as crazy
as Bedlamite. Either that, or you're
IN the game with her. II you are, I
warn you"
"stsp! What game? What game
do you mean? Oracle! My Oracle!
What is 1t? For mercy sakes, FL
kanah-"
"Humph! wondered If l couldn't
get some sense into you. finally. Lock
that door!"
Il will! will! But Elkanah-''
Lock it! Give me the key!"
The click Of the lock sounded
sharply.
Where's the lamp" demanded Dan
iels. "And the matches? Don't stand
there shaking"
A smell Of sulphur fioated out into
the hall. Then the sickly glow of the
fluid" lamp shone through the door
way.
What ails you?" asked Elkanah.
Are you struck dumb? Now go and
see II there's anybody else in the
house."
"But-but there amt. l know there
amt. Hannah's gone and Gracies at
meetin' by this time"
She? Humph! Well, maybe she's
at meetin' and maybe she isn't. May
be she's sver in Peters's pines, hug
cling and kissing that man she's met
there every Sunday for 1 don't know
how long Here! let go, you old
fool! Let go. tell you!"
you liar!" snarled Captain Eben.
You low-lived liar! BY the Almighty,
Elkanah Daniels! III You take that
back or I'll choke the everlastin'
soul out Of you. l will"
Let go, you lunatic! You'll kill
yourself. Listen! I'm not lying. It's
the truth. She's met man, 1 tell
you. Been meeting him for months,
l guess. There! now will you listen?
His names John Ellery, and he's
minister Of the Regular church in this
town; that's who he is! Here! hold
up! Good Lord! are you dying? Hold
up!"
The girl on the stairs sprang to her
feet. Her head was Keeling and she
could scarcely stand, but she blindly
began the descent She must 20 to
her uncle. She must. But CAPTAIN
Daniels's voice caused her to halt
once more.
There! there!" it said in a tone
Of relief. That's better. Set still
now. Be quiet, that's it. Shall / get
some water?'
mo, no! let me be. Just let me be.
I amt what / used to be and this
I'm all right, I tell you. Grace! And
and What was it you just said?
IL don't b'lieve heard 1t right"
Il said that daughter of yours, or
niece. or whatever she is, this Grace
Van Horne. has been meeting young
Ellery, our minister, in Peters's grove.
Been meeting him and walking with
him. and kissing him. She's met him
IN those pines every Sunday afternoon
for long time. She was seen there
with him this afternoon"
'Who-who saw herr
Never mind. The one that did1l
never tell-unless It's necessary. They
are fixing to be married. and"
Married! She marry a Regular
minister! Oh"
Flush! Listen! They amt married
yet. We oan stop 'em. you and I, II
we get right to work. It isn't too late.
Will you help?"
"Will IL Go on! tell me more!"
I'VE can stop 'em. know it would
be good catch for her. the sneaking,
Designing Well, never mind. But 1t
can't be. It shan't be. You've got to
tell her SO. Hammond. We folks Of
the Regular church have pride in our
society; we won't have 1t disgraced
And we have been proud of our minis
ter. the young, rattle-headed fool!
Well save him II we can. II we
can't"-the speakers teeth grated
then wen send him to eternal
smash or die trying"
"But can't believe it's true. It's q
mistake; some other girl and not
Oracle. Why, she don't even know
him. She wouldn't But she has
been out every Sunday afternoon for
wAoko ohN~,0d 49,
The chair creaked. Evidently. Cap.
tain Eben was rising slowly to his
feet.
'Welli" repeated Elkanah.
"Elkanah Daniels" said Eben slow
ly, his voice shaking from nervous e1-
haustion and weakness, but with q fine
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